Best Horror Games For Mac

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Amnesia: The Dark Descent isn’t the type of horror game that arms you to the teeth and sends you on a zombie-hunting spree. Instead, it shuns combat for a hide-and-seek style gameplay that will make you feel about as empowered as a mouse in a cat’s playpen (and that is its main draw).

You play the game as Daniel who wakes up in a derelict Prussian castle without recollection of the events that have led to his current situation. From there, you’ll go on to piece together his past while dodging ghastly dangers and managing Daniel’s dwindling sanity. This sanity mechanic is one of the game’s highlights. Reality will start to distort when your sanity drops after lingering in the darkness for too long or witnessing unspeakable horrors. This mechanism plunges players into a deeper psychological horror than the usual jump scare fest and it’s one of the reasons Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a cult classic.

Game	Amnesia: The Dark Descent
macOS support	No (Steam Client will no longer support 32-bit games or macOS 10.14 or lower)
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, GeForce Now, Boot Camp, Parallels, Crossover
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android (it’s Called Sclerosis)
Genre	Horror, Psychological Horror, Gore, Puzzle, Adventure
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes
Performance on Mac (local workaround methods)	(The game runs great even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The eerie soundscapes and oppressive environments create an atmosphere thick enough to slice. You’ll have to slowly navigate through shadowy halls and crumbling chambers to reveal a haunting story. But the story is never told to you directly, but “shown” via scattered notes and chilling visions. Each piece of new information further reveals a tale of forbidden occult experiments gone terribly wrong. 

Amnesia combines interactive storytelling that ensures your actions have weight on the outcome with the palpable tension of never being truly safe. It forces you to balance your primal urge to flee with the need to explore in an ingenious way, and so it tethers you to the very source of your fear.

Resident Evil 2 Remake

Resident Evil 2 Remake is Capcom’s way of reminding game studios how remakes are supposed to be made – enhancing parts of the original that were limited by the technology of the time, but keeping the parts that made it great in the first place. If the best survivor horror games for Mac are your jam, remember to add this one to your wish-list if you haven’t already.

If you are not familiar with this game (or any other title in the series), then picture this: you are trudging through the gory, dimly-lit corridors of the Raccoon City Police Department, with ammo as scarce as a satisfying finale in a horror movie series. Your main task? Survive. Sounds simple? It’s not. The game’s over-the-shoulder camera and responsive controls heighten the claustrophobia and panic rather than undermine it, so you’ll have no respite from the relentless undead on their way to make you their next meal.

Game	Resident Evil 2 Remake
macOS support	No
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, GeForce Now, Xbox cloud, Amazon Luna, Boot Camp
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
Genre	Horror, Survival Horror, Zombies,
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes
Performance on Mac (local workaround methods)	(The game runs well even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

You play as either Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield just like in the original RE2. Both protagonists have a distinctly harrowing path and face unique encounters, which adds to the game’s replay value. Both characters will have to fight their way through hordes of zombies, but also solve a number of environmental puzzles. They’re logical, aren’t too difficult, and are integrated smoothly into the incessant quest for safety keys and secret passages. However, you may struggle to use logical thinking while solving them because you never know when an undead abomination might jump you from behind the corner. Fun times.

Our take on this remake is that it masterfully balances old-school horror with modern gameplay mechanics. This is a rare instance where we get a classic title remade with respect for the original but also with enough innovation and improvement to justify its own existence.

Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation isn’t just another stroll through the sci-fi horror park but a deadly game of hide-and-seek. It takes place in a claustrophobic space station and your main opponent is an incredibly persistent Xenomorph that learns from your actions. 

Forget about blasting away, because the alien can’t be killed. You’ll be forced to use stealth, your wits, and the occasional closet to avoid a rather nasty end. You play as Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen from the Alien movies. Amanda is searching for her mother and so she ends up on a station where things have gone horribly wrong (because, of course they have).

Game	Alien: Isolation
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, Amazon Luna
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
Genre	Horror, Survival Horror, Aliens, Sci-fi
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

Cautious exploration and management of limited resources are key elements of the gameplay. You’ll quickly need to learn how and when to use tools like motion trackers and noise makers to evade the relentless hunter. The tension of knowing you are virtually defenseless is amped up by the labyrinthian layout of this space station where death can be waiting behind every corner. 

The story in this game is connected to the lore of the Alien films which enhances the horror with a nostalgic twist for those who have seen them. We are all fans of sci-fi and horror, so we like that Alien: Isolation is faithful to its roots, and our inner gamers appreciate that the game shows respect to the player by pitting them against a highly intelligent AI-controlled enemy that will keep your toes for the entire gameplay.

Darkwood

Darkwood is a dark fairytale type of game that only post-Soviet Poland could inspire, only with fewer tracksuits and more grotesque monsters. It’s a top-down survival horror that swaps the usual jump scares for a creeping sense of unease that gnaws at you like a rat gnaws at a power cable. 

The gameplay is what we’ve come to expect from the survival-horror genre: resource management, exploration, crafting, and barricading yourself in at night. That is the time of day when the “fun” things happen, so you better be ready.

Game	Darkwood
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
Genre	Horror, Survival Horror, Top-down
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes (Mostly visual and Inventory mods)
Performance on Mac	(The game runs great even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

During the day, you scavenge the ever-changing forest for supplies to fortify your hideout, and make preparation for the night, like brewing potions to enhance your abilities, and maybe craft an improvised melee weapon from a plank and a couple of nails. Come nightfall, your shack becomes a siege house. Horrors start clawing at your defenses. Holding together your shack becomes essntial because fighting wood monsters at night, is rarely a winnable fight when your vision is limited.

The story unfolds through eerie and mysterious encounters and environmental cues. You’ll have to trudge deeper into a full-blown nightmare to face the horrors that await you there if you want to really learn what’s going on.

Playing Darkwood feels a lot like being lost in a terrifying labyrinth, where every choice can lead to deeper darkness, and most of the time that will be the choice you need to make. It’s a masterclass in atmosphere that shows a much more effective way of getting under the player’s skin than jumpscares.

Dying Light

Dying Light kicks off the zombie apocalypse playground genre with parkour, because nothing says ‘evading the undead’ like vaulting over rooftops with the grace of a caffeinated gazelle. But since we are talking about the hungry undead, the movement mechanics are inescapably paired with the grim task of zombie head-smashing, and that’s what makes the action in this game so engaging and refreshing. 

The game is set in the open-world city of Harran. This locale is picturesque but also perilous, so you must make full use of your agility to outpace the flesh-munching locals. The gameplay loop is enhanced by a dynamic day-night cycle that determines what you do and when you do it. You scavenge for supplies and craft weapons in the sunlight to enhance your survival against increasingly clever undead. Then the hunter becomes the hunted at night because that’s when the more vicious flesh-eaters come out to party. This shift alters your gameplay strategy and also amps up the atmospheric tension to new heights, especially if the night catches you away from a fortified position.

Game	Dying Light
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, GeForce Now
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre	Horror, Survival Horror, Zombies
Multiplayer	Yes (Online Co-op)
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes
Performance on Mac	(The game runs great even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The story is about your quest to find a cure while navigating factional human conflict and dealing with the ever-present zombie threat. This narrative offered enough twists to keep us hooked, but we have to be honest – it was the heart-pounding chases under moonlit skies that truly defined our experience. But this isn’t a bad thing – it just comes to show how well the devs have nailed the gameplay aspect. Few other games do the zombie apocalypse genre so well in terms of gameplay engagement, so it’s an easy recommendation from us.

Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight ditches traditional shooter multiplayer antics for a more menacing dance where four players scramble not to get their spines remodeled by a fifth player. That fight player takes on the role of a bloodthirsty killer on the hunt just like in one of those 80s slasher horror films. 

This is an asymmetric multiplayer horror game that truly embraces the thrill of the chase. The survivors must work together to activate generators that open the gates to freedom and the lurking killer must take them out before they save themselves.

Each match is basically a mini horror movie. The thick atmosphere is crafted through dimly lit, foreboding environments that keep your pulse racing and palms sweaty. One of the coolest gameplay elements of this title is the rotating cast of killers. Each murderous psycho comes with their own specialized to hunt and kill, so the survivors need to adapt their strategies constantly.

Game	Dead by Daylight
macOS support	No
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
Genre	Horror, Survival Horror
Multiplayer	Yes
Single-Player	No
Modding support	Yes
Performance on Mac (local workaround methods)	(The game runs well even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

Teamwork is critical for the survivors, who don’t have any weapons so their wits and their ability to quietly repair machinery are the only things that can keep them alive. The killer has all the means to hunt down, capture, and kill his victims and this creates a tense, dynamic between the two sides.

Dead by Daylight has to have one of the coolest gameplay loops among the multiplayer horror titles. It strikes a perfect balance between fun and creepiness, so we strongly recommend it, especially if you have a couple of pals to play it with.

Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village spins the survival horror roulette yet again but lands on a number that’s part eerie European village, part monster-mash, and entirely a festival of frights. This installment in the RE series ditches the grimy corridors of its predecessor and opts for a semi-open-world concept. 

RE: Village takes place in a remote Romanian village infested with werewolf-like creatures and other gothic horrors. You once again play as Ethan Winters (the RE7 protagonist) who is looking for his kidnapped daughter.

Game	Resident Evil Village
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Nintendo Swich, iOS
Genre	Horror, Survival Horror, First-person
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes
Performance on Mac	(The game runs on mid and high-range Macs, but is nearly unplayable on weaker or older Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The gameplay blends traditional Resident Evil survival with greater mobility and more action. You’ll manage ammo and health items like in previous RE games, but the first-person perspective here (like in RE7) makes the gameplay more dynamic. The titular village and its surrounding areas provide a nice variety in the environments – castles, dungeons, creepy mills, industrial areas, and more. Each of the settings is an active participant in the horror thanks to great level design that adds to the tension.

The atmosphere is thick with dread thanks to the haunting soundtrack and the creepy visuals Village delivers not just jump scares but a sustained sense of terror. The story that marries personal stakes with universal horrors and the gameplay that lets you face the monstrosities head-on only add to the tension and the result is one of the best RE titles.

Lethal Company

Lethal Company isn’t about a zombie-infested city, or a dark forest filled with mushroom monsters. It actually plays more like a regular job – you and your crewmates travel from one moon to the other to collect scraps and get paid… and maybe not get eaten by an unnameable monstrosity, all in a day’s work.

This cooperative survival horror game throws you into industrial moonscapes where you and your teammates gather valuable scraps. Just remember that you’re not just battling for resources but also competing against the clock to meet the quotas of your oh-so-beloved corporate overlords.

Thus the gameplay hinges on a blend of frantic resource gathering and strategic monster evasion. Each player’s choice between upgrading gear or hoarding resources for survival directly impacts the team effort’s success.

Game	Lethal Company
macOS support	No
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, Crossover, Parallels, Boot Camp
Platforms and operational systems	Windows
Genre	Horror, Survival Horror, First-person
Multiplayer	Yes (Online Co-op)
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes
Performance on Mac (local workaround methods)	(The game runs well on higher-end Macs. It can also run on older and weaker ones, but only if you use the lowest settings.)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The game’s atmosphere is tense and foreboding but also uniquely different from what we are used to seeing in other horror titles. A large portion of this is thanks to the grainy, low-poly graphics and the eerie soundscapes that accompany you on your missions. 

You can play this game alone, but the multiplayer is where Lethal Company shines. Communication is key to success, but the true Lethal Company experience is when everything inevitably spirals into a chaotic mess of running and screaming while also trying to decide whether your paycheck or your life is more important.

Little Nightmares

Little Nightmares takes the cutesy aesthetic of a child’s drawing and twists it into a grotesque parade of eerie encounters that’ll have you checking your closet before bed. This a side-scrolling adventure where you control a tiny protagonist named Six and must navigate through the oversized, sinister bowels of The Maw. This Maw is a vast, mysterious vessel that’s inhabited by monstrous beings with distorted features who hunger for their next meal.

Game	Little Nightmares
macOS support	No
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, GeForce Now, Crossover, Parallels, Boot Camp
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
Genre	Horror, Atmospheric, Adventure
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes (A few mods for Cinematic Reshade and Language packs)
Performance on Mac (local workaround methods)	(The game runs well on higher-end Macs. It can also run on older and weaker ones, but only if you use the lowest settings.)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

You’ll spend most of the game solving environmental puzzles and hiding from the scary monsters that are out to get you. Little Nightmares uses minimalistic controls – there’s simply not too much you can do in this game aside from moving and interacting with the environment – and this is what enhances the sense of feeling vulnerable and helpless against the monsters.

The atmosphere in this game is spot on: the meticulous use of shadowy visuals and haunting audio create a sense of foreboding that only gets interrupted by the occasional moments of shock. Little Nightmares marries the innocence of childhood fears with the stark horror of a nightmare in a seamless way and thus it leaves you both disturbed but also desperate for more.

Dark Deception

Dark Deception puts together the frantic escape mechanics of a Pac-Man game with the terror of getting chased by nightmares ripped straight from a horror flick. It’s a first-person horror maze game where you must collect shards in various hellish locations. You’ll visit hotels, schools, and other nightmarish locales while murderous monkeys, giant nurses, and anything in between chase you. 

Each level in Dark Deception ups the ante with new enemies and twists. Quick reflexes are important, but not enough here. You’ll also need to use strategy to manipulate the environment in your favor because that’s your only way to evade the horrors that hunt you.

Game	Dark Deception
macOS support	No
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Parallels, Boot Camp
Platforms and operational systems	Windows
Genre	Horror
Multiplayer	No (There is Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals, where multiplayer is introduced, its a stand alone game)
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes (Very Few mods)
Performance on Mac (local workaround methods)	(The game runs well even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio	(The first Chapter is free, the other 4 are not)

The gameplay is a frenetic, sweaty-palmed race against death that melds traditional horror survival with arcade-style point scoring. The anxiety is helped by the oppressively dark atmosphere with sounds and visuals that play tricks on your senses and tug at your paranoia.

Dark Deception is a game about complications – it takes a seemingly simple task and turns itinto an elaborate dance of death. This makes the title accessible and very easy to get into but still creepy  enough to jolt your heart rate. It’s as if someone decided Pac-Man isn’t quite scary  enough and roided it up with teeth, lots of teeth.

Notable Mentions

The following gamers are either not fully horror oriented, or are too experimental (or plain weird) to be to everyone’s taste. They are still worth your time, though, if only to take a look online if they are your cup of tea. 

• Layers of Fear
• Among the Sleep
• At Dead of Night
• Among Us
• Doki Doki Literature Club

Each game represents something unique or different from the genre staples, either from an artistic standpoint or just from players reception about their “feel”.