Best Single-Player Horror Games To Play With Your Partner

When it comes to creating iconic moments with your significant other, playing a horror video game should be up there on that bucket list. The adrenaline and hair-raising experience are a must for any couple looking for that special something for a spooky date night. Yet there are so many types of horror and many titles available, so where to start?

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Whether a video game veteran or a casual player looking to spice up an evening, there are several single-player horror games that must be experienced by couples looking for that extra thrill. With the following list below, partners can take turns button-mashing to avoid a grisly demise and cower safely behind a warm blanket.

Updated October 6, 2023 by Mark Sammut: This article has been updated to include each horror game‘s specifications.

10 The Amnesia Series

From the studio (Frictional Games) that pioneered the mainstream brand of horror where one can only run from their enemies, the Amnesia titles focus very little on combat, making encounters with monsters terrifying. The Amnesia games are primarily set in the 18th and 19th centuries and are loosely connected. Here, players take on the role of protagonists who have no recollection as to why they are in their current circumstances and must avoid monsters, collect clues, and solve puzzles along with unraveling the horror that surrounds them.

With themes exploring the darker sides of humanity, human torture, and otherworldly phenomenon, the Amnesia titles are perfect for partners who would enjoy a terrifying experience set in the past. Alternatively, Frictional Games has released another title, Soma, a science fiction horror game that is set within a dilapidating scientific facility deep under the ocean. The most recent entry in the series was 2023’s The Bunker.

9 Resident Evil Series

A classic that has to be mentioned, the Resident Evil series has seen numerous titles released over the last 3 decades. Although most of the games revolved around zombies and uncovering the Umbrella Corporation plot, the experiences of each game differ greatly. Moreover, since the release of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, the game began shifting away from its roots by focusing on different gameplay elements and a new protagonist whilst retaining the essence of its earlier titles.

The series presents decent narratives whilst delivering a classic approach to the horror genre of gaming. Partners are sure to have a great time blasting the heads off of zombies whilst feeling helpless against the larger monsters (aka time to run away). Fans of the series highly recommend the original, the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 as well as Resident Evil 7:Biohazard and Resident Evil Village.

8 Mundaun

Set in a remote Swiss mountainside village, Mundaun tells the story of a young man who returns home to his village after learning of his grandfather’s passing. Yet something is amiss, grandad’s body is nowhere to be found and villagers appear to be acting odd, with cues reminiscent of Lovecraft’s short story, The Shadow Over Innsmouth.

As the story progresses, players must solve puzzles and evade supernatural monsters to uncover the truth behind the grandfather’s disappearance. What sets this game apart from other horror games is its unique sketchbook-like art style and remote Swiss countryside setting. Fans of the game have praised its sound design, immersion, and story which weaves an interesting blend of folklore, mystery, and the supernatural. Not your typical horror, Mundaun has a particular charm that will catch couples off guard, creating an atmosphere that is unsettling yet riveting.

7 Alien: Isolation

Released back in 2013, Alien Isolation is a single-player experience where players must guide Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, through a failing space station and locate her missing mother. Meanwhile, rogue androids and a vicious alien stalk Amanda’s every move. While not the most terrifying game, in theory, the alien is very responsive to the character. This means that whenever Amanda runs or makes a loud noise, that alien is going to hear it.

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This experience is what makes the game truly scary, stressful, and intense. Players will constantly feel the pressure of being hunted by a stronger and faster foe as the AI is truly unpredictable. No air duct or locker is safe as the alien is not shy in doing thorough area checks. Yikes.

6 Until Dawn

Essentially an interactive horror drama, Until Dawn has players determine the fates of 8 adults who must survive a horrific ordeal at a remote mountain lodge and its surroundings. In this game, choices matter, and decisions made by the player will create a butterfly effect throughout the playthrough.

The game features a strict auto-save feature that prevents players from reloading earlier saves and has multiple endings. This experience is ideal for players whose partners may not be gamers but can still be immersed in an interactive horror narrative (whether they play or just watch).

5 Detention

A departure from most of the other entries, Detention is a 2D side-scrolling mystery/horror experience set in a Taiwanese high school during the 60s during Taiwan’s White Terror. This was a period where anyone suspected of being a communist was imprisoned or even killed. The game succeeds in fusing Taiwanese and Chinese mythology as well as culture.

Players must resolve several puzzles and evade spectral horrors to uncover the school’s dark past. This game is perfect for more casual players or for those that enjoy the deeper psychological themes that seem to highlight that true horror always points back to human actions. Combined with a unique art style, this game can be a unique experience for lovers who enjoy a blend of mythology, history, and the supernatural. Devotion, released by the same studio, should also be checked out by fans of this game.

4 Return Of The Obra Dinn

A different type of ‘horror’ experience, Return Of The Obra Dinn is a mystery puzzle game that has players assume the role of a 19th-century inspector. The inspector must piece together the events that have taken place on a ship that has mysteriously reappeared after vanishing for 5 years, with all 60 souls onboard having gone missing.

Whilst there are no ‘monsters’ or jump scares, the game’s black and white visuals and eerie atmosphere add to the tension and uneasiness throughout the investigation. Players can team up with their partners, with one manning the controls and the other being the game’s Sherlock as the puzzles can be quite complex.

3 Home Sweet Home

Similar in gameplay to Alien: Isolation and the Amnesia series, Home Sweet Home is a single-player survival horror experience that is set in Thailand. The player must find their missing wife whilst navigating through unfamiliar locations which include a Thai school, a traditional theater, and a Buddhist temple. Players must also resolve multiple puzzles whilst evading entities that seek to destroy the player.

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The game features various entities inspired by Thai and Buddhist culture and mythology, making encounters unique and a departure from the usual Western portrayal of spirits.

2 The Walking Dead: Season One

Published by Telltale Games, The Walking Dead: Season One is an episodic adventure game set in the Walking Dead universe. Players take control of a university professor named Lee who must survive a zombie outbreak whilst taking care of 8-year-old Clementine. The game is heavy on story and character development, where players will have to make difficult decisions that will impact points later on.

Relatively easy with its controls, this game is ideal for partners who are casual or non-gamers. That said, this game should be played by any couple who enjoys poignant and effective storytelling. Although most fans of the series consider the first season to be the best, the series has an additional 3 seasons that have been favorably received by the gaming community.

1 Observer

Observer is a psychological horror game set in a cyberpunk dystopia that alludes to Bladerunner. The game has players follow Daniel Lazarski, a detective who is known as an Observer, an agent who can hack minds to interrogate them. Part police detective story, part mind-trip, players will enter the minds of drug addicts, deceased and alive to uncover a conspiracy that threatens to upend society.

Though not a typical ‘jump scare’ sort of experience, the game is described as an immersive experience that maintains the tension throughout. Observer is a top choice for couples who like horror that isn’t based on spectral entities and superstition but on what lurks in the dark recesses of the human mind.

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