Finally, the Back room creepypasta makes his film debut, and A24's Back room seems to be fantastic. As is usually the case, the film comes after this phenomenon reached its pop cultural peak, just as the indie horror scene and YouTube were starting to move on. After its creepypasta blew up, Backroom games became so common that they essentially formed a new subgenre, one that produced some amazing horror experiences. Escape the Backrooms is hardly the only good Backrooms game.
To celebrate the film's debut, let's take a journey through recent history to find the titles that actualized this story's full potential. Prepare for yellow rooms, unsettling swimming pools and scientists in hazmat suits; here are the absolute best Backrooms games.
10
Transliminal: Beyond the Backrooms
A Rogue-Lite experience perfect for challenge seekers
- Platforms: PC
- Release date: November 15, 2022
- Developer: Corey Jeffries
- Genres: Horror, Rogue-Lite
Rogue-lite games are for challenge seekers, those who don't mind being completely reset upon death, which to other players sounds like an absolute nightmare. Horror rarely meets rogue-lite, as the formula can easily lead to frustration, something that absolutely dispels all fear. But Transliminal: Beyond the Backrooms manages to combine the two to a pleasingly effective degree.
The Backrooms is an area ripe for procedural generation, so players find themselves wandering around a different layout each time, and each time must face the horrors and try to survive. What's even better is that players can customize their experience by turning off entities and survival mode, which is perfect for those who aren't here for a trying time and simply want to explore this version of Backrooms.
9
Inside the back rooms
Survive with friends
Even Backrooms games were not spared from their very own multiplayer games, and the result was quite enjoyable Inside the back rooms. There's more to this game than just exploring the liminal spaces while avoiding the monster and waiting for the credits to roll. With puzzles and stealth as key components to get away from whatever terrifying creature finds them, this title is exciting in many ways.
Horror game that features Co-Op without sacrificing thrills
Horror games are often most effective when they isolate their players, but these games prove that horror doesn't have to let up in co-op games.
Absolute teamwork will be needed here, as the monsters won't sit back and wait while players solve the next puzzle, meaning that more often than not one player will have to act as bait to keep their puzzle-busting friends safe. For those looking to share a Backrooms experience with friends, it really doesn't get much better than this Inside the back rooms.
8
Dreamcore
More than yellow rooms
Backroom games tend to stick to a similar aesthetic: yellow rooms. There's nothing wrong with that, but the similar setting and palette can make titles get mixed up, even though they're technically unrelated. Consequently, Dreamcores decision to move away from this staple greatly helps it stand out from the crowd, while still capturing that 90s VHS vibe synonymous with this subgenre.
Instead of the same type of room, Dreamcore constantly changing its backgrounds and aesthetics, making the episodes appear as individual levels. The almost pointless selection of areas also reinforces the game's dream-like qualities.
7
Pools
Focuses on a certain part of the back rooms
Despite being an everyday place, pools are still quite a disturbing place that players can eventually find themselves in Backrooms games. The waterways are somewhat peaceful, with all the amenities you'd expect, and even some fun slides that wouldn't look out of place in any water park. Pools present all of these while straddling a line between peaceful exploration and an eerie atmosphere that can feel downright oppressive.
Just like some other Backrooms games, Pools doesn't have any sort of tangible threat, and doesn't rely on cheap jump scares of derivative monster design to induce fear. It relies solely on atmosphere and chases fear of being lost or trapped in a liminal space. The only real challenge players have is that they may have to navigate through a maze-like area, but even that doesn't take up most of the game time. It's a simple experience for players to enjoy and immerse themselves in.
6
The complex: Expedition
A scary, disorienting nightmare
PGwaves The complex games have generally been pretty good, with Found movies being a solid option that helped put the developer on the map to some extent. However, The complex: Expedition takes everything that came before and elevates it to new heights, serving as the series' most complex and polished release. In comparison, the early games almost feel like prototypes that paved the way for this 2025 release.
The complex Games use a VHS aesthetic, and they consistently excel at replicating that look. Expedition feels ripped straight from the 1990s, and it follows a scientist who walks into an infinite structure. As with many Backroom gamesthis horror comes from disorientation and confusion, causing players to lose a sense of place and time.
5
Day 7
Backrooms Get the Puppet Combo Treatment
- Platforms: PC
- Release date: September 1, 2019
- Developer: Puppet Combo
- Genres: Psychological horror
Puppet Combo became a big name in the indie horror scene, known for creating video games with retro graphics based on popular classic horror films, shockingly loud and mind-blowing jump scares, and known for being quite difficult to pull off. They jumped on the Backroom craze back in 2019 and created a game known as Day 7 or simply The back roomsexclusively available through their Patreon.
Puppet Combo takes the phenomenon and puts its own spin on it, focusing on the survival aspect as those trapped struggle for an escape before dehydration, starvation or inevitable madness takes them. The player character, known as Terrance, encounters a couple of other unfortunate souls trapped in the Backrooms, and not all of them are friendly. The surprise ending is quite excellently done, and is a more realistic interpretation of what could happen in such an absurd scenario.
4
Anemoiapolis
A more relaxing backroom experience
One might not expect a Backrooms game to offer a Zen gaming experience, as horror games are rarely peaceful, but that's exactly what players get Anemoiapolis. Instead of finding their sanity eroded as they explore the same crazy locations while being chased by a monster, players instead get to take their time enjoying the sights and interacting with the environment to progress.
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Similar to a walking simulator, this experience may not be everyone's cup of tea; But players who want to experience Backrooms without being subjected to an overwhelmingly terrifying experience can't go wrong with Anemoiapolis. With more puzzles and exploration than scares, this is the game to try for a more unique Backrooms experience.
3
Trepang2 (Site 83 Mission)
Who put this Backrooms section in my FPS game?
Inspired by creepypastas and SCP, it was almost a given to Trepang2 would include a Backrooms section in some form. While this section can be accessed by falling through the level, the default way to tackle the optional mission Site 83 involves the optional mission Site 83, which starts off “normally” enough before dropping players into a yellow maze that appears to be stuck in what initially appears to be an infinite loop.
Like almost everything else in the game, Trepang2 handles this episode incredibly well, switching from its typical FPS action-first approach to a more atmospheric horror sequence. In the end, Site 83 doesn't do anything all that new by Backrooms standards, but its impact comes from how it captures players unaware of its existence. Personally, this is my favorite experience in Backrooms, although that may have to do with my love of Trepang2 generally.
2
Escape the Backrooms
Work together to escape
With eerie locations to explore, monsters to escape, and puzzles to solve, Backrooms games are ripe for the multiplayer market, and that's exactly what developers like Fancy Games realized when they released their own multiplayer version called Escape the Backrooms, arrives a few months after another Backroom multiplayer attempt.
Up to 4 players are dropped into the endless liminal maze, which they must navigate through to find the exit; all the while, they must be careful of bumping into one of the 12 possible entities. Everyone must escape for success, though Escape the Backrooms will not make it that easy, as there is a good chance that the players can be separated in the many different locations of the Backrooms. Challenging and terrifying, this is one of the best ways to experience the legendary creepypasta with friends.
1
The Backroom – Lost and found
A story-rich and surreal experience
There are a variety of Backrooms games, but most are minimal in story, simply choosing another soul trapped in the maze, wanting nothing more than to go home. Usually it involves very basic puzzle solving, and may not involve a monster, just to add a few scares and chase sequences for good measure.
The Backroom – Lost and found might be one of the most involved games of the bunch, feeling more like a complete product despite being completely free. The player wanders through many backroom locations while trying to reunite a family of adorable sentient toy giraffes. Not to be afraid, the game has a current threat and plenty of mind-bending moments and scares that fans of Backrooms know and love without being too derivative of other titles.
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