The best horror game remakes

Important takeaways

• Remakes of classic horror games offer new experiences and improvements to graphics and gameplay, while maintaining the terrifying essence of the originals.
• Rediscovering iconic horror titles like Resident Evil and Dead Space introduce modern audiences to enhanced terror and gameplay mechanics.
• The development of remakes of horror games such as The Last of Us Part 1 and Resident Evil 2 showcase impressive visual upgrades and compelling storytelling, bringing new life to beloved classics.

New and exciting ideas are always being implemented in the horror genre, but classic titles are being remade all the time. One of the reasons developers keep going back to the past is because many of these huge titles changed the industry when they were originally launched, and it's exciting to see how the boundaries of what's possible years later can offer new experiences that couldn't implemented earlier.

Finding new ways to approach terrifying jump scares or improving the animation or graphics for a plethora of nightmarish creatures and locations will forever fascinate those who love such an exciting genre. Remakes are here to stay, and with so many horrors ripe for improvement on modern platforms, there will always be opportunities to revisit a classic or two.

10 Alone in the dark

Southern Gothic detective thriller set in New Orleans

It may not have been the game everyone wanted, but it's hard to deny how much of an improvement it is Alone in the dark was on the original. With excellent performances from lead actors David Harbor and Jodie Comer, the search for the entity known as The Dark Man continued to impress.

There were some impressive scenes involving all the quirky characters, but it was the unraveling of the mysteries surrounding the Dark Man that led to the scariest moments in the story. Decerto Manor is filled with clever puzzles and bizarre locations, never allowing the player to find solace in the quieter moments.

9 Layers of fear

Creativity breeds madness in a nervous psychological horror

Rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, Layers of fear is a visual treat that manages to make all the edgy psychological elements of its story more immersive. Ray-tracing and 4K resolution now bring everything to life in new and exciting ways, whether it's in its winding corridors, ever-changing rooms, creepy mannequins or disturbing dialogue.

There are jump scares, but what's most remarkable is how environments shift seamlessly within the confines of the new technology. Alongside these improvements to the way it looks, there are new stories to tie the story together across the game, giving players an experience that changes how it was originally released.

8 System shock

Disturbing AI aboard an eerie space station filled with monsters

When System shock released in 1994, it was considered a game changer in the horror genre. Aboard a Citadel Station run by a psychopathic AI known as SHODAN, the remake manages to change everything about how it looked and played thanks to HD visuals and overhauled gameplay, but still retains what made it unsettling in the first place.

Fighting rogue cyborgs and deformed creatures is part of the fight to try and stop the destruction of humanity, but hearing the creepy commands from SHODAN all the time makes it so unnerving. Learning the depths of depravity she has sunk to in order to twist these former crewmates to do her bidding makes survival even more challenging.

7 Project Zero 2: Wii Edition

Paranormal jump scares where fear springs

The 2003s Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly breathed new life into the survival horror genre, but Project Zero 2: Wii Edition takes the original and turns it into something truly terrifying. A paranormal scarefest is made even more unsettling thanks to the Camera Obscura mechanic, which sees players use the Wii controller to punch ghosts.

As Mio searches for her sister in Minakami Village, she must defeat the ghosts by taking pictures of them with her camera, and when viewed through the lens, these apparitions take many horrific forms. In addition to the intuitive controls, it also included a mode called 'Haunted House' where players have to hold the controller still while being surprised by various spirits.

6 Resident Evil

The birth of survival horror reborn for a new audience

Alongside Silent Hillthe original edition of Resident Evil is considered one of the most influential survival horror titles of all time. In 2015, Capcom released an HD remaster that brought the original into the present, with higher resolution and improved graphics. Watching the dogs jump through the window has never been more terrifying.

It's hard to argue the impact this series has had on video games, and this remake manages to keep the anxiety-inducing backdrops and creepy character designs. It still holds up thanks to impressive puzzles and an atmosphere filled with awesome encounters across multiple areas of the Spencer Mansion.

5 Downfall

FPS madness from the depths of hell

There are rarely settings more terrifying than an actual hell, and the 2016 reinvention of Downfall brings heart-pounding action and sublime visuals to a wonderfully crafted world. Compared to the original, it's a drastic improvement that throws satanic imagery and rivers of blood at the player and refuses to slow down for a second.

The fluidity of movement and gunplay work perfectly in sync, and thanks to a variety of enemies, there are always fun and exciting ways to kill them, whether you're blasting them with a shotgun to the chest or ripping limbs clean from their bodies. Visually and mechanically, Bethesda's redesign is remarkable in every way.

4 Dead Space

Chilling survival horror on a stranded ship

It had been a while since the world had a good survival horror, but in 2008, Dead Space left its mark on the genre. In 2023, EA rebuilt the classic from the ground up, giving audiences a whole new way to experience the story of Isaac Clarke and the horrors that awaited him aboard the USG Ishimura.

The stunning remake brings a new level of strategy to how Isaac kills enemies thanks to precision shots that target specific body parts. The ship's layout was changed to encourage taking new paths through the Ishimura, and enemies respawn in different places after the protagonist's death, meaning no playthrough is the same.

3 Resident Evil 2

A return to Raccoon City with heightened terror

The remake of Resident Evil 2 was so impressive when it was released in 2019. Not only is it a complete rebuild of the original, it makes full use of the RE Engine to breathe new life into the critically acclaimed survival horror, with photorealistic visuals that showcase the RCPD and the rest of Raccoon City in a new light .

The over-the-shoulder angle and tight controls allow for more concise gameplay, and the way the zombie's hideous appearance glistens devilishly under the enhanced lighting adds to its appeal. Witnessing Leon and Claire's story with better visuals and improved controls makes it a true spectacle in the genre.

2 The last of us part 1

Post-apocalyptic journey through a broken America

Getting better The Last of Us Remastered seemed impossible, but Naughty Dog did just that with The last of us part 1. It offers even better visuals along with some impressive accessibility options, giving even more players the chance to experience Joel and Ellie's journey across America.

Whether you're escaping clickers in an abandoned museum or embarking on a rescue attempt during a blizzard, the remake brings even more detail to the most harrowing moments thanks to impressive 4K resolution, but it's the facial animations that make each heartbreaking scene even more poignant .

1 Resident Evil 4

Expand the outbreak to Eastern Europe

It's no surprise that Capcom keeps remaking Resident Evil game. At their core, they tell exciting stories focused on the Umbrella Corporation and the development of the T-virus, but they're also fun to play. The 2023 century Resident Evil 4 felt like a dramatic improvement on the original, and not just in its stunning visuals.

Moving around and targeting incoming enemies is fluid but also easy to do, meaning you never have to break immersion to dodge or escape. While ammo can still be in short supply, switching between weapons is also easy. What makes it even better, however, is the incredible detail and atmosphere of the fictional Eastern European location.