The Best New Horror Video Games We Saw At Summer Game Fest 2026

The upcoming Resident Evil release was one of the biggest reveals at Summer Game Fest. This is a fully fledged remake of Resident Evil: Code Veronica.

While Capcom didn’t have any gameplay ready to show off, we did get a chance to join in on a Q&A with producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi. He left us with an interesting quote:

“Resident Evil games are horror games, and I feel that each one has its own specific kind of feel. For us, Code Veronica touches upon the horror and darkness that can reside in the human heart and mind,” he explained.

“Our team in Japan right now is going through that process of looking again at the core driving aspects of each character, re-imagining and reinterpreting them for the remake as we speak.”
Resident Evil Veronica launches in 2027.

Alien: Isolation is an incredible cult classic, and it’s safe to say it’s one of the best horror games out there. It’s regained popularity over the past several years, with fans calling for a sequel. And it’s finally happening.

I played about an hour of Alien: Isolation 2, and it’s every bit as scary as its predecessor. I followed protagonist Blake as she navigated through an abandoned spaceship, hoping to find some parts to salvage. After turning the power back on, she inadvertently unleashes a Xenomorph.

It took me several tries to navigate through the ship and back to the entrance. It was pretty horrifying as I stayed as low as I could, ducking under tables and peeking behind machinery. Even hiding underneath vents doesn’t work, as the Xenomorph will search for you there, too.

I eventually made it out, but not before the Xenomorph grabbed Blake at the last possible moment, ending the terrifying yet suspenseful and fun demo. Alien: Isolation 2 currently doesn’t have a release window, but I’m excited to see what it has in store.

Wile Alien: Isolation 2 is a survival-horror game, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 goes all-in on the action. You play as a squad of Colonial Marines trying to clear planet LV-558 of Xenomorphs. I played for an hour, and it was a ton of fun. It’s a multiplayer co-op game, and unlike its predecessor, you can have four people in a squad now instead of three.

There’s also a new Specialist class that lets you take abilities from the others to make your own custom build. The shooting feels smooth, and the Xenomorphs are still pretty scary even though you have the tools to strike them down.

If you’re looking for a Left 4 Dead style game, but with Aliens, this game is perfect for you. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 launches sometime in 2026.

Taking a bit of a detour from the big budget games, Lily’s World XD is an interesting analog horror game where you have to navigate through the laptop of a girl named Lily. You’ll have to put together pieces of her life by clicking on the various programs and apps, like her digital journal, childhood pictures, and old chat logs.

With a very Y2K-inspired aesthetic, my 30-minute demo had me intrigued as I learned more about Lily’s family and old friends. It reminded me of all of the teenage angst that I went through, and I ended up wanting to see what actually happened to her.

While Lily’s World XD doesn’t have a release date yet, you can try out the free demo on Steam.

Coming after the excellent Silent Hill 2 remake and Silent Hill f, the next entry in the series is returning to first-person horror. This one takes place in St. Amelia, a fictional island in Scotland, and stars a man named Simon Ordell, who’s trying to find his way out while following the trail of a mysterious woman.

I saw about 30 minutes of behind-closed-doors footage. Simon uses a hand radio to help himself navigate through the fog, which he can use to see through walls to avoid monsters. There’s a big focus on stealth, but Simon has plenty of tools to defend himself, including wooden planks.

The Scottish cultural background makes it quite unique among other entries in the Silent Hill franchise, and the game is being developed by Screen Burn, who also developed the excellent sci-fi horror game Observation. I can’t wait to see what the full game has to offer when it launches on September 24 for PC and PS5.

Fractured Blooms has a very interesting premise: it combines realistic environments with anime-style characters. It’s also both a psychological horror game and a farming sim? It’s pretty peculiar. You play as Annie, who’s stuck in a time loop while finding out more about the situation you’re in.

My 20 minute demo was quite short. I was guided to a dilapidated church and given certain tasks to complete, including filling a bathtub with water. However, once I finished, the screen glitched out in a creepy analog fashion, and my demo was over.

The way Fractured Blooms subverts genre expectations to give you a new horror experience reminds me of Doki Doki Literature Club. Developer Serenity Forge CEO Zenguha Yang told me that the mix of anime and realistic aesthetics is deliberate and has a deeper commentary as you get further into the game, but wouldn’t divulge exactly what it was. However, I’m very interested.

The gameplay is a bit hard to explain, which is why I implore you to check out the Fractured Blooms demo on Steam!

Gears of War E-Day is the next big game in the iconic Microsoft shooter franchise, and it’s a prequel. It takes place 14 years before the events of the first game and follows series protagonist Marcus Fenix as he experiences the planet Sera’s darkest day.

I had a one-hour hands-off experience with the game. One of the mechanics the series pioneered is the Active Reload, where a well-timed button press causes the guns to fully reload. Here, it has evolved, and on some guns, you can interrupt the reload if you’re in a sticky situation and need to let out one or two more bullets to finish the job.

I also spoke with developers from The Coalition about the game’s horror elements. “Gears has never been a true horror game,” explained art director Aryan Hanbeck. “But we went back to the roots of looking at the old games and trying to distill what the magic was and what the pillars were. One of those was to add more horror-like elements, so this is the darkest Gears game.”

Gears of War E-Day launches on October 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S.

Developed by Broken Mirror Games and Anshar Studios, and published by Bloober Team, Saw: Genesis is an asynchronous multiplayer game that pits a team of three Accused against the Judge, who is Jigsaw’s precursor.

The game takes place in the 1920s during World War I, making it a great jumping-on point for players who aren’t necessarily familiar with the series.

I got a short look at the gameplay, and I can tell it’s going to be perfect for Dead by Daylight fans. Essentially, the Accused have to solve a series of maze puzzles in order to escape. Meanwhile, the Judge can immobilize players on the other side and bring them into the Rehabilitation Trap. They can either sacrifice a limb to set themselves free or depend on their teammates to help them out in time. Either way, it’s really daunting.

The gameplay footage I saw was a bit rough around the edges, but Saw: Genesis is launching as an Early Access title this fall. This means that players can buy in at a lower price, knowing
that the game will get better over time. Once it releases in 1.0, then those who initially bought in get the complete version for free. So if this is your kind of game, then by all means support it early!

What sets Hellraiser apart from the other titles on this list is its focus on cosmic elements. It’s a survival horror game like Resident Evil, but along with guns, you’ll have a magical cube that can spit out elemental spells at enemies.

During my 40-minute demo, I saw how bloody and grotesque the setting was. It also stands out in that aspect because it’s incredibly sexual, too. With imagery of BDSM and such, I was taken aback by how creepy everything is. I shot my way through armored monstrosities while also solving room-turning puzzles. It’s definitely different from what I’m used to, but that’s what got me most excited.

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival launches in 2026.

Arizona Sunshine is coming to flat-screen systems, and it’s a reimagining of the virtual reality game with Arizona Sunshine 2’s plot. Compared to most zombie games, Arizona Sunshine’s tone is bright and colorful, opting for more silly zombie killing fun than something gritty like The Last of Us.

I played a 20-minute demo in which I went around a small area, killing some zombies with my weapons. What makes it unique compared to other Arizona Sunshine games is that it supports co-op, and players can control the dog companion! The dog can bring ammo to its partner and rip apart zombie legs to help clear the field. If you’re looking for some lighthearted horror, this game is for you.

While Control Resonant isn’t exactly a horror game, it’s pumping up the creepiness factor this time around. You play as Dylan Faden, brother of Control protagonist Jesse Faden. Dylan escapes from the Oldest House and is let loose in New York, which has warped beyond repair.

The Hiss (supernatural entities) are littered across the city. Determined to find his sister, he fights them off. I played about 45 minutes of Control Resonant, and I’m already liking the differences between Dylan and Jesse.

As opposed to Jesse’s firearm, Dylan is a close-quarters character, able to summon weapons to fight against the Hiss. It ended with me fighting a boss that was just a giant head with its jaw completely missing. It’s frenetic, fun, and trippy.

Control Resonant launches on September 24 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Don’t let the cute art direction fool you. Grave Seasons has you play as an escaped prison convict trying to set up a home in a new town called Ashenridge. However, there’s a supernatural serial killer afoot, and it’s your job to cultivate your home by tending your garden and doing other activities to find out who it is.

I played a 20-minute demo of Grave Seasons, and I can see it being a hit amongst those who love cozy games but want an extra edge.
Grave Seasons launches this summer.

Dreadmoor is a horror fishing game set in a submerged world filled with creepy creatures you can pull up from the water. Due to a human-led catastrophe, you’ll need to navigate the waters while upgrading your boat, catching new fish, and crafting new equipment.

I played about 30 minutes of Dreadmoor, and it’s much more atmospheric than you might think. There’s a gothic inspiration here that reminds me of the deep South, and there’s danger lurking in every corner. I found the game quite relaxing, and I’m excited to see what the full experience is like when Dreadmoor launches later this year.

Tenebris Somnia takes an interesting approach, blending 2D survival horror with live-action cutscenes. You play as Julia, a film student at her ex-boyfriend Ivan’s apartment. Turns out, he tried casting a spell to erase all of his memories of her, but it went completely wrong. As such, the entire area has become a nightmarish parallel universe where Julia has to fight her way out.

I got to see about 20 minutes of hands-off gameplay of Tenebris Somnia, which was developed by a film crew from Argentina. I can definitely tell that the Tenebris Somnia is aiming for some high-art concepts, mixing two graphical styles together. Its retro 8-bit aesthetic makes its monsters look even creepier, and I can’t wait to see what the rest has in store.

Tenebris Somnia launches on October 16.

The Lost Wild is one of the most interesting horror games to be revealed at Summer Game Fest. Imagine Jurassic Park but with Alien: Isolation gameplay. You play as Saskia, who wakes up on a mysterious island filled with dinosaurs. In order to escape, you’ll need to solve puzzles and navigate the island while avoiding the monstrous dinosaurs.

I watched about 30 minutes of footage from The Lost Wild, and I was immediately enraptured by its primal atmosphere. At least for now, Saskia only has her wits to get her out of sticky situations. She has no weapons to defend herself against dinosaurs if she gets caught, similar to the demo of Alien: Isolation 2.

I’m looking forward to learning more about this game, as it was just announced. The Lost Wild is set to launch sometime in 2027.