The horror genre has found a perfect home on PlayStation consoles over the decades, with many of the best games in the category debuting or thriving exclusively on Sony’s hardware. From psychological Dragon Tiger mind-benders to brutal survival experiences, PlayStation games have redefined what it means to be scared in interactive media.

The franchise that arguably put PlayStation horror on the map is Silent Hill. The original game and its sequels on PS1 and PS2 created a chilling atmosphere through fog-drenched visuals, haunting sound design, and psychologically disturbing narratives. These were not just games—they were nightmares you couldn’t look away from. Silent Hill 2 in particular remains one of the most praised horror games ever, both for its mature storytelling and its disturbing symbolism.

Another cornerstone of horror on PlayStation is Resident Evil. The series began on PS1 and has since evolved into a powerhouse, with entries like Resident Evil 4 Remake and Resident Evil 7 redefining what horror gameplay can be on modern systems. The shift to a first-person perspective in Resident Evil 7 created an immediate, visceral fear, amplified by the PSVR experience that brought players face to face with every terrifying moment.

Even the PSP offered portable frights, with Silent Hill: Origins and Corpse Party providing full-fledged horror experiences in handheld form. The latter used minimalistic visuals and ambient audio to create a uniquely tense atmosphere that proved you don’t need cutting-edge graphics to deliver psychological horror.

PlayStation’s embrace of horror continues today with games like Until Dawn and The Quarry, where cinematic storytelling and player choice dictate who lives and who dies. These experiences combine horror film tropes with interactive drama, offering players a chillingly immersive experience that’s hard to forget. When it comes to the best horror games, PlayStation has long been the platform where fear comes alive.