We’ve all played horror games, felt those heart-pounding jump scares, and maybe even quit because it got too intense. But imagine if that fear was real—no pause button, no logging out, and once it gets you, there’s no second chance.
Check out these seven horror games, all inspired by real-life events, that every fan of the genre should experience.
1.) Five Nights At Freddy’s (2014) – PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Mobile
Starting with Five Nights at Freddy’s, the game is inspired by the animatronics of Chuck E. Cheese’s. Five Nights at Freddy’s brings a nightmarish twist to the pizza chain’s family-friendly mascots. While Chuck E. Cheese’s has not experienced anything like the game’s horror, one tragic real-life event stands out. In the 1990s, an ex-employee named Nathan Dunlap returned to a Chuck E. Cheese’s in Aurora, Colorado, and fatally shot four workers. Though unrelated to the game, the eerie connection adds a haunting layer to FNAF’s animatronic terror.
2.) Resident Evil Village (2021) – PC, PlayStation, Xbox
The towering villain of Resident Evil Village, Lady Dimitrescu, draws inspiration from Elizabeth Bathory, a 16th-century noblewoman infamous for torturing and murdering young women. Bathory’s gruesome acts, which allegedly included bathing in the blood of her victims, served as the basis for Dimitrescu’s vampiric nature. The game’s eerie Castle Dimitrescu was also inspired by the real-life Peleș Castle in Romania, blending gothic architecture with horror to create a terrifying atmosphere.
3.) Kholat (2015) – PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Kholat is based on the chilling real-life Dyatlov Pass incident of 1959, where nine Russian hikers mysteriously died in the Ural Mountains. Their bodies were found scattered, some with severe injuries and strange conditions, such as missing eyes or tongues. The game immerses players in this mystery as they explore the haunting landscape, retracing the hikers’ final steps. With Sean Bean narrating, the game adds supernatural elements to the already terrifying true story of unexplained deaths.
4.) The Town of Light (2016) – PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Set in the abandoned Volterra Psychiatric Hospital in Italy, The Town of Light explores the grim history of mental health treatment. Authorities finally shut down the hospital in the 1970s after it became infamous for its cruel and inhumane practices. In the game, you step into the shoes of a young woman who was once a patient there, experiencing the trauma firsthand. It’s a powerful blend of psychological horror and a sobering reminder of the disturbing reality that many mental institutions once embodied.
5.) Chernobylite (2019) – PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Inspired by the real-life Chernobyl disaster of 1986, Chernobylite places players in the radioactive wasteland surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. A highly detailed 3D scan of the actual Exclusion Zone brings the game’s environment to life. This attention to detail creates an eerily authentic setting. Players take on the role of a physicist searching for his missing wife while facing supernatural threats and human enemies. The game merges survival horror with real-world tragedy, capturing the haunting aftermath of one of history’s worst nuclear disasters.
6.) Outlast 2 (2017) – PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Outlast 2 follows journalist Blake Langermann as he searches for his wife in a desert village controlled by a dangerous cult. The game is inspired by the real-life Jonestown Massacre of 1978, where cult leader Jim Jones convinced over 900 followers to take their own lives. Outlast 2 reflects this horrific event, with its themes of a fanatical cult and their terrifying belief in the end of the world.
7.) Fatal Frame (2002) – PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Fatal Frame, also known as Project Zero, is based on the terrifying legend of the Himuro Mansion in Japan. The game follows Miku Hinasaki, who explores the haunted mansion searching for her missing brother. The mansion in the game is inspired by a real location rumored to have witnessed horrific ritualistic murders, including the Strangling Ritual. These dark events have become the foundation for the eerie atmosphere and ghostly encounters. These elements make Fatal Frame one of the most unsettling horror games ever.
That wraps up our list of horror games inspired by real-life events. Which of these games caught your attention? Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!
