10 Modern Horror Games Under $5 You Can Play This Spooky Season

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - October 8th 2025, 17:00 GMT+2

The Swine (2020)

Cults are already creepy enough, but when they’re wearing pig masks and leaving tarot cards in your home, the unease cranks up fast. *The Swine* thrives on that rural, occult vibe where the quiet setting slowly morphs into something sinister, pulling you into its short but punchy story. Every creak in the floorboards makes you think twice, and even the silence feels loaded with tension. It’s not about cheap scares – it’s about making you feel watched in your own safe space. For less than the cost of lunch, this little indie gem delivers a lingering chill. | © Vincent Lade

Cropped The Convenience Store — The Convenience Store (2020)

If fluorescent lights and late-night shifts already give you the creeps, imagine pairing that with supernatural guests at your corner shop. *The Convenience Store* drops you into the humdrum routine of scanning items and restocking shelves, only to unravel it with eerie phone calls, ghostly figures, and a town that feels just a little too empty. The lo-fi, VHS-style visuals make the horror feel grounded, like a lost tape you weren’t supposed to see. And with no save system, the tension stays high from start to finish. It’s simple, unsettling, and perfect for a one-sitting scare. | © Chilla’s Art

Harthorn (2020)

Pulling a night shift in a snowed-in high school sounds boring until you realize someone else might be there with you. *Harthorn* sets you up as a security guard patrolling dark hallways, but quickly flips into survival horror as you realize you’re being stalked. The setting is familiar, yet every flickering light and echo makes it feel like a labyrinth. You’re constantly weighing whether to hide or run, which keeps the adrenaline flowing. It’s short, tense, and drenched in the kind of dread that only an empty school can provide. | © Vincent Lade

Cropped From The Darkness — From The Darkness (2021)

Stepping into your late grandfather’s apartment should be a somber trip down memory lane, but this game has other plans. *From The Darkness* locks you inside a Soviet flat that won’t stop shifting, creaking, and staring back at you. Shadows linger too long, rooms rearrange themselves, and suddenly that photo album doesn’t seem worth it. The scares are psychological and atmospheric rather than constant jump shocks, which makes the payoff even better. Compact but powerful, it’s the kind of horror that sticks with you after the credits roll. | © N4bA

Cropped I live under your house — I Live Under Your House (2022)

Here’s a twist – you’re not the victim, you’re the monster under the house. *I Live Under Your House* lets you crawl through claustrophobic tunnels, piecing together scraps of a strange, melancholy story that’s equal parts unnerving and surreal. The dreamlike, collage-style visuals make everything feel off-kilter, like a memory gone wrong. Instead of running from danger, you *are* the danger, but that doesn’t stop the game from feeling lonely and haunting. It’s short, weird, and exactly the kind of indie horror that sticks in your brain. | © SpoocleMacBoogle

Security Booth: Director’s Cut (2022)

Working a night shift in a tiny guard booth might not sound scary – until you realize that *Security Booth: Director’s Cut* is more “keep the wrong people out, or they might come in anyway” than “mundane shift work.” As cars roll up, you check license plates, consult records, and hope nothing supernatural crashes your protocol. The Director’s Cut adds multiple endings, randomized vehicle arrivals, and new lore archives, so each run feels fresh. The claustrophobic setting, ambient hums, and the sense that the lab beyond the gates is hiding something make it stick with you after you quit. If you only have a few dollars and an itch to be spooked while playing the gatekeeper – this one delivers. | © Cloud Colony Games

Cropped Growing My Grandpa — Growing My Grandpa! (2022)

Call this one “virtual pet horror meets body-strange experiment,” because in *Growing My Grandpa!* you’re coaxing a creature you call Grandpa back into existence in your basement – feeding it, teaching it, and guessing whether it’s benevolent or malevolent. The visuals mix lo-fi text, analog distortion, and weird biological detritus, so it never looks quite right (intentionally). Dialogue and lore drip through as you interact, discover basement secrets, and confront the cost of your creation. It’s short (about 90 minutes) but punches well above its weight in creepiness and emotional dissonance. Yame handled both development and publishing, making it a tightly personal indie entry. | © Yame

Welcome to Kowloon (2023)

Finding cheap housing is stressful, but in *Welcome to Kowloon*, it’s downright terrifying. You arrive in a cramped, maze-like city and soon learn your new apartment is a labyrinth of twisted corridors, weird neighbors, and shifting spaces. The walking-sim horror leans heavily on atmosphere: every hallway, flicker of light, and warped sound design tries to make you question which walls move and what’s real. Jump scares punctuate the dread, but the oppressive tightness of space is what sticks. Developed and published by a1esska, Notex, N4bA, and Admia, it’s a quick but potent dive into claustrophobic dread. | © a1esska

Lake Haven Chrysalis — Lake Haven – Chrysalis (2023)

This prequel chapter kicks off with a detective called into a seemingly routine missing-person case – and ends with your sense of reality unstitched. *Lake Haven – Chrysalis* borrows from PS1 horror roots: limited lighting, strange geometry, unsettling audio cues, and puzzles that force you to slow down and pay attention. The story unfolds in tight spaces and through cryptic clues, weaving the normal and the surreal together so you never quite know what’s mutated (or why). The prologue does its job well: leaves you wanting the full ride, but also uneasy about finishing it. Encrypt Games both developed and published this one. | © Encrypt Games

Cropped The Cabin Factory — The Cabin Factory (2024)

You’d think inspecting cabins for hauntings would be relaxing – until *The Cabin Factory* proves it isn’t. Tasked with walking into rooms, spotting anomalies, and deciding “haunted or safe,” the game makes every little flicker or shift feel like betrayal. But don’t be fooled: some anomalies hide in the mundane, and false positives can cost you. The cabin interiors loop and shift, playing tricks on your eyes and patience. With liminal space vibes, a short runtime, and a “observe or die” tension, it’s a perfect budget horror experience. Developed by International Cat Studios, published by Future Friends Games. | © Future Friends Games

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Horror games don’t have to drain your wallet to give you chills. While big-budget releases can easily run $60 or more, there’s a treasure trove of indie horror titles that cost less than a fast-food meal – and they stay that way year-round. That’s right: these games are always under $5, no waiting for sales or discounts required. From psychological nightmares to eerie walking sims and monster-filled creep fests, each pick on this list is short, sharp, and perfectly priced for a spooky night in. Whether you’re new to budget horror or looking to pad out your collection, here are 10 modern horror games guaranteed to scare without breaking the bank.

And if your budget is really tight, don’t worry – we’ve also put together a list of amazing horror games you can play completely free. So grab your headphones, turn off the lights, and let’s get spooky without breaking the bank.