Video games have been an essential part of entertainment since their introduction in 1958. Over the years, the industry has evolved into something incredible—an art form that provokes players to laugh, cry, scream, and throw a controller across the room. In 2024, 715 new video games hit the market, but only a few truly stood out to me.

For me, a great video game isn’t just about looking pretty or having a big budget. It’s about gameplay and stylization—the things that make a game feel unique and memorable. Too many big-name developers release generic, copy & paste games that players forget about as soon as the credits roll. But some games break this cycle, leaving players reminiscing about them long after they’ve finished playing. I personally gravitate towards indie horror games. To me, this genre is relatively popular in the gaming community, and is mostly well known. However, I acknowledge my list is still biased in this account.

So, when I asked myself, “What were the games that stuck with me?” these were the ones that immediately came to mind.

5. Mouthwashing

Release: September 26, 2024

Developer: Wrong Organ

Publisher: Critical Reflex

Starting off strong with one of the most unique games of the year, Mouthwashing is a fever dream of paranoia, desperation, and… well, mouthwash.

You mainly play as a crew member on the Tuplar, a longhaul freighter assigned a dull, uneventful job—transporting an enormous supply of mouthwash across the galaxy. But when the ship mysteriously crashes, your captain is critically injured and the crew is left stranded, they start slowly descending into madness.

The game is a slow-burn psychological horror experience, where trust erodes as lies are exposed and truths are uncovered. The crew starts acting strangely—talking in hushed whispers, hiding things from you, and worst of all, drinking the mouthwash in desperation. The more they consume, the more unsettling their behavior becomes.

Mouthwashing uses a mix of survival mechanics and dialogue-heavy decision-making. You’ll need to explore the Tuplar, conversate with the crew, and use items to solve puzzles. The more you investigate, the more you’ll start to uncover the truth. The art style is deliberately unsettling—low-poly character models with exaggerated, jagged features that make the player feel on edge. The further you go into the game, the more disorientated you become.

The Mouthwashing fanbase has exploded since its intial release. Fans collectively dig deep into the underlying messages and lore that the game contains.  Mouthwashing is a sit-down thriller that’ll keep you invested past finishing the game.

4. Home Safety Hotline

Release: January 16, 2024

Developer: Night Signal Entertainment

Publisher: Night Signal Entertainment

Have you ever wanted to work in a call center? No? Well, Home Safety Hotline might just change you mind—or not. Depends on how much the creatures freak you out. In this horror puzzle game, you take calls from people dealing with everyday household problems—except some of those problems are definitely not normal.

One moment, you’re advising a caller about black mold growing in their shower, and the next, your helping someone figure out how to get rid of the shadowy figure that’s been standing in their hallway for three hours. The game balances unsettling horror with dry, campy humor, making every call feel like a bizarre test of logic and luck. Is your client’s problem normal or do you have to advise them how to fix the supernatural…without them noticing? With multiple endings and a strong emphasis on player choice, every decision matters—especially when you’re trying to get that promotion from your boss (who may or may not be a fairy cult leader). If the intial game wasn’t enough, there’s a festive DLC with wintery creatures. Home Safety Hotline is a good causal, strategical game that doesn’t take itself seriously and is a generally fun play.

3. Endoparasitic 2

Release: October 1, 2024

Developer: Deep Root Interactive

Publisher: Deep Root Interactive

Imagine waking up on a spaceship with just your right arm, and having to fight off monsters while trying to keep that gosh darn flesh-eating parasite from turning you into a monster aswell. Welcome to Endoparasitic 2, where things go from bad to worse in record time.

Unlike most horror games where running is an option, here, you’re pulling yourself around with a singular arm. Every movement is a struggle as you drag yourself through an abandoned arc ship, fending off grotesque creatures with just one working arm. Reloading your gun takes actual time, crafting vaccines is a painful process, and every action feels like a life or death decision. This game isn’t just about survival—it’s about learning the patience and strategy you need to get through the game. The pixelated, grotesque visuals, combined with the slowburn horror of knowing you’re constantly vulnerable, make Endoparasitic 2 a terrifyingly immersive experience. Endoparasitic 2 is the sequel to Endoparastic, being a continuation to its slowly evolving story of how these alien parasites took over the ship. Endoparastic 2 has plenty of exciting gameplay that’ll keep you entertained.

2. Still Wakes the Deep

Release: June 18, 2024

Developer: The Chinese Room

Publisher: Secret Mode

If you’re terrified of the ocean, Still Wakes the Deep will not be your happy place. Set on an offshore oil rig in the middle of the North Sea, this firstperson horror game traps you in a metal death trap while… something lurks in the dark.

This game thrives on its eerie atmosphere. This game follows an oil rig worker struggling to survive after a disaster leaves the rig cut off from the rest of the world. The problem? Something else is on board, and it wants you dead. With no weapons and nowhere to run, every moment is a nerve-racking test of your ability to hide, escape, and out think whatever is hunting you. With realistic graphics and a sound design that makes you anxious—every creaking pipe and distant splash feels like a warning that you’re not alone. If you’re looking for a game that will make you hold your breath in real life, this is it. This isn’t just any run of the mill horror game, its a horror game with enough design and Scottish people that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.

1. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit

Release: August 7, 2024

Developer: Mega Cat Studios, Scott Games

Publisher: Mega Cat Studios, iam8bit

Five Nights at Freddy’s fans, this one’s for you. Based on the Fazbear Frights short story, Into the Pit throws you into a pixelated time-traveling nightmare. You play as Oswald, a kid who accidentally discovers that the ball pit at his local arcade is actually a portal to the past. Sounds fun, right? Wrong.

At first, everything seems normal—until something follows Oswald back from the past, and steals his father. As try to find Oswald’s father, you quickly realize that something is hunting you throughout the past and present. Unlike classic FNAF games where you’re stuck in one location, Into the Pit lets you explore different time periods, solve puzzles, and try to survive while being hunted by something you don’t fully understand. The time-travel mechanic adds a fresh twist, making every moment unpredictable. If you’ve ever wanted a FNAF game that feels more like a horror adventure than a security camera simulator, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. Into the Pit’s storyline is like no other games of the franchise. You’re immersed into a horrifying, strategical game that keeps you fulfilled with lore and story.

What Am I Most Looking Forward to in 2025?

While 2024 was packed with amazing games, I’m most excited for the upcoming Dead by Daylight x Five Nights at Freddy’s crossover this summer. The idea of surviving against FNAF animatronics in a multiplayer horror game? Sign me up.