Upcoming Indie Survival Horror Games Worth Keeping an Eye On

The release of Resident Evil nearly 30 years ago in 1996 would both help coin the term "survival horror" and popularize the genre, leading to a steady stream of titles that both innovated and imitated in hopes of replicating its success. But as the series transitioned into more action-oriented territory, indie developers would pick up where the more horror-leaning origins of the Resident Evil series left off, pushing the envelope for what was possible in a survival horror game by experimenting with new horror tropes and player perspectives. Now, indie devs have come full circle, with several of the most promising upcoming indie survival horror games aiming to replicate the genre's golden era and genesis on the PS1, complete with era-appropriate visuals and a heavy dose of atmosphere.

• Release Date — May 20, 2025
• Developer — Mutsu'pro
• Publisher — Mutsu'pro
• Demo Available — Yes
• Platforms — PC (Early Access)

Not to be confused with the Japanese manufacturer of the same name, Kyosho (stylized as 虚衝 - Kyosho) is a first-person puzzle horror game with some parry/deflection-heavy combat and a chilling atmosphere. Rather than rely solely on jump scares, Kyosho pours most of its horror into its unsettling and creepy atmosphere, and its unique take on the survival horror genre warrants attention. Every item players collect becomes a puzzle piece, which players must arrange to accomplish normal survival horror game tasks like restoring health. Best of all, the game releases into Early Access today, and there's a free demo available.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — SPINA Studio
• Publisher — SPINA Studio, Superhot Presents
• Demo Available — No
• Platforms — PC

SPINA Studio's Phase Zero is a classically-styled survival horror game that takes clear inspiration from the greats of the PS1 era, complete with a low-poly visual style and what appears to be some old-school "Tank" controls. As one of two survivors hoping to flee a town gripped by a mysterious plague, you must wisely manage your ammunition as you face off against enemies and try to solve puzzles that bar your escape. There's no demo available just yet for Phase Zero, but the screenshots and video on the Steam Store page make it look like it's a retro survival horror game that'll be perfect for fans of the excellent Crow Country.

• Release Date — 2025
• Developer — Vincent Adinolfi
• Publisher — DreadXP
• Demo Available — Yes
• Platforms — PC

Solo developer Vincent Adinolfi has been hard at work on the excellent Heartworm since 2022, and the title was finally able to secure a publisher last year in DreadXP, making its projected 2025 release date all the more likely. Notably, Heartworm has had a public demo available since 2023, and it's enough of a proof of concept/gameplay slice to immediately draw in fans of classic survival horror titles like Silent Hill, as well as Fatal Frame, thanks to the protagonist's use of a camera as a defining mechanic and its lean into unsettling psychological horror.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Team Vultures
• Publisher — Firesquid
• Demo Available — Yes
• Platforms — PC

One of my favorite games from the February 2025 Steam Next Fest was Team Vultures' Vultures: Scavengers of Death, and it's a game I haven't stopped thinking about since getting to try the demo. Vultures takes the turn-based tactical gameplay of titles like XCOM and blends it with Resident Evil to form a game that transforms the normal gameplay loop of a survival horror title, and it somehow nails both of the disparate genres that it mixes. Positioning and ammo management are critical (like they are in a survival horror game), so factoring those elements into your tactical strategy is key to survival.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Sonka
• Publisher — Sonka
• Demo Available — Yes
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S

Another promising survival horror game that's had a public demo for quite a while now is the excellent Holstin. While Holstin is clearly indebted to the PS1-era of survival horror, its combat dramatically switches the game's perspective from an isometric overhead one to a behind-the-shoulder camera akin to Resident Evil 4. That blend of two distinct eras of survival horror inspiration, along with the game's captivating visuals and oppressive, almost Lovecraftian atmosphere, positions Holstin as a game that's both like and unlike any other upcoming indie survival horror title.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Andrés Borghi, Saibot Studios
• Publisher — New Blood Interactive
• Demo Available — Yes
• Platforms — PC

The deeply unsettling Tenebris Somnia is a title that both survival horror fans and adventure game fans will want to keep on their radar, and it also happens to be largely the work of a solo developer. Tenebris Somnia has been in development for some time now, but after securing a publisher via New Blood Interactive (who have more than a few excellent horror-tinged games in their roster), its release seems to be fast approaching. The demo currently available for the game shows off its mix of in-game assets and live-action cutscenes, which is something we haven't seen nearly enough of since the original Resident Evil.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Its Got Stealth
• Publisher — Its Got Stealth
• Demo Available — No
• Platforms — PC

For all the newer survival horror games that take inspiration from heavy hitters like Resident Evil or Silent Hill, there's not nearly enough that draw from Dead Space, which is what makes Samurai Unicorn so refreshing and promising. A distinctly sci-fi-leaning survival horror game in which you must aim for the limbs of your opponents instead of their heads, Samurai Unicorn bears more than just a passing resemblance to Dead Space in its setting and gameplay. However, Samurai Unicorn's visuals utilize a low-poly PS1-era aesthetic, making it another upcoming survival horror game that blends elements from across the genre's history.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — GERMFOOD
• Publisher — GERMFOOD
• Demo Available — No
• Platforms — PC

There's a reason many longtime retail workers refer to it as "retail hell", which is something that the upcoming Night of the Consumers looks to tap into in both hilarious and terrifying fashion. While the game seemingly starts off innocuously enough, with players stocking shelves, checking out customers, and providing assistance, the shoppers gradually become more and more aggressive and give off the impression that they have no intention of letting the employee (e.g., the player) go about their business. Biting satire coupled with reality-distorting visuals and a sense of rising tension? Sign us up.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Nocturnal Interactive
• Publisher — Nocturnal Interactive
• Demo Available — Yes
• Platforms — PC

Arguably the strongest survival horror game that had a showing at the February Steam Next Fest, Scarlet Lake is already shaping up to be something special along the lines of Crow Country or Conscript. As a man searching for his missing wife and hoping to infiltrate the cult that kidnapped her, Scarlet Lake sees things quickly devolve just moments into the game as it becomes readily apparent that not all is well at the mysterious cult's compound. In terms of both its visuals and its combat, Scarlet Lake will feel right at home to fans of the incredible Signalis, and that's about as high praise as you can give a new, similarly old-school survival horror title.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Mac n Cheese Games
• Publisher — Mac n Cheese Games
• Demo Available — Yes (Coming Soon)
• Platforms — PC

The top-down shooter is a perfect combat model to apply to a survival horror game that, unfortunately, hasn't been utilized nearly enough, and Void Martyrs is poised to fix that. A sci-fi horror game with a top-down perspective and dark, foreboding atmosphere, Void Martyrs leans heavily into the "survival" part of survival horror with its crafting and systems management, and its use of cosmic horror separates it from many of the other games on this list. While there isn't a demo available just yet, there is a listing for it on Steam, indicating that it's coming soon for players to check out.