6 of the scariest games you can play on your phone

Could mobile phones be the future of gaming? It’s something we’re definitely starting to think about. After all, if you’re a fan of Silent Hill, Until Dawn or The Evil Within you’ll know that it isn’t just the gameplay that’s making you jump out of your seat – it’s the storytelling, too.

Chuck some portability (so you can take the game out of your comfy bedroom and into the big bad world) and augmented reality technology and you’ll see why it’s just as possible to get the living heck scared out of you when gaming on a smartphone.

In honour of the season of scariness, we’ve gathered the 9 scariest games we’ve ever played on our handsets. Download, get playing, and let us know what you think – until then you can find us hiding behind the sofa. Please don’t judge.

Year Walk

The ‘Year Walk’ of the title is an ancient Swedish rite which allows the walker glimpses in to the future – but not everyone who undertakes it comes back…  Harnessing the chilling mystery of Nordic folklore, Year Walk has a surprising number of jump-out-of-your-seat scares and an escalating spookiness.

Limbo

When you start to play the exquisitely drawn Limbo, helping a little boy solve life-threatening puzzles in a quest for his missing sister, the rot, giant insects and low light levels will soon have you gripped by fear. Dark, inexplicable and very, very creepy.

Distraint

You’re probably going to scoff at the idea of an 8-bit game scaring the bejeezus out of you, but the simple play and alternating peril and unease draws you into a psychologically gripping story that will have your anxiety levels shooting skywards.

The Walking Dead

More of an interactive set of stories than your standard fight or flight zombie play, this series of games based on the classic comic books and subsequent TV show juggernaut has gained a veritable army of devoted fans. Can you survive the oncoming apocalypse of the undead? The storytelling is so compelling that you’ll be frightened for your life.

Sara is Missing

When you think about it, there are number of stories in a person’s texts and photos; this just happens to be a terrifying one. You find a missing stranger’s phone, and piece by piece – through messages, voicemail, and encrypted files – slowly discover the horrific truth behind her disappearance.

Eyes

You, a professional burglar, are tasked with breaking into an abandoned house and stealing a number of money bags. Shame no one told you it was haunted, huh? All you can do is sneak around the floor plan in the hope of avoiding the killer ghost’s gaze – which you can temporarily tap into to plot your route. Even if you box incredibly clever, it’s still hard not to feel mounting panic as a disembodied head chases you to your death.