15 Best Horror Movies Based on Video Games, Ranked

Horror video games have been terrifying gamers since the '90s, and there have been a lot of great franchises throughout the years. On the flipside, video game-to-movie adaptations have also been coming out for years, some of which have been decent, others... not so much.

But what's really interesting is when these two worlds collide. Every now and then, a horror game will attract the attention of an ambitious filmmaker, and it will get made into a movie. Of course, these have varying degrees of quality and success. When they work, however, they capture the fear, atmosphere, and iconography that made the original games so unforgettable.

15 'Five Nights at Freddy's' (2023)

Original Game Release: 2014 (PC/PS4/Switch/XBO)

The 2014 Five Nights at Freddy's game took the world by storm due to its simplistic yet effective gameplay. It went on to spawn multiple sequels, each adding variations on the classic formula. The story concerns a Chuck E. Cheese-esque arcade and pizzeria known as Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. The pizzeria frequently hosts birthday parties as well as concerts performed by singing and dancing animatronics. At night, however, these animatronics turn murderous. It doesn't bode well for the player, who earns a job as the night security guard at the establishment.

The movie was announced some time ago but was finally released in 2023. It stars Josh Hutcherson and follows a similar premise to the games. The movie was co-written by Scott Cawthon, who developed the original games all by himself. The film earned mixed reviews from critics but positive reviews from avid fans of the franchise. But what is indisputable is the fact that Five Nights made an absolute killing at the box office (no pun intended).

14 'Until Dawn' (2025)

Original Game Release: 2015 (PC/PS4/PS5)

Until Dawn originally started as a PlayStation-exclusive visual novel game before eventually making its way to PC. The game received near-perfect reviews, with critics lauding it for its tension, unique atmosphere, and cast of lovable (and hateable) characters. The game follows a group of friends who spend a night in a ski lodge, only to find themselves pursued by a bloodthirsty killer and the mysterious wendigo, a cannibalistic beast from Indigenous folklore.

Unfortunately, the movie shares almost nothing in common with its source material, save for the name. The wendigo does make a reappearance, but the characters are all different. On top of that, the movie utilizes this time loop concept that wasn't present in the original video game. That said, the movie received mixed to above-average reviews. It's far from horrible; heck, it isn't even all that bad, but its connection to such a beloved IP probably dragged it down quite a bit. It legitimately felt like a totally different movie with the Until Dawn title slapped onto it.

13 'Forbidden Siren' (2006)

Original Game Release: 2003 (PS2)

Forbidden Siren, or simply Siren, depending on which part of the world you live in, is a Japanese survival-horror game that was released exclusively for the PlayStation 2 back in 2003. The game follows a group of people in and around the remote mountain village of Hanuda. Among the villagers, there is one unwritten rule: when the air raid siren sounds, do not go outside. This is because the dead begin to rise with the sound of the siren, and the Shibito (literally, "corpse people") begin to roam the streets. The game was praised for its unique gameplay, which sees players progress through levels while having to perform a very specific set of hidden actions. If the player were to miss one of these actions, they would be sent back in a time loop until they get it right.

The movie is also in Japanese and is one of the better horror adaptations of a video game out there. It instead focuses on the island of Yamajima rather than a mountain village, and includes some pretty disturbing visuals that have become a staple of J-horror. While the plot of the video game is quite complex, the movie tones it down a little, yet still maintains most of the plot, although with some character name changes.

12 'DreadOut' (2019)

Original Game Release: 2014 (PC)

DreadOut was first released in 2014 to an excellent reception. The game comes from a genre not often explored in modern media: Indonesian horror. For those who hadn't heard of the genre before, this was the perfect introduction to it. It was so well-received that a sequel was released a few years later.

Of course, an Indonesian film studio eventually decided to expand the game's success and create a film based on it. This film was received well, although not as spectacularly as the original game. The adaptation leans heavily into eerie atmosphere and folklore-driven scares rather than nonstop jump scares. Apart from the horror narrative, it also contains warnings about the hazards of abandoned buildings and the dangers of social media popularity.

11 'Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic' (2010)

Original Game Release: 2010 (PS3/PSP/XB360)

Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic was created to accompany the video game that was released at the same time. Both are based on Dante Alighieri's epic poem, which follows a Medieval warrior who descends through the Nine Circles of Hell in pursuit of his lover, whom Satan has kidnapped. This definitely falls into the action/horror category, as there are lots of fight scenes and lots of blood, but a lot of disturbing visuals at the same time.

One of the coolest parts of this movie is that each Circle of Hell is handled by a different animation studio, meaning each level looks pretty different. It's a great way to show off the talents of a diverse team of animators. While this movie might not be horror in the traditional sense, it's pretty kickass as far as video game adaptations go. It never gets dull for a second, and it really knows how to hook its audience and never let go.

10 'Silent Hill' Series (2006–Present)

Original Game Release: 1999 (PS1)

Silent Hill is a classic series of horror games that needs no introduction. Originally released in 1999, the first Silent Hill game was revolutionary in the way games approached horror. With such widespread success and multiple sequels to boot, it's only natural that it would be adapted into a movie eventually. Despite the game's original Japanese release, the movie was taken on by Hollywood filmmakers.

So far, the franchise includes two films: Silent Hill (2006), directed by Christophe Gans, and Silent Hill: Revelation (2012), which adapts elements of Silent Hill 3. The first film was praised for its faithfulness to the game's atmosphere, while the sequel leaned more heavily into 3D spectacle and divided audiences. However, fans of the franchise will come to recognize their favorite characters, including the iconic Pyramid Head, and the familiar fog of the mysterious little town, Silent Hill.

9 'Fatal Frame' (2014)

Original Game Release: 2001 (PS2/XB)

Like Forbidden Siren, this movie is known by different names depending on where you are in the world. In Europe and Asia, it's known as Zero: The Movie, while in North America, it is commonly known as Fatal Frame. Interestingly, a Hollywood adaptation was announced for this game, but it was never released. Luckily, some Japanese filmmakers snagged it and turned it into a pretty decent adaptation. The film follows two young women who investigate a haunted estate, using a cursed camera to capture vengeful spirits and uncover the tragic history behind the mansion.

Not only was the game revolutionary in its horror mechanics, but it is also revolutionary in its handling of queer themes, as the two main protagonists, both of whom are girls, are in a romantic relationship with each other. The original game was released in the early '00s, and was one of the first to portray both incredible horror and queerness in one package.

8 'Detention' (2019)

Original Game Release: 2017 (PC/PS4/Switch/XBO)

Detention came out in 2017 as a Taiwanese point-and-click horror adventure game. It was praised for its simplistic yet terrifying gameplay, and was soon scooped up by Warner Bros. Taiwan. As far as video game adaptations go, this one is considered to be one of the best, earning 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is a feat that isn't easy to achieve on its own, let alone as a video game adaptation.

The game is set in 1962 and centers around two students who become trapped in their high school at night. While this would ordinarily be no big deal, their world is unfortunately home to ghosts, who force them to confront their own mortality and the circumstances of their fate. The game itself was highly commended, with many popular YouTubers contributing to its success. Apart from the film, a 2020 TV Series was released in Taiwan as well.

7 'It Came from the Desert' (2017)

Original Game Release: 1989 (Amiga/MS-DOS/TurboGrafx-16)

It Came from the Desert is a Finnish film based on the cult video game of the same name, which was released all the way back in 1989. The video game itself was actually based on Hollywood trends of the 1950s, specifically on the emergence of popular kaiju and alien films, so the game lends itself quite nicely to the movie format, too. The plot revolves around giant ants that emerge from a hidden laboratory deep beneath the desert, terrorizing a local keg party.

If the title itself weren't enough of an indication, the movie is intentionally kitschy, playing into classic tropes of Hollywood cheesiness. But at the same time, this is what makes it so brilliant. Not a lot of people will enjoy how it intentionally went for the "so-bad-it's-good" angle, but for those who like that sort of thing, it's a really entertaining film that is equal parts hilarious and inspiring. It's a B-movie through and through, which is what it tries to be, and it works remarkably well.

6 'Dead Space: Downfall' (2008)

Original Game Release: 2008 (PC/PS3/XB360)

The story of Dead Space and its sequels follows humans who travel to an alien planet and discover the Necromorphs, a parasitic and nearly-unkillable race of extra-terrestrials that are out for blood. The same year the first game was released, an animated film entitled Dead Space: Downfall premiered as well.

The film serves as a prequel to the series, and, like many video game adaptations, received mixed reviews. But it is an essential piece of Dead Space lore and a pretty solid prequel to a remarkable horror franchise. Perhaps fans will be seeing a live-action adaptation someday, too, as John Carpenter has stated he would be willing to take the reins on such a project.