Summary
The original Xbox console hit shelves back in November 2001, which is more than two decades ago now. On release, the Xbox was immediately touted as the console of the future, with its bulky design and flashy, cinematic user interface. Games on the original Xbox were either gigantic exclusives likeHalo, or third-party games found on the generation’s competing consoles.
Many of theXbox horror gamesavailable can also be found in the PlayStation section as well, though this green machine did have some spooky specters unique to its own library. There are vampire lords, murderous hunters, and Lovecraftian eldritch horrors all hidden under the hood of Microsoft’s first console.
Updated June 01, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Each Xbox horror game has been updated with its specifications.
Obscurewas released back in 2004 and is a survival horror game that features six playable students trapped in their school after hours. The students were originally just searching for their missing friend but stumbled upon horrors beyond human comprehension. The school’s principal has teamed up with the school nurse to turn the students into monsters using spores from a rare plant.
Thestory isn’t all that groundbreaking, but it’s fun all the same.Obscurealso has some unique features like controlling the characters in duo squads and swapping inventory items between characters. The game still allows the player to finish the game if some characters meet their demise, so resetting is only needed for perfect runs.
Created as a sequel to John Carpenter’sThe Thing, players control Captain Blake as he leads his small unit of special forces through the Antarctic outpost after the events of the film. The team is attacked by strange creatures and are constantly under threat fromThe Thing.
This third-person survival shooter sets itself apart with its trust system, as teammates will only respond to Blake’s commands if they trust him. Any member of the team can be manipulated byThe Thing, so players will also have to consistently double-check the actions and behaviors of each squad mate. This element makes thisclassic horror title a little more difficultthan many of the modern releases seen today.
Manhunthas players control James Earl Cash as he must survive being hunted by deadly gang members on camera. This game caused some controversy on release due to its graphic violence, but it developed a cult following and even got a sequel in 2007.
Manhuntis based on stealth, as James must take to the shadows and hide from the hunters before executing them by surprise. Weapons are spread throughout the game and range from baseball bats to plastic bags. With 20 base levels and four additional levels that are unlocked later, there’s a lot of mayhem to cause in this digital version ofThe Most Dangerous Game.
At the time,Doom 3was a reboot for theDoomfranchise,with upgraded graphicsand the same gameplay formula that players love the series for. After a botched teleportation experiment, demons from Hell are sent to Mars, where a space marine must battle them back to prevent them from invading Earth.
The Xbox version did have some issues, though the game’s story is very solid, and it’s an enjoyable ride through demon-infested space. Players who loved the latest editions ofDoombut never played the older titles should absolutely pick upDoom 3when they get the chance.
Based onThe Shadow Over Innsmouthby H.P. Lovecraft,Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earthis a stealth survival horror game that has players control Jack Walters, a private investigator sent to the town of Innsmouth. After he arrives, he starts noticing strange fish people and other threats to his health and sanity.
The game shows player damage through the surrounding sights and sounds, rather than using the traditionalhealth and sanity meter. Though the enemy AI can be quite frustrating, the game is a fun dive into Lovecraft’s horror and is sure to perplex players in a way that only Cthulu can.
Cold Fearwas Ubisoft’s first horror game, and though many wrote it off as aResident Evil 4clone,Cold Fearwas released only a few months later so development for both games took place simultaneously. Tom Hansen is the protagonist and a member of the United States Coast Guard who is exploring a Russian ship that has become infested with the undead.
Russian mobsters and CIA agents alike are turned undead, and Hansen has to traverse the large vessel in order to find answers. This game has interesting mechanics including the realistic swaying of the ship as well as a unique delayed physics engine.Tom Hansen might not be Leon Kennedy, but he puts up with enough zombies to be placed on the same pedestal.
The most renowned title in theSilent Hillfranchise got an upgraded port for the original Xbox calledSilent Hill 2: Restless Dreams. The port upgrades the graphics and adds a game mode calledBorn From A Wish, which sees the player take control of Maria. This mode takes place before James Sunderland leaves to search thetown ofSilent Hillfor answers about the letter he receives from his deceased wife.
James experiences horrors beyond imagination inSilent Hill, and the game is notorious for leaving players guessing what is and isn’t real in the world. Fans who have played the game on PS2 may want to give this port a try for the expanded story.
Another enhanced Xbox port,Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Director’s Cutupgrades the graphics of the original game and adds new costumes, as well as a shop for Camera Obscura equipment. Protagonists Mio and Mayu are targeted by the spirits of a forgotten village to be used as sacrifices. The player must help the two girls traverse the village, and use careful camera work to keep the ghosts at bay.
The upgraded graphics do a lot for the game, and definitely enhance the overall atmosphere and spooky visuals. This port also adds a first-person mode, providing the player with a more personal view of the vengeful spirits.
Castlevania: Curse Of Darknesstakes place 3 years after the events ofCastlevania 3. Even though Dracula has been defeated by Trevor Belmont, evil still threatens the world from beyond the grave. Players control Hector, a former follower of Dracula who returns to the vampire lord’s castle to seek revenge on Issac for killing his wife.
Issac murdered Hector’s wife because he believed that Hector’s betrayal led to Dracula’s defeat, and now Issac hopes to resurrect his former master.Castlevania: Curse Of Darknesscombines enjoyable gameplay systems with a killer soundtrack to form an immensely fun experience on the Xbox.
This expanded port ofFatal Framewas released in 2002 and brought loads of upgrades to one of the besthorror games of the 2000s. DubbedFatal Frame Special Edition, players control Miku Hinasaki as she searches the Himuro Mansion for her missing brother Mafuyu, though she encounters several specters and ghouls along the way.
This port also comes with upgraded graphics, new ghosts, and a “Fatal” difficulty to really crank up the scares and screams. These upgrades definitely makeFatal Frame Special Editionthe superior version of the game, and a must-play for those looking to reliveFatal Frame.
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