Since the platform is attracting studios and publishers from all around the world, there are more great games there, but there are also more bad ones. If you happen to run into any of the games with failed promises, Steam can give you a refund according to their policy.

So, what is the most refunded game on Steam ever? Have any guesses? Keep reading to see our take on it.

Related: How to Check Steam Server Status: Is Steam Down?

What Game Has the Most Refunds on Steam

There isn’t any official data that we can relay to when it comes to the most refunded game on Steam, but it’s most probably one of these:

• Starfield
• No Man’s Sky
• Cyberpunk 2077
• The Day Before

Steam’s official refund policy will allow you to request a refund for any game within 14 days of purchase and if you played the game for less than two hours.

The above-mentioned games were all included in bigger controversies and attracted a lot of negative attention, causing a bigger number of refunds to be asked for.

Starfield

Shortly upon release, Starfield had more than 10 million players across all platforms. Now, even though many players loved it, there was a huge number of those who believed the game was unfinished and asked for a refund. The gamers complaining talked about low framerate, bugs, bad UX/UI, audio problems, etc. Some even reported that Steam gave them a refund even when they had more than 2 hours of playtime.

No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky, released in 2016, has had one of the biggest scandal releases out there, with masses asking for refunds not long after the game was available for purchase. Players were reporting that they got the refund even though they got more than 2 hours of game time on Steam, but the platform never accepted this as a rule, and there’s a reason to believe that many players didn’t get a refund this way. However, those that asked for a refund and were within the 2 hours frame (and there were plenty of those), got it.

When asking for a refund, players cited crashes, higher system demands than promised, and even motion sickness due to 30fps or below.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 has a big fanbase right now (like Starfield), but at the release, the game looked rough and had many bugs. Gamers complained about low framerate, lags, and texture problems. The game was fixed and improved with later updates.

The Day Before

The story of The Day Before is one of the oddest ones I’ve seen. The game was hyped to be a survival MMO, thousands were waiting for it to drop, only for the disappointment to arrive on release. The servers were overloaded, the game was obviously unfinished, and all that led to the studio that made the game announce that it was a failure only a couple of days after its release.

The whole game was shut down, and everybody was automatically refunded for it.

We hope you know more about Steam now than you did before! Read more similar articles here: Steam Game Charges Outrageous Sum for New Game and How to Add Non-Steam Games to Steam.

The post What Is the Most Refunded Game on Steam appeared first on Gamer Journalist.

Some games may run better when in windowed mode or may help you resolve other bugs and errors. Whatever the case may be, it’s pretty useful to know how to quickly jump to this option and enable your game in window mode. Keep reading to learn how to launch games in window mode on Steam.

Related: Best Adult Games on Steam in 2024

How to Switch to Windowed Mode on Steam

The only working ways to launch a game in windowed mode on Steam right now are the Alt + Enter button combo and through the in-game settings (if the game offers an option for windowed mode).

Many games will have one option in their settings that gives you the ability to switch between full-screen and windowed modes. It is usually under general settings or wherever you can edit the resolution.

Alt + Enter has been an option for entering windowed mode since the old days of gaming, and that seems to work on newer games as well. If it doesn’t work right away, make sure you check both Alt buttons on your keyboard before giving up on this one.

Unconfirmed Solutions

There are multiple ways that you can find being discussed online that should work, like adding the “-windowed” command through the game’s Launch options on Steam – right-click on a game > Properties > Launch options > type in “-windowed” or “-windowed -w 1024.” Without the brackets. See the image below.

Nevertheless, I wasn’t able to confirm that adding the “-windowed” command to launch options works. However, whether a game can be run in windowed mode or not sometimes depends on the game’s core options and engine. So, if all else fails, you can try it. You have nothing to lose.

Another quoted solution that some claim works is adding “-widowed” or “-w” to the game’s target. Right-click the icon of the game on your desktop, select properties, and under Target, you’ll see a long text. At the end of it, add the mentioned commands, and according to some, it should work.

We’ve given you some solutions that we’ve confirmed and some that we couldn’t confirm because there’s no harm in trying everything, right?

We hope our article helped you with your Steam issues. Read more similar topics here: How to Add Non-Steam Games to Steam and How to Check Steam Server Status: Is Steam Down.

The post How to Launch a Game in Windowed Mode on Steam (Confirmed 2024) appeared first on Gamer Journalist.

Best Adult/Sex Games on Steam

Mature content warning: This article deals with sexual subject matter that is appropriate only for an adult audience.

We’re going to have to remind the readers that these games are 18+. That means anyone younger shouldn’t be playing due to their graphical nature. We suppose this is also a good time to remind you all that this article is NSFW (not safe for work) and NSFP (not safe for the public). If you still think you can handle it and you’re not a literal child, keep reading, and learn which games are the best adult/sex games on Steam.

House Party

*Cough* Doja Cat *Cough*, did you know Doja Cat plays House Party and is one of the voice actors? In fact, there’s a whole Doja Cat expansion pack. Imagine attending a house party and Doja Cat is there with an appearance. The reason House Party is on our list is because of nudity, strong sexual content, drugs, language, and everything to be expected from a dope party. This is a 3D-Adventure game where you party how you want, with who you want, and talk to who you want. You can date, perform side quests, and create a story depending on the choices you have made. Have sex with people you form connections with and you can even date them.

Beach Bounce

Are there any visual novel players out there? We found the perfect game for you. Beach Bounce follows Tomoyo who is staying at his grandmother Umi’s beach resort. He just wants to have the perfect summer at the beach, and if that means being surrounded by beautiful babes, that’s fine. Make choices with the women who work at the beach resort, form relationships, and keep in mind there’s an uncensored version on Steam. That means…even more, raunchy scenes with everything showing. Everything. It also has different endings that range from good, and bad, to fun. With multiple pathways to reach the end, you can form relationships in various ways with different people.

AI Shoujo

This game is relaxing, and breathtaking, and offers your character to unwind as he’s living in paradise. This simulation crafting and survival game focus on living a carefree life. Meet beautiful AI women where you can customize how they appear. You can sculpt their bodies to make them appear lifelike and you can work on your relationship with them. You can play, learn, and sleep with your partner to make this game feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven. If you want to have sex with them you don’t need to do much but have a conversation with her. There are also mods you can use so you can have sex with them before you beat the game. Mods are pretty great, huh?

Senren * Banka

Another visual novel that is overwhelmingly popular on Steam right now. You’re Arichi Masaomi and you’ve made your way to a village called Hoori. Eventually, you marry a shrine maiden, pull a sword from a stone, and uncover a curse. These are great and everything but we’re here for boobies. Senren * Banka has big-boobed hentai girls where you can romance. The dialogues are fun, the plot is great, and the storylines are fantastic to explore. In reality, though we’re only here for the big boobies. This game is long and you’ll be looking at plenty of hours spent trying to get through the game and going through all the content. It gives you just enough time to appreciate the artwork and women.

Crush Crush

We love playing dating games! They’re the perfect way to kill time while also enjoying yourself a bit. Crush Crush is an idle dating simulator where you have your pick of over 40 women to woo and date. You can collect tons of high-resolution raunchy pictures to save, speak to women with tons of voiced dialogue, and play dress-up with your waifu by giving them outfits. Make sure you give gifts to help raise your relationship status. You don’t want to be friend-zoned your entire life. You also need to reach certain stats in order to raise your relationship with different women. Some like a sporty man, whereas others want some shoes.

Amorous

We didn’t forget you lover of furry content. Amorous is a pansexual furry dating simulation where you have entered the neon lights of Amorous. It’s a nightclub where furries can enjoy each other’s company and play mini-games. There are 9 furries you can date that has a ton of dialogue, as well as, a character creation mechanic. Create your own furry and give them the personality and body they’ve always wanted. Seriously, some of the dialogue in this game is hilarious. It’s definitely NSFW and you have been warned.

Being a DIK

Visual novels are some of our favorite types of games. In this college-focused visual novel game, you’re playing as a male going through his life at university. University sucks when you’re just studying, waking up early, and trying to have a part-time job. Imagine what it would be like if you could live university life by getting into parties, having sex, and getting into drama. That’s what this game is all about and you’re taking part in the experience. You play as a low-income, young, male who is trying to find himself and is trying hard not to be a DIK.

Treasure of Nadia

What is the entire point of playing Treasure of Nadia? Meet hot women! You had me at meet hot women. In this sultry game, you’re trying to learn about this majestic island you’ve come across on your travels. Eventually, you learn that beautiful women inhabit the island and now you’re trying to create a harem. There are stunning women you can meet such as the sexy librarian or the busty doctor. This is a visual novel and it’s up to you to create a serene environment surrounded by tons of women.

Lilipalace

In this RPG you’re stepping away from modern life and entering the fantasy world. You’ll meet elf knights and monsters, and you’ll come across the beautiful Seria. In this game, you’re embarking on a journey trying to find where all the women have run off to. This is a strategy game where you need to read your enemy and analyze the situation. That probably will be hard to do if your eyes are looking somewhere else.

Aokana – Four Rhythms Across the Blue

There’s nothing like a game focusing on Kawaii anime girls. In this game, you’re literally riding through the sky and participating in what is known as “Flying Circus”. This is a well-known sport where you can fly using unique shoes to glide around. The characters you meet in this game will be able to have sexual relationships with you. The setting is beautiful, the story is lovely, and the characters you meet will have you falling in love. This is a visual novel experience and it will have you feel as if you’re really playing an anime.

The Ditzy Demons Are in Love With Me

Oh no, poor Ren, he has to go through a series of unfortunate events where he has to go to school with cute demon girls. If you’re a fan of visual novels, bright colors, and cute demon girls that live together in the same dormitory as a boy name Ren then you’re in luck. The Ditzy Demons Are in Love With Me is exactly as you would have guessed it. All these cute and incompetent demons love Ren and due to their incompetence, they become problematic. What will happen to Ren? We can guess it. Will he fall in love with Kiritani Riria?

Sakura Dungeon

We are starting to see a pattern in all these sex games. The majority of them include anime girls, dungeons, and mystical creatures. In Sakura Dungeon you’re playing as Yomi, a fox spirit who needs to reclaim their lost dungeon. Unfortunately, their dungeon was stolen and it’s up to you to gather your troops of equally good-looking soldiers and fight against monsters. This is a first-person RPG where you can capture monster girls and try to claim what is rightfully yours.

Succubus Affection

This is a side-scrolling RPG where your objective is to try to defeat monsters so you can your sister can live a peaceful life in your remote village. You’re trying to train hard to fight off these beasts, the only problem, is that you keep falling for your enemies. This is a hentai meaning you will be offered sex quite a lot. You don’t have to befriend these beasts but you might as well have a little fun while you’re trying to power up. There are a lot of monsters, which means, there are a lot of opportunities to befriend and seduce good-looking ones. It’s a lewd 2D platformer where relationships matter.

Princess Project

When you find out that your father is injured and you need to really take your job as a princess seriously, what do you do? Do you act out your royal duties or do you say screw it and let your bad reputation continue to stay tarnished? In This RPG you play as Princess Meeyu who basically is a useless princess and it’s up to you to rebuild your reputation. Try to please your subjects and convince them that you’re not as terrible as they think you are. Or are you going to just continue to be naughty?

Terrible Laboratory

In this slice-of-life RPG, you’re playing as Konica Yaegaki who is a scientist that wants to save her lab from mongrels wanting to tarnish her reputation. She loses her staff, and her dignity, and loses 50 million yen in the process! How is she ever going to get her money and reputation back up? She could always try building a robot and selling it to the highest bidder. If you’re a fan of the humiliation genre then this game is perfect for you. It has a compelling and dark story attached to it and Konica is put into some crazy situations.

How to View Adult-Only Content on Steam

If you’re looking to play raunchy games on Steam make sure you update your store preferences. There are some games out there you probably didn’t realize were available because you didn’t update your preferences. In order to do this, you need to click your profile, go to store preferences, scroll until you see mature content, and check the “Adult Only Sexual Content” box. You can also customize the settings to your liking, for example, if you want games that don’t have a lot of gore simply uncheck the box. If you want to see nudity check the box.

That’s our list of the top 6 best adult content games you can play right now on Steam. Be sure to follow Gamer Journalist for updates, guides, and codes. We also offer guides, codes, and news on popular and upcoming gaming titles.

Related: Top 10 Best Sims 4 Sex Mods (Adult/Nude/Sexy/Woohoo Mods)

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How to Fix Steam Error Code E8

An E8 Error Code in Steam usually refers to some kind of problem with Steam’s login system, usually appearing when you try to log into your Steam account on a web browser or through the Steam client. It prevents you from logging into your account, so obviously, it’s a very frustrating error to put up with.

Related: How to Check Steam Server Status: Is Steam Down?

Before you do any detailed troubleshooting, you should ensure that there aren’t any obvious server-side problems with Steam. After all, if Steam is down, then you’re probably not the only one who can’t log in. You can verify Steam’s current server status through utility websites like issteamdown.com or steamstat.us. If Steam is down, just wait a little while and come back later. If it’s not, then it’s time to get nitty gritty.

Fixing Steam Login Issues

Here’s a list of tricks you can try to fix an Error E8 and get into your Steam account:

• Check your internet connection
• Check your login credentials
• Use QR Sign-In
• Restart the Steam client
• Disable VPNs and Firewalls
• Uninstall and reinstall the Steam client

Check Your Internet Connection

If your internet is down, you probably realized it already when you went to check those Steam server utility pages, but just in case you’re not sure, try checking your wireless carrier’s app, website, or phone number for any potential service outages in your area.

Check Your Login Credentials

Your Steam login credentials are case-sensitive, and won’t register if you enter them incorrectly. Double-check to make sure you’re entering your account name and password as they’re supposed to be written. Remember also that your account name and your display name on Steam may not be identical; your display name is the name that shows on your profile, while your account name is the name you first made your Steam account with. If you don’t know the right name or password, click the help button on the Steam sign-in page for assistance with recovery.

Use QR Sign-In

If you have the Steam app on your phone (and you should for security reasons), you can use your Steam Authenticator to sign in via the QR code that’s displayed on the Steam sign-in page. Just scan the code with your phone’s camera while the authenticator is open, and it should log you in automatically, even if you don’t have your credentials handy. If the problem is specifically with the part of Steam’s servers that parse login credentials, this can circumvent it.

Restart the Steam Client

For reasons beyond anyone’s understanding, the Steam client just goes dead sometimes for seemingly no reason. A quick restart can fix simple problems; just right-click the little Steam icon on your toolbar and click “exit” to close Steam, then launch it again from your program list.

Disable VPNs and Firewalls

Security or counter-security programs can occasionally cause a disconnect between your system and Steam’s servers. On the one hand, your firewall or antivirus programs may be blocking Steam from properly launching automatically. On the other hand, if you’re using a VPN or proxy server to use Steam, the servers may be barring your access out of similar security concerns. In either case, try temporarily disabling the programs in question, then reenabling them after you’ve managed to log in.

Uninstall and Reinstall the Steam Client

If all else fails, you might need to perform a clean install of the Steam client. If you’re on Windows, just go to the Add or Remove programs option in your system settings, find Steam, and uninstall it. Afterward, you can go to the Steam website to download the installer again and perform a fresh installation. Don’t worry, you won’t lose your Steam library or anything.

If you’re still having trouble, visit the Steam Support website for more bespoke instructions, or the Steam Help Forums for advice from those with similar issues.

For more Steam error solutions, check out our guides on fixing a connection timeout error and an error 16. Visit our Facebook page as well for the latest news and guides.

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How to Add Non-Steam Games to Steam

It’s no secret that Steam is the big daddy of PC gaming, with the largest library of games on tap, but even Steam isn’t all-encompassing. There are many games, big and small, that aren’t available on Steam’s catalog. Or, even if they are available, you may need to buy them on an alternate storefront like Epic in pursuit of discounts. While there isn’t any way to fully migrate purchases of games from other sources to Steam, there is a way to add the games to your Steam library and launch them through the Steam client.

Related: How to Check Steam Server Status: Is Steam Down?

All you need to do is open the Steam client, switch to your Library, and click the little button on the very bottom-left of the screen marked “Add a game.” You’ll get three options here for redeeming game CD codes, opening the store, and adding non-Steam games. Obviously, you want the last one.

Finding Executables

When you click the “add a non-Steam game” option, a new window will open up listing programs on your computer that you’ve recently used or added. If the game you’re trying to add was opened recently, it may be on this list, in which case all you need to do is check the box next to it and click the “Add selected programs” button.

If it’s not on the list, click the “Browse” button to open an Explorer window to your program files. You need to find the executable file for the game you’re trying to add, the location of which may vary. If, for instance, you have a DRM-free copy of a game, you should be able to find the executable wherever you saved it to. If you’re trying to add a game from another distribution platform like Epic, look in your Epic Library folder. You can open a game’s local files from the Epic launcher by right-clicking on them in the Epic client library and clicking properties.

Regardless, once you’ve found the executable, open it in the Explorer window to add it to the non-Steam game list. Afterward, just click the checkbox next to it and the “add selected programs” button. The game will appear in your library under the name of the executable file, though you can change the display name by right-clicking it and clicking properties.

At this point, you can launch the game through the Steam client by just pushing the big green Play button. However, there are a few limitations you should be aware of:

• The Steam Overlay is usually available when launching non-Steam games this way, but it may not always work
• If the game has DRM from another platform like Epic, you will need to have that other client running to launch it
• Even if the game is in Steam’s catalog, it won’t recognize it as such, so you can’t earn achievements or trading cards for it

As long as you don’t mind a few feature limitations, this is a great way to keep your PC game collection organized and consolidated in a single place. It also helps you remember which games you already have so you don’t accidentally buy them twice on a different platform (yes, I have done this).

For more technical Steam tricks, check out our guides on fixing the Steam Store when it’s not loading and fixing Steam Error 16. Visit our Facebook page as well for the latest news and guides.

The post How to Add Non-Steam Games to Steam appeared first on Gamer Journalist.

How to Fix Error E502 L3 on Steam

This error indicates that there is a server issue happening at the moment. As you may be experiencing it, this will completely lock you out from accessing the Steam Store. Community, Workshop and well, basically all Steam online features. While this is most likely due to indeed some server outage or maintenance, there is a possibility that the problem may be on the user’s side. We have compiled here all the troubleshooting steps you can take in order to fix error E502L3 on Steam. Check them out below.

Troubleshooting Steps

• First, check if the Steam servers are indeed down. You can do this by using SteamDB or Down Detector. If there are indeed some server issues, then you just need to wait for Valve to solve them, don’t bother following the steps below.
• Try to log off and log back in. Several users have reported that this method will ensure that they reconnect to Steam’s servers properly.
• Reinstall Steam from scratch. Use the uninstall function on Windows to get rid of the Steam installation, and then download the latest Steam version from their official website.
• Disable any Antivirus and the Windows Defender Firewall. There is a possibility that each of those have the ability to block any connections to the Steam servers. Disabling them will fix the issue immediately.
• Restart your router and ensure you are using and Ethernet cable to have the most stable connection possible.

Related: How to Check Steam Server Status: Is Steam Down?

Most probably, Valve is doing some maintenance or experiencing some problems. Unfortunately, you won’t be doing anything other than waiting, so pick up the cards or the chess and spend your time playing like we used to do years ago. Or, well, play some games in the Epic Games Launcher. Good luck!

Steam is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. Please check out Gamer Journalist on Facebook to join the discussion and keep up to date with our content. If you are experiencing any more errors, be sure to check out How Do You Fix “There Was an Error Communicating With the Steam Servers” on Steam? Answered and How Do You Fix Steam Web API Error? Answered.

The post How to Fix Error E502 L3 on Steam appeared first on Gamer Journalist.

How Do You Fix There Was an Error Communicating With the Steam Servers

1. The fastest possible way to fix the problem may be as simple as singing out and back into Steam. It could just be a simple loading error that a soft reboot of the app will do.
2. If that doesn’t work, you may need to close out of Steam completely and then reload the program.
3. If neither of those options work you can try restarting your PC. A full reboot may just do the trick and give Steam a fresh start.
4. Sadly if it is a server problem on Steam and Valve’s end, all you may be able to do is wait it out until the servers come back online.

There are several options for you to check on the servers and updates on Steam’s program condition every few hours until the issues are resolved. Thank you for reading!

Related: How Do You Fix Steam Store Not Loading? Answered)

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One feature in the game has the potential to be annoying for some players. That is, the white outline that shows the player an enemy or object in the game. Some gamers have suggested a fix changing the outline to a dot, like Elden Ring and other games have. However, for now there have been no patches to the game that we know of that add an option like this.

Related: All Confirmed Fantastic Beasts Coming to Hogwarts Legacy

Can You Turn Off the White Outline in Hogwarts Legacy?

Although this feature may seem annoying, it appears that developers have a solution to the problem. Wait for it…turning the outline off! That’s right, there was an official message from Warner Bros. themselves due to the amount of questions being asked online. Luckily, there is a way to toggle the outline away if players do not find it useful. Also, hit points are able to be turned off if they become an annoyance to gamers too, which is helpful to know for those who were worried about cluttered screens during combat.

We hope that you found this answer helpful in your quest for Hogwarts Legacy knowledge. If you find yourself wanting to learn even more about this exhilarating videogame, read about whether Hogwarts Legacy is an MMO or check out an explanation on why you start as a 5th year. Gamer Journalist also has a Facebook page that you can look at, so head on over and send us some feedback!

The post Can You Turn off the White Border/Outline on Objects and Enemies in Hogwarts Legacy? Answered appeared first on Gamer Journalist.

Related: How to Perform a Naval Invasion in Hearts of Iron 4

Declaring War in Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts

When you wish to declare war in Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts, it all comes down to a matter of tonnage and tension. Areas of control are called ‘sea zones’ in the game, and these are different areas where you can operate ports and station your fleets. By positioning your fleets and ports in areas that future enemies are also operating in, you can increase tension between your two groups. Acting like you are already at war through placement of your ships will go a long way to enticing war.

Outnumber Your Enemy

The first way to convince your desired opponent to head to war with your nation is to have a greater amount of tonnage in the sea zones your unfortunate target owns ports in. The larger the ratio between your fleet and his own, in terms of tonnage, the higher the chance you will eventually be at war.

Give Them the Numbers Advantage

Another option is to actually have far less tonnage than your enemy in an area where you both operate ports in. This means that they are seemingly the aggressor, and can lead to open warfare between your two groups. However, this method is harder to make work as firstly your target needs to have ships in sea control mode in the same area, and you must have a port in the same sea zone. You cannot influence others to change their ship modes, so this is a harder option to make work. Unfortunately, if you do not have enough tonnage to use the first way of declaring war, this is your only hope to engage in battle.

Which Way of Declaring War Is Easier?

Thus, the better choice is to outnumber your opponent in terms of tonnage in their sea zones, and act threatening with the deployment of your ships. In summary, going to war in Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts all comes down to simple numbers and causing tension in target sea zones.

Related: What’s the Difference Between World of Warships and World of Warships: Legends?

We hope you enjoyed our warmongering guide for Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts. Gamer Journalist is on Facebook, so head on over to keep in the loop in regards to our newest content. You might also want to read up on our tutorial on how to declare war in Hearts of Iron 4 or how to increase manpower in Hearts of Iron 4.

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But for those who enjoy their Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing and want something a little lighter on mechanics, something that doesn’t force them headfirst through nasty scenarios, there are luckily plenty of games, even if they’re not immediately obvious.

With that in mind, this list is a horror-game chillout tape, focusing on games with simpler mechanics, less intense scares, and a lower number of death and loss states. If you’re not a hardcore aggro gamer, you can still get weirded out without breaking a controller in frustration.

10 Gentler Horror Games For Players Tired of Jump Scares

Cozy Grove

Developer: Spry Fox LLC
Platform: PC, PS4, XBOX One, iOS, Switch

It doesn’t get much gentler than this. Drawing comparisons to Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley among others, Cozy Grove puts you in the khaki shirt of a Spirit Scout, sent to an unusual island on a camping trip. Over the course of your stay in Cozy Grove, you spend your time fishing, crafting, and slowly bringing the island back to life by soothing the restless spirits.

It’s incredibly satisfying watching the island slowly fill out in color as you solve more problems, and the easy crafting/farming mechanics take the frustration out of building up your campsite. But the best feature is that the game runs in real-time, reinforcing the idea you should take your time at a leisurely pace and explore all the game has to offer instead of rushing through. All in all, it’s a relaxed, gentle, and not too intense-take on a spooky sort of game, and one definitely worth the trip.

Oxenfree

Developer: Night School Studio
Platform: PC, PS4, XBOX One, Switch, Android, iOS

For those craving a haunted island game that’s more intense in subject matter but still relatively easy to play, Oxenfree has you covered. Five teenagers take a trip to an abandoned island military base, hoping for a night of exploring and drinking around the campfire. Instead, they find a number of vengeful spirits, a mystery involving a submarine, and radio signals that can tear holes in reality and possibly enable time travel.

Much of the game is spent in a series of walk-and-talks between Alex and her friends. The dialogue genuinely feels like it’s a bunch of teenagers hanging out, the visuals are utterly gorgeous, and while the scares and emotional stakes are intense once they start stacking up, the game allows enough time to breathe, and there’s a slow enough build that you can definitely wait until you’re in the right mood to tackle those sections.

Night in the Woods

Developer: Infinite Fall
Platform: PC, PS4, XBOX One, Switch, iOS

Another game about young adults getting into trouble in mysterious locations, Night in the Woods is another game that’s gentle in its mechanics and art style but gets pretty intense in content. Mae Borowski returns home from college after an unspecified incident and tries to figure out her life in familiar surroundings even as everything around her starts to change. But between friends who are growing up and moving on with their lives, a family that tries very hard to hide their disappointment in her, a reputation as “the weird kid,” and the unsettling local legends, she finds it much, much harder than she thought.

The game itself is an adventure platformer, where you run around the town during the day hanging out with friends, advancing a bunch of side plots, and doing various side activities like playing with your garage band. As it gets dark, however, the main plot takes over, throwing Mae into conflict with both friends and an unusual mystery connected to the town as a whole. Don’t let the colorful construction-paper aesthetic fool you— this one can hit like a truck while still remaining unusually pleasant and relaxing.

Kentucky Route Zero

Developer: Cardboard Computer
Platform: PC, Switch, PS4, XBOX One

An Appalachian gothic adventure game seven years in the making, Kentucky Route Zero is a very odd, sad, beautiful, and charming journey. The game is something of a hyperlinked story, beginning with antique deliveryman Conway stopping off at a gas station for directions only to be pointed toward the hidden Route 0. As Conway makes his way down Route 0 to finish his delivery, he runs into a spiritualist TV repairwoman, an unusual scientist, ghosts, and a variety of other strange events. But as Conway meets someone, then they also get added to the cast, their thread being woven into the tangled but beautifully coherent whole.

The game might strike some as more eerie than outright scary, but it still manages to have unsettling scenes. Conversations might end with you finding out the person you talked to was a ghost, there’s a recurring motif involving glowing skeletons, and some of the road’s landmarks are beyond weird, including perpetually burning trees and a doll head factory. But the gentle, ambling pace and emphasis on weirdness rather than outright jump scares make it easy to see why this one’s a classic and should be perfect for those who don’t necessarily want something too intense.

Where the Water Tastes Like Wine

Developer: Dim Bulb Games, Serenity Forge
Platform: PC, Switch, XBOX One, PS4

Where The Water Tastes Like Wine has an oddly simple premise, but it goes deep and it goes very hard. After an opening where you lose a poker game to a wolf-headed Satan figure, you’re turned into a skeleton and forced to wander all over America collecting stories. The game is absolutely drenched in gothic Americana, from the legends you collect all over the country to the various travelers who serve as your “boss battles,” sharing their stories as well as the ones you collect on the road.

There are more than a few ghost stories, a couple of tales of true-life horror, and the weird way even people change shape. It’s not an unforgiving game or a particularly brutal one— there’s no real lose condition and the general gameplay is as simple as walking across a map of the US whistling and occasionally hitchhiking— but it’s one that will linger, as surely as the sight of your campfire companion changing into a gigantic carnivorous rose.

Related: Top 9 Scariest Horror Game Moments of 2022

Haunt the House: Terrortown

Developer: SFB Games
Platform: PSVita, PC, Android, iOS

A puzzle-adventure game centered around scaring the bejeezus out of people in a variety of locales, Haunt the House manages to be both adorable and terrifying. Adorable in that you control a small ghost with red cheeks and a neck ruff who floats around possessing a variety of objects and wiggling through the air in an incredibly cute manner.

Terrifying in that your entire mission is to cause people enough hysteria that they run screaming from each level, or possibly scare them to death. The adorable artwork and physical comedy built into the game do a lot to distract from how grim the premise is, and the simple, brightly colored interface that shows things like the “current mood” in the building you’re trying to haunt and what actions are immediately available to you do a lot to make things fun rather than upsetting. It’s also simple enough that anyone can pick it up, but deep enough for lasting fun.

Dread X Collection 3

Developer: Various, Published by Dread XP
Platform: PC

Dread XP does an excellent job of serving up horror-themed throwbacks to the old shareware compilations, collections of unusual and interesting games wrapped in a bizarre launcher for the consumption of discerning horror game nerds. Collection 3 has the specific theme of “spoopy,” games that are more cute or silly than outright terrifying.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of scares and weirdness throughout the collection, but as opposed to the flat-out bizarro horror of collections like The Hunt and the original Dread X, it’s a much gentler, easier form of horror to get into. There’s also nary a weak link in the collection, with something for just about everyone depending on the tastes of the individual player. It might be a little lo-fi at points, but DX3 is an absolute must-play.

Do You Copy?

Developer: Space Octopus Studios
Platform: PC

One warm summer night, hiker radios into your rescue tower with a report of being stalked by a local monster called The Goatman. Your job is to follow him on the map and help him avoid the monster, all the while being taunted over your radio by The Goatman. The interface is simple, if a little buggy, and the dialogue trees are surprisingly deep for a short game with a limited amount of choices, but what makes it shine is the sheer ambiance of the park and mountains.

You’re surrounded by the noises of woods in summer, the park looks gorgeous at “nighttime,” and the occasional scares help ratchet up the tension in a really satisfying way. While you might not realize it, you’ll find yourself relieved every time you get to the end screen, but still ready to experience the other endings all the same. The developer is hard at work on The Leeds Murder, a new game in the same setting, so there’s no time like the present to visit the park.

Cultist Simulator

Developer: Weather Factory Games
Platform: PC, iOS, Android, Switch

Cultist Simulator might present itself as a pleasant, placid tabletop, but beneath that exterior lies a fiendish snarl of occult horror, esoteric language, and atrocity hidden behind flowery flavor text. The game mirrors this beautifully; you start off with a few cards and a simple verb (“Work”) and then expand from there in a wild sprawl, each new verb and mechanic only adding complexity until the game you’re playing barely resembles that starting tabletop.

The card narratives are no less unhinged, as your player character forms a cult, journeys through dreams, hangs out in underground nightclubs, and eats memories all without ever once leaving that pleasant blue table and the dreamlike ambient music. While the presence of countdown clocks and dynamic music can make for a little more of a tense experience, it’s easy to pick up and play, and a much gentler horror experience than the average jump-you-in-a-dark-hallway sort of game.

Liked these games and hungry for more indie horror? Try our list of PS1-Style Horror Games or the 7 Best Horror Games on Itch.io

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