You don’t always have to spend a pretty penny if you want to be scared or inspired. Free horror games may act as a passion project for the developer or a good place to start as they’re learning the ropes to game design, testing the water on any brave folk willing to take a dip. These short tales may seem incomplete, rushed, or unpolished, but some stand out for their storytelling and terrifying delivery.

Yes, these horror games may be on the shorter side, but they cost no money and don’t take much of your time to complete. Win-win! Here are the very best free horror games on Steam which have suspense, jump scares, good atmosphere, great sound design, and the occasional but unforgettable dark theme that has lasting effects.

It may have a ridiculous name, but this short horror is effective with its simple design. The PS1-style aesthetics matched with the sound and light design allow it to focus on what truly matters: scaring you. Putting a horror spin on the very real and pretentious clapping to turn indoor lights on feature, the entity in uses the darkness against you, giving you something to fear and putting the control in its hands. It is an easy game to pick up, enjoy, and shouldn’t terrify you aside from a few jump scares and an intense climax.