Technically, most horror games pride themselves on surprising players and scaring them out of their wits. However, that might be taking this sentiment a bit too literally.

Given how restrictive this genre may seem at times, it's easy to see why horror games that take risks that end up working deserve all the praise in the world. Players are taken aback by how simple changes and unexpected horror titles can surprise them with the quality on display.

Co-op and horror are not something fans will usually group together. However, games like Phasmophobia make it clear that this approach is more than viable in the industry and then some.

Teaming up with friends to figure out the identity of a ghost they need to exorcize is riveting and makes for a fun time without downplaying the game's horror elements. Being hounded by a ghost or losing sight of the other ghost hunters can be a nerve-wracking experience as players retreat to safety.

As eerie as Slay the Princess looks at first glance, players have no idea about the wild ride they're in for when they check this game out. They are stuck in an eternal quest to take out a princess who is seemingly an eldritch nightmare, only for the truth to be way grander than fans expected.

The scenes in this visual novel are disturbing and do a great job of portraying a cosmic horror story. Players who give this title a shot will be left amazed at how engaging this video game is.

After P.T., it was clear to Capcom that the Resident Evil franchise could make a comeback by changing up its formula. Fans expecting a third-person romp were already surprised when Biohazard shifted to a first-person perspective.

Ties to the franchise were kept to a minimum in this revival, and the focus on horror was amped to the max, to the point where many people consider this to be the scariest Resident Evil game ever made. Biohazard was a much-needed change of pace for the series that fans loved.

In an age when JRPGs were lengthy and focused on grand, fantastical adventures, Parasite Eve took a completely different route. The modern-day setting was refreshing, and fans were taken aback by the major focus on body horror in this title from the get-go.

This made for a refreshing experience that let fans enjoy a JRPG that wasn't by-the-numbers in the slightest. Even now, Parasite Eve is one of Squaresoft's most riveting PS1 JRPGs, which is why a remake of this title can potentially be in high demand.

Alien: Isolation is one of the most surprising horror games that does justice to its license and the immersive sim genre as well. As Amanda Ripley, players embark on a hunt for her mother aboard the Sevastopol space station that is full of hostiles and xenomorphs.

Boasting revolutionary enemy AI and surprisingly riveting gameplay, Alien: Isolation came out of nowhere to become one of the best horror games ever made. Fans are missing out on something special if they don't give this title a shot.

From the moment Inscryption unveils its atmospheric trappings, fans will be in it for the long haul. Trying to take out Leshy while coming to grips with how the card game mechanics work is a blast and makes Inscryption a joy to play.

However, it's not until players make substantial progress that this game's true trappings start rearing their head. These surprises arrive constantly to catch players unawares and make Inscryption one of the boldest and most engaging horror games players can get their hands on.

Dead Space is not a game for the faint of heart, with most of its fans loving this 2008 horror game. However, even its biggest fans felt that a remake of this horror masterpiece was unnecessary, only for this title to knock their socks off.

Not only does the game look better than ever before, but the USG Ishimura's areas have also been expanded upon organically to give returning players a pleasant surprise, too. The game's strengths remain intact and ensure that players will love what Dead Space brings to the table.

To this day, fans rue what they missed out on with a Silent Hill game developed by Kojima himself. After all, P.T. itself was such a major surprise that it changed the horror landscape for good, and a full game with this genius' inputs would've been something magical.

Even if his grand vision was never achieved, that should take nothing away from what the rest of P.T. brings to the table. The looping hallway, Lisa's erratic movements, and the obtuse puzzles all led to this playable teaser into a surprise horror masterpiece that fans rave about to this day.