You can play single-player horror games where there are no companions or multiplayer horror games where you get some help from friends, but it can be agreed that there's no better horror game experience than when you have a dog by your side. Who doesn't want to have a dog around to help ease some of the terror and anxiety you'll face?
RelatedThe Best Video Games You Can Pet The Dog In
They may be virtual versions of man's best friend, but they still deserve all the love! So here are the best video games that let you pet the dog.
PostsIf you adore dogs and horror equally, these are the games you might want to treat yourself to. There's a wonderful mix of breeds and plenty of different ways these sweet and loveable pooches factor into the gameplay, whether you're hunting after a lost dog or having one protect you from harm.
11 German Shepherd
Shines Over: The Damned
Shines Over: The Damned is a 2024 experimental horror game that is by far the weirdest and shortest game on this list. There's an unknown mystery about the world, its enemies, and even your main protagonist, but the one thing that remains certain is you have a trusty German Shepherd guiding you through the eerie environments.
It seems as though you're in some sort of spirit realm with other souls that are more antagonistic toward you and have to solve platforming puzzles and collect orbs to advance. The dog's purpose is just to be there and won't assist you in combat, appearing in certain parts to show you the path forward. Nonetheless, when you see this German Shepherd, you immediately feel more comforted.
10 Dani
Lost In Vivo
via Lost in Vivo WikiaLost in Vivo
Psychological Horror Released October 5, 2018 Platform(s) PC Developer KIRA Powered by Expand CollapseLost in Vivo is a psychological horror game that starts out rather chill with you going for a walk with your service dog, a delightful Corgi named Dani, until suddenly a storm comes and rain starts to pour. The entire opening almost feels like a dog-walking simulator where you just allow your dog to enjoy being outside. However, not being prepared for such intense weather, you allow your poor dog to get sucked down a sewer and then have to rescue her.
3:37 Related16 Video Games Where You Play As A Dog
Dogs are too pure for this world not unlike these 13 games where you play as dogs. Not for cat lovers.
PostsDani is as brave a dog as you, venturing deep into the sewer system and coming out unscathed with all the nightmarish creatures you'll be encountering. This is a game that aims to make you feel claustrophobic the entire way through, and it truly achieves that, only adding to the suspense by including a cute service dog. Lost in Vivo will make you think twice about taking your dog out during a storm in real life.
Lost in Vivo's Dani is named and modeled after YouTuber MrKravin's Corgi.
9 Athena
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
Adventure Released June 12, 2023 ESRB T for Teen - Fantasy Violence, Language Developer(s) Night School Studio Publisher(s) Netflix Games Engine Unity Platform(s) PC, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch How Long To Beat 6 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseOxenfree 2 follows the story of work buddies Jacob and Riley as they journey together and deal with all the weird extradimensional phenomena happening once again. This duo is among the best characters in the entire game, but you also learn Jacob has a dog, so that automatically gives him the edge. Athena will make an appearance in the final part of the game, and she's super sweet and affectionate.
Thankfully, Athena is safe from all the spooky events happening in Oxenfree 2, and she will give off a bark to make her presence known to Jacob and Riley as they approach the docks. When reunited, Athena will give a long-overdue kiss to her owner, and Riley can even get multiple opportunities for some pets (which also earns you a trophy). This dog's cutest personality trait is how she listens and communicates back to Jacob with her barks.
8 Buckley, Alice, And Bear
The Last Of Us Part 2
CloseThe Last of Us Part 2
Action Adventure 5.0/5 9.0/10 Released June 19, 2020 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs Developer(s) Naughty Dog Publisher(s) Sony Engine Proprietary Platform(s) PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 How Long To Beat 24 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseThe Last of Us Part 2, unfortunately, goes the route of many stealth games and forces you to kill dogs that will get alerted and then attack you. It's not your typical game for dog lovers, but there are still moments where you get to enjoy being in the company of some sweet fur friends. One occurs at the beginning of the game in Jackson while playing as Ellie. Buckley, a Border Collie belonging to the banjo player Gustavo, will approach Ellie to ask her for some scratches.
Related7 Best Dogs In Final Fantasy
Fiercely loyal, protective, and adorable, these are the best doggos in the world (of Final Fantasy).
PostsWhen you're in Abby's camp, you get to meet and play with some of the WLF's dogs, particularly Alice and Bear. Alice will run with Abby, Mel, and Manny on missions like she's part of the squad, being the goodest girl by guarding them and even helping fight some infected. But then there's also Alice's pen-mate, Bear, who loves to play fetch with a tennis ball, and you can throw it to him and see him return the ball to you for endless rounds.
Buckley first made an appearance in The Last of Us, where Joel can pet the 'guard dog' at Tommy's hydroelectric dam base. Buckley is bonded to the banjo player, Gustavo, who's modeled after the game's composer, Gustavo Santaolalla. Buckley's name also honors Troy Baker's late dog.
7 Mayor Setter
Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2
Survival Horror 5.0/5 10.0/10 Released October 27, 2023 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language Developer(s) Remedy Entertainment Publisher(s) Epic Games Engine Northlight Engine Platform(s) PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X How Long To Beat 17 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseIn between all the unnerving horror and non-stop Taken combat transpiring throughout Watery and Bright Falls while playing as Saga, Alan Wake 2 seemingly has a political element with mayoral campaign booths scattered throughout the environment. Turns out, it's a dog named Setter running for mayor, as interacting with all six campaign spots will have the adorable chocolate lab spawn on stage at Suomi Hall.
Aside from the comedic beats of Alan Wake 2, meeting Mayor Setter is the best form of relief that this intense survival horror game can provide, like an emotional support dog for all the stressful events you've just gone through. You can interact and affectionately pet Mayor Setter right on stage, and doing so will also earn you a trophy and a helpful new charm.
The campaign slogans at each booth are even riffs of dog puns, such as "Mayor Setter won't roll over the issues" and "Vote Mayor Setter to sit (in office)."
6 Rosie
Telltale's The Walking Dead
via Heroes WikiThe Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series
Graphic Adventure Horror Released September 10, 2019 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs Developer(s) Skybound Games Publisher(s) Skybound Games Engine Telltale Tool Platform(s) PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mobile How Long To Beat 46 hours Powered by Expand CollapseThe entire series of Telltale's The Walking Dead was nothing but an emotional roller coaster ride, packed with some of the most devastating losses in the horror genre. However, you also had a dog in the fourth and final season, a female brown American Bully named Rosie, who really stole the show and became the heart of the storyline.
While Rosie is loyal to Marlon, her adoptive owner, she will eventually become Clementine's protector after Marlon dies. Rosie is very adept at killing walkers and protecting her group and is one of the rare animals in The Walking Dead to be shown doing that. And yes, Rosie survives the entire season!
Season 2 also introduced Sam, a wild dog that acts antagonistically toward Clementine when it comes to food. The dog attacks Clementine for her can of beans, and there's sadly no other choice except for either Clementine killing the dog or leaving Sam to die.
5 Mira
Silent Hill 2
CloseSilent Hill 2
Survival Horror Horror Adventure Action 3.5/5 12 9.7/10 Released October 8, 2024 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Bloober Team Publisher(s) Konami Engine Unreal Engine 5 Platform(s) PlayStation 5, PC How Long To Beat 15 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseSilent Hill 2 tells one of the darkest and dreariest stories in horror gaming, full of frightening enemies and bosses posing a threat in the thick fog and Otherworld. It's no safe place for a dog, yet the encounter with the iconic Shiba Inu named Mira is not what you think. What if everything James saw wasn't a psychological manifestation of his own guilt? The Dog ending offers a cute explanation.
Related10 Games That Will Make You Scared Of Animals
Nature can be terrifying in these games.
PostsJames Sunderland will walk into a Cabin in the Woods-style control room where Mira the Shiba Inu can be seen wearing headphones and tapping away at a series of multicolored buttons, implying that everything you'd just gone through was orchestrated by the dog. Mira will then jump from her chair and go to comfort James, attacking him with kisses across the face and excitedly showing him she wants to play, though James hates himself too much to give in.
Mira the Shiba Inu makes several appearances in other Silent Hill games, including Origins, Shattered Memories, and Book of Memories.
4 That Dog
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Survival Horror 5.0/5 Released March 24, 2023 ESRB M for Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine RE Engine Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S How Long To Beat 16 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseResident Evil 4 delivered one of the most iconic moments of the series with its dog character, or really a white wolf comically referred to as "Hey, it's that dog!" by Leon S. Kennedy. You'll find this animal needing to be rescued from a bear trap. Once you free the beautiful white-furred creature, the dog will return in a later section to return the favor to Leon.
The dog springs into action during the El Gigante boss battle, entering from the top of a cliff that surrounds the arena and letting out a howl as lightning strikes down. During the fight, this good doggy will keep El Gigante distracted so you can put a few good shots into the giant monster. "That dog" will also take a chomp at El Gigante's ankle.
3 Brown
Rule Of Rose
CloseRule Of Rose
Survival Horror Adventure Released January 19, 2006 ESRB m Engine unity Platform(s) PlayStation 2 Developer Punchline, Shirogumi Publisher Atlus, Atlus USA, 505 Games, Sony Interactive Entertainmen How Long To Beat 10 hours Powered by Expand CollapseDid Rule of Rose unashamedly copy Haunting Ground's dog companion setup? Yes. Are we mad at them for it? Absolutely not; this is the only instance where something like this is not only allowed but welcomed. However, recruiting Brown is pretty dark in Rule of Rose, with the Labrador Retriever also in need of rescue, cruelly being bound and suspended in the air by a rope.
9:28 Related20 Best Horror Games From The 2000s
There was no time quite like the 2000s for horror gaming.
Posts 1Brown is happy and relieved to be free and awaiting you to put on his collar, and from that point, he can fully become your four-legged best friend. Brown knows only three commands – Stay, Come, and Find (where he'll sniff out some items for you) – and can help with distracting enemies by growling at them.
2 Hewie
Haunting Ground
CloseHaunting Ground
Survival Horror Released May 10, 2005 ESRB m Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine unreal engine Platform(s) PS2, PS3 How Long To Beat 9 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseHaunting Ground is an iconic horror game from Capcom, already celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, and it would feature a white German Shepherd companion named Hewie accompanying you in the Clock Tower-inspired horror adventure. The story follows teenager Fiona Belli, who was involved in a car crash and wakes up in a bizarre castle where evil alchemy is practiced.
Hewie became one of the best boys in horror gaming, not only because of his adorable design but because of the advanced way he could be utilized in the gameplay. Hewie is a vital part of combat and can be ordered to attack enemies, even building up his attack and needing to be fed to regain health. Everything also depends on the relationship you build with Hewie to earn the dog's complete trust, which was way ahead of its time.
