Horror games on PC: Steam keys and gifts, editions and regions
Horror on PC spans several sub-genres: story-driven psychological thrillers, survival horror built around staying alive, close-quarters thrillers of pure nerve, and co-op horror where the tension is shared across players. On the marketplace these games come in two formats — a licensed Steam key you redeem yourself, and a Steam gift that arrives on your account. There are now nineteen offers in this selection. Below is what is available per the listings, how a key differs from a gift, and what to look at in the activation region. No spoilers, no scare-mongering — just edition contents and delivery format.
Story-driven and survival horror
Alan Wake Collector’s Edition is a psychological thriller by Remedy Entertainment about a writer whose manuscripts start coming true in a small town. Per the listing it is a licensed Steam key for the Collector’s Edition with add-ons, activating in Russia and worldwide, with automatic delivery. Per the listing the in-game interface language is English — worth noting before you pay.
The Callisto Protocol Digital Deluxe is a survival horror from Striking Distance Studios, led by the creator of Dead Space: a prison on Jupiter’s moon Callisto and a deadly threat. Per the listing it is a Steam gift for the Digital Deluxe edition (the game plus extra content), which a bot sends to your account automatically after payment. One key detail: the gift is sent only to accounts with the Russia store region — a neutral restriction set by the seller.
Alien: Isolation — base, Collection and Season Pass
The survival horror Alien: Isolation by Creative Assembly is set fifteen years after the first film: Amanda Ripley searches for the truth about her mother’s disappearance aboard the Sevastopol station, hunted by a deadly Alien. On the marketplace this is three different offers, all as a region-free Steam key, but with different contents, and it pays not to mix them up:
- Alien: Isolation — Steam key is the base game with Russian voice-over and subtitles. It is a standalone edition that activates in any country (Region Free); the key is shown in your browser right after payment and copied to e-mail.
- Alien: Isolation Collection (8-in-1) is the complete edition: the base game plus seven add-ons (Corporate Lockdown, Crew Expendable, Last Survivor, Safe Haven, Trauma, The Trigger, Lost Contact). For anyone who wants everything in one lot — no separate base game needed.
- Alien: Isolation Season Pass (5-in-1) is a bundle of five add-ons, not the game: the Season Pass is DLC, and per the listing it requires the base game Alien: Isolation on Steam. Get it only if you already own the base game; the add-ons are in English.
In short: just the game — the base key; the game with all add-ons in a single lot — the 8-in-1 Collection; the base game already owned and you only need the DLC — the Season Pass.
Close-quarters thrillers
Buckshot Roulette is a tense horror thriller by Mike Klubnika that reimagines Russian roulette: instead of a revolver, a shotgun loaded with a mix of live and blank shells. Per the listing it is a Steam gift: a bot adds you as a friend and sends the game to your account; the account region is chosen in the options (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries), with Russian interface support.
Sally Face, Episode One: Strange Neighbors is the opening episode of Steve Gabry’s dark adventure indie: a teenager with a prosthetic face uncovers the grim secrets of his new home, talking to ghosts and solving puzzles. Per the listing it is a Steam gift (not a key) and the first episode of the series, not the full edition; the account region is chosen before payment (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and CIS) and affects the price.
Souls-like and zombie action
CODE VEIN is a souls-like action RPG by Bandai Namco about revenants in a grim, ruined world; the game includes co-op play with a partner. Per the listing it is a licensed Steam key that activates in Russia, Ukraine and CIS countries; your Steam account region must match the key’s region.
Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition (5 in 1) is an open-world zombie action game by Capcom set in Los Perdidos; the 5-in-1 edition bundles the base game with all four Untold Stories of Los Perdidos episodes, and the campaign can be played two-player co-op. Per the listing it is a Steam key that activates in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and CIS; for shared play each of the two players needs their own copy.
Co-op horror
In co-op horror you can be scared together: for shared play each participant needs their own copy, so these lots are often bought in pairs or groups.
Dead by Daylight is Behaviour Interactive’s asymmetric multiplayer horror: four survivors against one killer on procedurally assembled maps. Per the listing it is a Steam gift, not a key; the recipient’s account region is chosen in the options — Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and CIS — and the gift is accepted on an account of the matching region.
The Outlast Trials is a co-op horror by Red Barrels (the studio behind Outlast): you survive the Murkoff Corporation’s Cold War trials alone or in a team of up to four. On the marketplace this is two different offers, and it helps to understand the difference:
- The Outlast Trials — Steam key is a licensed Steam key e-mailed right after payment. The options cover two editions: Standard and Reagent Starter Pack (the base game plus a cosmetic set — outfits, items, posters and badges). The region per the listing is Russia and other countries.
- The Outlast Trials — Steam Gift is the same game but as a Steam gift: the present is accepted on your account, with the region chosen in the options (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries).
The difference is the delivery method: a key you redeem yourself, a gift you accept via the bot’s request. Because of that the two offers differ in both region and the receiving flow, so which format suits you depends on your account region.
Ghost and entity hunts
A distinct family of co-op horror is built around investigating the paranormal: a team gathers evidence, identifies the type of spirit or ghost and banishes it. All of these lots are Steam gifts (not keys), and for shared play each member of the team needs their own copy.
- Phasmophobia is a four-player co-op psychological horror about hunting ghosts: with a toolkit of equipment you gather evidence to identify the ghost without becoming its victim. Per the listing it is a Steam gift for accounts with the Russia region; a bot friends you and delivers the game within a minute of payment.
- Demonologist is a co-op horror for 1–4 players: identify the type of evil spirit in cursed places and banish it with your equipment. Per the listing it is a Steam gift, with the account region chosen in the options — Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries.
- Ghost Exile is a co-op ghost-hunting horror for a team of up to four players: identify the ghost type and perform the banishing ritual. Per the listing it is a Steam gift for accounts with the Russia region, with a solo mode too.
- SCP: 5K is a co-op (and solo) tactical horror shooter in the SCP Foundation universe, where the organisation has turned on humanity. Per the listing it is a Steam gift for accounts with the Russia region.
- Inside the Backrooms is a co-op horror about escaping the endless backrooms, where several entities are looking for you. Per the listing it is a Steam gift for accounts with the Russia region, delivered automatically within a minute.
Two-player co-op puzzles
Not all co-op horror is about combat: there are tense puzzle quests built strictly for two players, where talking it out is everything. Here it especially matters: for shared play both players need the game, so each buys a copy.
- The Past Within is a co-op puzzle from Rusty Lake for two players: one is in the Past, the other in the Future, and you pass clues to each other to uncover Albert Vanderboom’s plan. Per the listing it is a Steam gift for accounts with the Russia region.
- Tick Tock: A Tale for Two is a two-player co-op puzzle: partners are trapped in a mysterious world, see different parts of the picture and share hints by voice against the clock. Per the listing it is a Steam gift (not a key) for accounts with the Russia region.
Key or gift, and the region
Delivery here comes in two forms. A licensed Steam key you redeem yourself in the client or on the website — that is how Alan Wake, all three Alien: Isolation offers, CODE VEIN, Dead Rising 3 and the key offer of The Outlast Trials work. A Steam gift arrives on your account and stays in the library — that is The Callisto Protocol, Dead by Daylight, Buckshot Roulette, Sally Face, the ghost-hunting co-op horrors (Phasmophobia, Demonologist, Ghost Exile, SCP: 5K, Inside the Backrooms), the two-player co-op puzzles (The Past Within, Tick Tock) and the gift offer of The Outlast Trials. The gift-acceptance mechanics (the bot’s request, your profile link) are the same for every gift item — we cover them in the Software and games from Steam as gifts guide.
Each item has its own activation region — a neutral restriction set by the seller, not a way to work around anything. Your Steam account region is shown in its settings; match it against the offer before paying.
| Game | Edition | Format | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Wake | Collector’s Edition (+DLC) | Steam key | RU and worldwide |
| The Callisto Protocol | Digital Deluxe | Steam gift | Russia |
| Alien: Isolation | Base (Russian voice-over) | Steam key | Any country (Region Free) |
| Alien: Isolation Collection | 8-in-1 (game + 7 DLC) | Steam key | Any country (Region Free) |
| Alien: Isolation Season Pass | 5-in-1 (DLC, base required) | Steam key | Any country (Region Free) |
| Buckshot Roulette | Base | Steam gift | RU / Ukraine / Belarus / Kazakhstan / CIS |
| Sally Face | Episode One (1st episode) | Steam gift | RU / Ukraine / Kazakhstan / Belarus / CIS |
| CODE VEIN | Base | Steam key | RU / Ukraine / CIS |
| Dead Rising 3 | Apocalypse Edition 5-in-1 | Steam key | RU / Ukraine / Kazakhstan / CIS |
| Dead by Daylight | Base | Steam gift | RU / Ukraine / Kazakhstan / Belarus / CIS |
| The Outlast Trials (key) | Standard, Reagent Starter Pack | Steam key | Russia and other countries |
| The Outlast Trials (gift) | Base | Steam gift | RU / Belarus / Ukraine / Kazakhstan / CIS |
| Phasmophobia | Base | Steam gift | Russia |
| Demonologist | Base | Steam gift | RU / Ukraine / Belarus / Kazakhstan / CIS |
| Ghost Exile | Base | Steam gift | Russia |
| SCP: 5K | Base | Steam gift | Russia |
| Inside the Backrooms | Base | Steam gift | Russia |
| The Past Within | Base | Steam gift | Russia |
| Tick Tock | Base | Steam gift | Russia |
What to check before paying
- Edition. Confirm the contents of the option: Standard is the game only, Collector’s/Deluxe is the game with add-ons, Reagent Starter Pack is the game plus cosmetics. A special case is add-on bundles: the Alien: Isolation Collection (8-in-1) includes the game plus seven DLC, whereas the Season Pass (5-in-1) is add-ons only and requires the base game. The exact contents are in the options and on the game’s Steam page.
- Episode or full edition. Sally Face is sold as the first episode of the series, not the full game with all chapters — this is stated in the listing.
- Format. A key you redeem yourself; a gift is accepted on your account via the bot’s request. For The Outlast Trials the format choice depends on your region.
- Steam account region. It must match the region of the offer; the country is shown in the account settings. The Alien: Isolation editions are Region Free and activate in any country.
- Co-op. For shared play each participant needs their own copy: this applies to Dead by Daylight, The Outlast Trials, Dead Rising 3, the ghost-hunting co-op horrors (Phasmophobia, Demonologist, Ghost Exile, SCP: 5K, Inside the Backrooms) and the two-player puzzles (The Past Within, Tick Tock).
- System requirements and the seller’s terms on the payment page, including the refund rules.
For how buying a key on a marketplace differs from buying directly in Steam, see the Marketplace or buying direct guide, and for the steps after activation, Account security after a purchase. Capcom’s horror games are collected in the Resident Evil guide, other shared games in Co-op games, and indie horror in the indie hits selection.
Bazelio is a storefront: payment is taken by the seller on the payment platform, and the seller handles the key or gift delivery and support. More horror titles and other entries are collected in the PC Games section.
