Animatronics have caused a whole new phobia for some people, and that’s all thanks to Scott Cawthon’sFive Nights at Freddy’sseries. First bursting onto the scene in 2014,Five Nights at Freddy’shas immersed audiences in the realms of games, books, and movies. Yet, it’s hard to get scarier than the classics, and the scariestFNAFgames will definitely have players keeping the lights on as they try to survive till 6 AM against Freddy Fazbear and his friends.
Whilst theFNAFseries has evolved from its origins of a point-and-click horror series, it hasn’t forgotten its roots. The most terrifyingFNAFgames often prey on players’ senses and their fear factor to truly make them wish they were in the gentler title ofFNAFWorld instead of playing as a security guard trying to survive the night.
Updated on July 22, 2025, by Jake Fillery:Five Nights at Freddy’s continues to be a thrilling series, and with fan hype all the way up for Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and the assortment of games that Scott Cawthon has in the works for his characters, it’s a good time to look at what fans have so far to see which of the best FNAF games are in fact the scariest of them all.
11Ultimate Custom Night
50 Animatronics with Customizable Difficulties for One Scary Experience
A more arcade-styled version of the classic formula,Ultimate Custom Nightdoesn’t seek to terrify players, but it does come with its frights thanks to an abundance of challenges and optional scaling difficulties.Ultimate Custom Nightis tailored to the player’s own experience, as they can tweak a multitude of settings to play it their way.
As a free entry,Ultimate Custom Nightis great to try out and figure out howeach of the animatronicsworks. However, it’s definitely one of the least scariest of the series, but everyone’s been caught out by an occasional jumpscare when they are so close to the finishing line.
From Steel Wool Studios comesFive Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach, the game within the series that is perhaps the most modern and revised with its survival horror and adventure mechanics. For the first time, players can actually roam around and explore rather than being restricted to point-and-click. However, this does ruin the fear a tad due to players being in control.
Yet, this isn’t a game without its scares and jumpscares.Animatronics can still jump outand cause a game over, and the unwinding story is somewhat unnerving, especially as things become more sinister the deeper into the rabbit hole that players go.
The prospect ofFNAFin VR is utterly terrifying, and experiencing it in-person is just how one would expect. Plenty of shrieks are available, especially since players are witnessing walking animatronics with their own eyes as opposed to a mere screen. The illusion feels real, butHelp Wanted 2is focused more on the mini-games than it is on the scares.
Help Wanted 2is still a lot of fun, and that’s where it excels. It might not be the most terrifying VR experience out there, but the jumpscares and size of the animatronics are still intimidating, and the mini-games with a VR headset are very enjoyable.
FNAF: Sister Locationis one of the simpler titles in the series. There is less to do here, and the mechanics are very easy to learn in a linear fashion that will ensure that players get through the night. Yet, it’s not the gameplay that players need to fear, but instead, the dreaded atmosphere that will have them terrified.
The animatronics are extremely creepy, and the sound design and claustrophobic mechanics will make them shudder. As far as endings go,Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Locationhas perhaps the most disturbing, and it will definitely stick with players.
7Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator
A Surprising Entry That Features New Animatronics and Plenty of Lore
Pizzeria Simulatorwas a complete surprise toFNAFfans. Not only were they not expecting the game they received, but they were also not expecting it to be as scary as it was. Players were essentially trapped, and the anxiety-inducing tension ofawaiting deadly animatronicswhilst trying to complete other tasks certainly didn’t help the heartbeat still.
Pizzeria Simulatoris not the scariestFive Nights at Freddy’sgame, but the constant need to be on the defensive bodes well for those looking for a fright. Not only is the gameplay pretty spooky, but the focus on the story and the continuation of lore really helps build the narrative.
FNAF 3is still a great entry into the series, but it’s definitely its most unintended and least scary entry in the numbered series.FNAF3features just one animatronic, and perhaps its most important: Springtrap. When it comes to lore, there is nothing scarier than Springtrap, as it contains the rotting body and soul of William Afton, the catalyst villain who is now hunting the player inFNAF3’s Fazbear Frights location.
Dealing with Springtrap can be terrifying when players do not know where he is, but there are a few helpful mechanics to keep him at bay and survive the night. On top of the easy mechanics and focus on just one entity, the jumpscares aren’t all that scary.
Building onFive Nights at Freddy’swith its first sequel,FNAF2decides to addplenty of new animatronicsto the mix, as well as further mechanics that players must learn to evolve their play style and keep themselves alive until the clock strikes 6 AM. New animatronics are terrifying, and the added mechanics add layers of confusion, but quickly become easy.
FNAF2is scary, and players might find themselves overwhelmed with the vent mechanics, Freddy mask, and the puppet’s music box. Players who master these mechanics will find the game not as scary as it once did, but it can still catch even the veterans of the series off guard.
Into the Pitis an interesting entryinto theFive Nights at Freddy’sfranchise. Not only is it a2D entry, but it’s an adaptation of a book of the same name. It’sFNAFfocusing on story over minigames and mystery, but that’s exactly what makes it so story.
The linear story of Oswald and a time-traveling ball pit isn’t as cute as one might think, and players will have to run, evade, and hide from the terrifying Spring Bonnie that lurks in the abandoned pizzeria that has causedso much pain over the years.
WhilstFNAF:Help Wantedisn’t the scariest title on a flat-screen, it certainly is when it’s used for its intended playstyle: VR. Those who are fortunate enough to have a VR headset can enjoyHelp Wantedas it was intended, which is a truly thrilling and heart-pounding time where the animatronics have never looked and felt so real.
Help Wantedhasplenty of scaryminigames to play and an overarching story with some dark implications for the future of the lore. Yet, this is really only effective if players are in VR, as the jumpscares and hulking animatronics are true threats when they look real.
FNAF 4challenged Scott Cawthon to create something truly scary, and this title doesn’t disappoint in the frights. The mechanics are familiar to older entries but different enough to cause fear and confusion. This time around, audio cues are essential to survival, meaning players will have to turn the volume up and use headphones to truly immerse themselves in their senses if they are to deter the nightmare animatronics.
FNAF4’s audio-based gimmicks area double-edged sword, as although players can hear the monsters, they will also be more vulnerable to the loudness of a jumpscare. On top of that, the over-the-top withered and sharp designs of the animatronics are truly something to fear.
