It seems like indie horror is in a golden age. I think the genre has the advantage of being able to be highly effective with much less complexity and time required.
A few I recently enjoyed:
--Summer of '58 was great. It might have the most intense and frequent jumpscares of any short game. Maybe a few too many. I prefer psychological / creepy and Emika Games did a great job of ALSO weaving it into the story. I had genuine feelings towards the characters.
-At Dead of Night. When I saw it was a FMV game, I thought it would be "Night Trap" for Gen Z. I was wrong. The game is amazing because of the script and execution. The characters make choices that make sense, as do the consequences. Also, major kudos to the kid who voiced Amy.
-Amanda the Adventurer. Great visual style and more stellar voice acting.
-XXXCYBERRATXXX Its mechanics aren't directly focused on horror, but the 2 ways you can die will make you jump. A clever short game.
-Faith. Who knew Atari style graphics could result in such an unsettling experience? Chapter 1 is free. Top notch retro style audio too.
What are some games you'd recommend?
I was distracted watching TV. Both my sinus nasal spray and vape were on the table.
I realized I was congested and needed the spray. As a heavy smoker, I am used to grabbing my device mindlessly all day.
So I picked up the vape and proceeded to stick it up my nose because my brain mixed up what I was doing.
I laughed really hard.