The season of spook is upon us, and as we did here last year, we have gathered a number of horror games that you need to be playing this Halloween. Whether you’re a ghostbuster or a demon vanquisher, this list has something for everyone…
1. Slender: 8 Pages
- Developer: Parsec Productions
- Publisher: Parsec Productions
2012 was an interesting year for media. It saw South Korea put on the map with the dominating ‘gangnam style. The conclusion of both the Dark Knight trilogy and Twilight saga and lastly, the often ‘memed’ and aped album from Taylor Swift, Red. But elsewhere in the mediasphere (yes it is a word, or at least it is now) something strange was happening. A little game called Slender: 8 Pages was being released. Next, the instruction “collect 8 pages” would change the gaming world forever.
Originally a Creepypasta, Slender: 8 Pages has you avoiding the demonic Slender Man while collecting eight poorly drawn images of him to defeat him. Armed only with a flashlight, you navigate an endless forest as he hunts you down.
Slender: 8 Pages is a masterclass in creepy horror gaming. It understands and utilises the importance of silence and atmosphere to deliver a moody experience which will have you checking forested areas long after gameplay concludes, my advice? pack a flashlight, you never know where he might be next…
2. Amnesia: Dark Descent
- Developer: Frictional Games
- Publisher: Frictional Games
Often in a horror game, darkness is your worst enemy. It makes life difficult by obscuring the way ahead, making your eyes play tricks on you through shadow and shape disfigurement and lastly, makes you second guess every step you take, lest you wind up walking off of a high object or directly into an enemy’s line of sight or attack zone, alas this is not the case with Amnesia: Dark Descent.
Darkness is closer to being your ally during your time with Amnesia: Dark Descent. You play as protatganist, Daniel. Daniel finds himself in the gothic surroundings of castle Brennenberg. In true hollywood fashion he has no memory of how he ended up there. As you play as Daniel and explore the castle, shadowy creatures and denizens stalk your every movie.
Like the other games on this list (namely, SOMA and Outlast 2) the name of the game here is to run from the many beasties that inhabit the castle. Often the safest place you can find yourself is in the dark, however, stay too long in the dark and you start to slip slowly into madness, by way of Amnesia: Dark Descents ‘sanity meter.’
The only way to survive is to balance the usage of darkness, the hide-and-run gameplay and the many paths laid before you, to discover how you ended up at the castle and what is really going on in this deliciously dark descent into the further reaches of human madness.
A perfect way to wile 10 hours away and a beautiful surrounding to boot, just remember, too much of anything is bad for you, this goes double for the darkness in Amnesia: Dark Descent.
3. Soma
- Developer: Frictional Games
- Publisher: Frictional Games
SOMA could easily be a film by directors like Shyamalan or Ari Aster. To label it as “just” a horror game overlooks its deeper themes. It’s a contemplative exploration of life, the universe, and what it means to be sentient. While the story unfolds gradually and should be experienced firsthand, SOMA is a sci-fi horror game rooted in titles like Amnesia and Outlast.
As with the previous games mentioned, the core game-play loop of SOMA is to puzzle solve and hide-and-seek your way around an ever-expanding environment where everything looks the same, and dead-ends really can mean the end of your current life. Coming from Frictional Games – the developers of Amnesia: Dark Descent, SOMA understands what it is to be a true horror game.
SOMA doesn’t rely on jump-scares or cheap tricks as we often see with many modern horror games and movies, instead the horror of SOMA is delivered via detailed voice messages and datalogs which slowly illustrate the situation around you, and where exactly you are and how you came to be there. Somewhat more importantly, whether there is indeed a way out.
SOMA is an unsettling think-piece disguised as a game that will leave you pondering long after you finish. With captivating visuals and a shocking mid-game revelation, it’s a must-play, especially this Halloween. After all, what is fear if not a reminder of our humanity?
4. Evil Dead: The Game
- Developer: Saber Interactive
- Publisher: Boss Team Games
Movie tie-in games have, in the past, had a bad reputation. Whether it be the awful attempts at bringing the Fantastic Four to the game world or the hit-and-miss Harry Potter series games, so often, it isn’t accomplished. Until now.
Evil Dead: The Game, encapsulates the atmosphere of the Sam Raimi Evil Dead universe almost perfectly. Saber Interactive understand what makes Evil Dead so timeless and iconic and this is obvious throughout every experience one has with Evil Dead: The Game.
Many of the original actors return to voice their respective characters, most notably Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams. This helps to recreate the feeling of the universe in a way that has not been done before, even if we include the previous delves into the universe via home games console.
The game is a cross-play, asymmetrical action multiplayer that emphasizes teamwork without sacrificing fun. While it can be terrifying, it also features many humorous moments inspired by the movies, easily recognizable by any Evil Dead fan.
Evil Dead: The Game, combines the best elements of the movies, older games and the experience of the Evil Dead universe, and leaves us wanting more with every match completed and every deadite defeated. Hail to the king and grab your boomstick, because it’s killing time…groovy.
5. Inscryption
- Developer: Daniel Mullins Games
- Publisher: Devolver Digital
I know what you’re thinking: why waste spooky season on a card game?
Well, my sweet summer child, let me explain.
Inscryption isn’t like any other deck-building card game. The atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and mystery and intrigue fill every moment. On the surface, the gameplay loop seems standard, but the more you play, the more fascinating the experience becomes. The cards possess consciousness, communicate with you, and sometimes even help—if they choose to.
In keeping with the Halloween vibe, the game features heavy elements of curses, sacrifices, and unending suffering. As you navigate the story, you’ll grapple with questions: Are you dead? Are you dying? Is this hell? And who is the strange creature sitting across from you, guiding you as you conquer or fall victim to the many bosses and random events throughout your journey?
Inscryption is a beautifully creative game that skillfully balances boredom and methodical gameplay while delivering a storyline worthy of its own book series. It stands as a meaningful macabre masterpiece, crafted to linger in our minds long after the credits roll—if you make it that far.
6. Dredge
- Developer: Black Salt Games
- Publisher: Team17
From the moment you enter Dredge and take control of your trawler, something feels off in the water. As you explore the archipelago, you’ll encounter a variety of aquatic creatures—some hideous, others beautiful—that you can catch and trade, which is the heart of the game.
In the game, you can go on expeditions to gather items, fish specific species, and solve puzzles, or simply live as a lowly fisherman aiming to improve your trawler. You’ll need to manage cargo, switch tools for different species, and handle repairs and refueling while avoiding the lurking malevolence in the waters of Dredge.
Risk it all for one final catch, or take your haul back to land and wait for the morning. That is the choice in this Lovecraftian nightmare.
Dredge combines wonderfully simple graphics with woefully aggravating cargo management and tells the story of a fisherman whose origins are as mysterious as the seas in which he trawls. Definitely a Halloween night must-play, even if just to experience one of the most intriguing narratives in recent indie history.
7. Outlast 2
- Developer: Red Barrel Games
- Publisher: Red Barrel Games
Outlast 2 is the sequel to the much revered, Outlast. While the first one had you making your way through an insane asylum to uncover secrets and mysteries pertaining to the corrupt institution itself, Outlast 2 takes a much more grounded approach. You play as one half of a husband and wife documentary crew. While on their way to film some footage about a cult in the American wild, their helicopter is taken out of the sky and they are grounded and forced to fight for survival against the deranged religious zealots who inhabit the locale. While I say fight, I mean of course, run and hide as this is after all, an Outlast game.
Like the first game, Outlast 2 focuses on hiding, timing your movements, and managing the handheld camera’s battery life, which is your only light source in the atmospheric gameplay. You can hide under beds, in wardrobes, and in tall grass. The hiding mechanic is improved, but so is enemy AI; once an enemy detects you, escaping is very difficult, often leading to death and a restart from your last save point.
Outlast 2 builds on the first game, refining the experience into a gory, disturbing, and terrifying horror movie in game form. You play as a helpless victim, facing murderous maniacs in a deliciously difficult adventure that may leave you begging for more or reaching for the power button—perfect for the Halloween season.
From the depths of Dredge to the limits of consciousness in SOMA, horror games provide a unique experience. In this list, I’ve focused on smaller titles, showing that these often linger with us longer than we expect.
