As Halloween approaches and we’re all still stuck inside for the most part, our gaming staff has gathered to share their favorite horror titles to play!
Halloween is, understandably, going to be a bit different this year. Instead of heading out for parties and trick or treating, the bulk of us will have to be indoors. That doesn’t mean we can’t have fun in the spirit of the holiday! While you could curl up with a scary movie, a good video game might be the best way to immerse yourself in the chills this year. Because of this, our gaming team have gathered to share their TOP THREE horror video games to play…
JORDAN
Alien Isolation – While Alien video games haven’t always had the best run, there’s no denying the awesomeness of Isolation. Combining the aesthetics and horror vibe of Ridley Scott’s original film, the game managed to deliver on a chilling experience and story worth remembering.
Even if you’ve already played through this one, it’s a game that’s easy to come back to. The nature of the Xenomorph hunting you ensures that no playthrough is ever the same and keeps the tension at a constant level.
Fatal Frame – This is an older choice, but made such an impression on me that it still is the first scary game that comes to mind whenever people talk about the genre. Yes, Fatal Frame really is that creepy. The concept itself is simple, yet terrifying. It’s survival horror, throwing all manner of ghostly horrors your way, but instead of being able to fight back, all you have is a camera.
You have to take pictures of the ghosts in order to “defeat” them, which means you have to fight back your fear even as you’re literally staring down these monstrosities. Couple that with a truly haunting story about the occult and there’s plenty for horror fans to enjoy.
The Last of Us Part II – Despite being a recent release, I can’t help but recommend Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II. Last year, I discussed how the original game is easily one of the best horror games around, and perfect for Halloween. Somehow, the sequel manages to be even better in terms of both emotional storytelling and bringing the terror.
Seriously, this game has some intense moments. The sounds of clickers/shriekers still send shivers up my spine and any time I heard their faint groans in an area, I could feel my adrenaline kick in. Throw in some stunning, visceral, imagery and there are many sequences that will continue to haunt your dreams. Also, fuck the “Rat King.” Jesus.
DUSTIN
Little Nightmares – While not exactly a scary game on the market, the game has a really fascinating scary appeal. This is a game I always bring up on these lists, and currently it is the only game I’ve ever given a perfect 10 to on Cinelinx. The side scrolling adventure is absolutely beautifully crafted, and playing the story instead of being told really immerses you in the gameplay. The atmosphere being absolutely creepy was one thing, but actually being able to venture off into every aspect of the background was thrilling, then the scary enemies that would chase and decimate you was absolutely terrifying.
Among The Sleep – While the game is super short, this game has all the aspects you want within a horror game. The game takes place as you being a toddler exploring a creepy world, which develops a traumatic story about the kids childhood, in ways that I can’t spoil. One comment I read about the game that sums it up perfectly is “imagine Tim Burtons childhood.”
Remothered: Tormented Fathers – The game is modeled after really old school survival horror, and we aren’t talking Resident Evil survival, but literally run and hide survival. The game gives you some options in regards to defending yourself, but the weapons are literally a last resort. The game plays very much like early day survival horror titles like Clock Tower or Alone in the Dark mainly because it was made by a small studio, which means it does have some odd glitchy moments. However the game also has some of the coolest aspects for horror titles such as your PS4 lightbar actually being useful for once, since it lights up every time an enemy is near, or being able to literally trap enemies within rooms instead of fighting them head on. Another reason I chose this game is because the sequel had just released this past week, so if you enjoy it you can go pick that up too.
Honorable Mentions: I am doing my best to not list some of my all time favorites because a lot of games like FEAR, Alice: Madness Returns, Silent Hill (PT as well), and Clock Tower are kind of hard to get with modern consoles and some don’t even work on PCs. Some other modern day titles also include Amnesia, Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan, Layers of Fear, Soma, and if you are into virtual reality The Inpatient is really good.
S0LEB
The Suffereing – When The Suffering released on PS2 back in 2004, I really didn’t think the game was going to leave me with lasting nightmares as it did. In The Suffering, you play as Torque, a death row inmate, who blacked out to wake and find his family dead. With their deaths pinned on you, you are sentenced to death row only to find out there are more terrible things than murders in prison.
As I fought my way through all the horrifying creatures this game had to offer, I was shocked and on the edge of my seat from start to finish. These creatures would attack you from the shadows, jail cells, even freaking and trees! This was probably one of the most terrifying third person games I have ever played…and I don’t think I can ever play it again cause how horrifying it was!
FEAR – This game was high octane fun, but holy hell was there some crazy jump scare that made me turn all the lights on in my house! This game had it all, jump scares, super soldier gameplay, slow down shooting, and more! One of the best things about the game was the really intelligent AI you had to face off against.
During the game, you couldn’t stand still, the AI literally was so smart they would work together to attack you from different areas of the level. At the time of the release, this was a huge deal and made the gameplay that much more challenging. Facing off against these enemies whilst also dealing with the supernatural beings made for a wild ride!
Dead Space – I mean, what can I not say about this game? Dead Space took you on a journey like never before. You played as Isaac Clarke, an engineer sent to repair the largest planet cracking ship, the Ishimura, who had lost all communications.
After arriving at the ship you find the gruesome scene of the crew, mutilated in ways you’d never imagine. You then find out the crew has now been infected by an ancient alien source (very much like DOOM). It is then your job to stop the infected at all cost and return the demonic artifact back where it came from.
Dead Space literally will go down as one of the best horror/sci fi games of all time. With jump scares out the ass, blood and gore like never before, and twist and turns in the story, this is by far my favorite horror game of all time!
Which games will you be playing on Halloween?
