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Halloween is right around the corner, folks. Sure, it falls on a pretty weird day to go trick or treating. But it still marks one of the more lively holidays of the year.
Now if you’re going to have a few buddies over for some horror-filled activities (or you’re looking to engage in them on your own), video games can get you there. 2016 saw the release of a bulk of survival horror titles and other game of its ilk. A huge teaser demo for the next entry in the Resident Evil series also freaked gamers out and gave them something spine-chilling to look forward to. Scaring yourself into a frenzy can easily be done with the titles we’ll present you with here.
We’re here to provide you with a list of the games that are the perfect experiences for Halloween 2016.
Resident Evil 7 Teaser Demo: Beginning Hour
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC
E3 2016 was a show full of amazing conferences for gaming’s most well-respected luminaries. During Sony’s presentation, Capcom blew the lid off of a lot of fans’ heads when they unveiled the next entry in their survival horror series. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a sharp departure from the gun totting, explosions filled entries in the past and more of a homage to 1st-person genre spinoffs. The demo that’s still available (and updated to include more things to discover) is a horrifying delight for those who haven’t experienced it. Trekking through a dilapidated house and dealing with its seen (and unseen) frights is the type of stuff ripe with holiday scares. If you want to take the scares up a notch, get yourself a PS VR headset and hop into the equally as scary “Kitchen” demo.
Buy Resident Evil 7: Biohazard here.
Resident Evil 0 (HD Remaster)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS4, PC, GameCube, Wii
The events that transpired before the very 1st Resident Evil needed to be told. And luckily, those terrifying trials that Rebecca and Billy went through are playable within Resident Evil 0. The HD Remaster of this once GameCube exclusive features updated visuals, a bevy of assorted character costumes and the full survival-horror adventure experience. Everything the older RE games are known for are present and accounted for here: tank controls (plus analog stick movement, which is a godsend), vicious bio-terror created monsters, intricate puzzles and the like. Navigating the trains and creepy training facilities within this game is perfect Resident Evil fare.
Buy the Resident Evil Origins Collection here.
Corpse Party
Developer: MAGES./5pb.
Publisher: XSEED Games
Platform: 3DS
Avoiding unexpected tragedies seems to be the main goal of teenagers in slasher flicks. Instead of screaming at the big screen every time the killer is right behind ’em, Corpse Party places you right into the bloodcurdling affair. The whole premise of this game puts you in control of the fates of 12 high school students who’re trapped within a school where gristly murders occurred. All types of horrific dangers and disturbing events can take any of those teens to their final “wrong end”. The adventure you’ll embark upon is intriguing and full of shocking plot twists. Do your best to keep those students alive, try to find all the true endings and escape Heavenly Host Elementary at all costs.
Severed
Developer: DrinkBox Studios
Publisher: DrinkBox Studios
Platforms: Wii U, PS Vita, 3DS, iOS
Dismembering hordes of demons sounds fun, right? Especially when it entails some touchscreen-based hacking and slashing. You’re not some psychotic serial killer acting out these fantasies, though; you’re actually a one-armed heroine who’s out to save her family. Severed (which is a quite fitting name for this game) is a unique action RPG. All the puzzles you’ll solve and unnerving monstrosities you come across are done through plenty of swipes. Those crow beasts and skull wizards need to be cut down in a vicious fashion if you’re gonna save Sasha’s loved ones.
Slain: Back From Hell
Developer: Andrew Gilmour
Publisher: Digerati Distribution
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC
Heavy Metal Castlevania, anyone? Step right up to the side-scrolling demon killer title known as Slain: Back From Hell. Fans who always gravitated towards 80’s/90’s hack ‘n slashers will find a lot to love here. The soundtrack fits quite nicely with the action, which consists of eradicating werewolves, vampires, skeletons and other assorted demons. Your main hero can wield one of three melee weapons and also tear through his foes with magical attacks. This pick on our list provides a nice, medium length campaign for those who want to crush through something quick on Halloween.
Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing Slain: Back From Hell on PC.
Buy a PSN Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Slain: Back From Hell.
Buy an Xbox Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Slain: Back From Hell.
Layers of Fear
Developer: Bloober Team
Publisher: Aspyr Media Europe
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC
There’s always something quite chilling about Victorian-era style mansions. They may look amazing, but chances are high that they hide some pretty dark secrets within their walls. Layers of Fear lets you navigate one of these houses and makes you confront a painter’s inner-most fears. The mansion changes accordingly as your insane avatar tries to finish his magnum opus while dealing with ghastly visions. The things you’ll see will push you to the edge of insanity and break you down. But remain strong and carefully navigate the painter’s mansion of horrors. Now here’s a title that’s great for a solo Halloween playthrough.
Buy Layers of Fear (PS4) here.
Buy an Xbox Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Layers of Fear.
Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing Layers of Fear on PC.
Neverending Nightmares
Developer: Infinitap Games
Publisher: Infinitap Games
Platforms: PS4, PS Vita, PC
Having to deal with obsessive–compulsive disorder and depression can be a very strenuous activity on one’s mental state. Neverending Nightmares’ lead designer (Matt Gilgenbach) personally has to deal with this and he wanted to make sure others understood his struggles in game form. This side-scrolling adventure game lets you navigate the most horrific nightmares of Thomas. If you happen to perish in any of those nightmares or succumb to other serious factors, Thomas will wake back up and have to start all over again. The terror from this game comes from having to confront the worst nightmares Thomas has to deal with on a nightly basis.
Buy Neverending Nightmares here.
Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing Neverending Nightmares on PC.
Dead by Daylight
Developer: Behaviour Interactive
Publisher: Starbreeze Studios
Platform: PC
Slasher flicks go hand in hand with the most terrifying holiday of the year. We tend to do a marathon run of horror films that are so bad that they’re good. Michael Myers, Jason Vorhees and Chucky have all been a part of some sequels that are questionable in quality. Dead by Daylight lets you live out your dream of acting out the outcome of your favorite serial killer horror film. This 4v1 multiplayer experience lets four people play as Survivors, while one player becomes the Killer. The Killer is out for blood only, so you’ll need to stalk your prey within some truly eerie environments. If you’re a Survivor…RUN!
Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing Dead by Daylight on PC.
The Park
Developer: Funcom
Publisher: Funcom
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC
Amusement parks that just so happen to be abandoned in the evening time make us super uncomfortable. We’re not up for exploring them, but Lorraine is forced to run into Atlantic Island Park to find her missing son. The Park plays from a 1st-person perspective during Lorraine’s twisted trek through a park full of jump scares and psychological tricks on the mind. Along the way, you’ll hear straight from Lorraine as she narrates her journey. Plus you’ll discover the backstory of the park you’re now trapped in through various pages. The Park is exactly what you’d expect: purely terrifying.
Buy a PSN Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase The Park.
Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing The Park on PC.
The Forest
Developer: Endnight Games
Publisher: Endnight Games
Platforms: PS4, PC
Being the sole survivor of a plane crash should be terrifying in and of itself. But waking up in a forest and having to stay ahead of a society of cannibals raises the terror factor even more. The Forest simulates the hardships that come with being on your own in a mysterious place and staying alive. Your objectives are simple in name, but difficult to pull off: crafting your own survival gear in the daytime and choosing your steps wisely in the evening time. The main pull of The Forest comes from trying to determine the true nature of the cannibals. Are they really out to get you…or are you the main danger here?
Buy a PSN Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase The Forest.
Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing The Forest on PC.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location
Developer: Scott Cawthon
Publisher: Scott Cawthon
Platforms: PC, iOS, Android
Circus Baby’s Pizza World sounds like the most fun-loving location in the world. Unfortunately, it’s not the most welcoming funhouse at night. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location changes up the series format by letting your freely explore each of the rooms for yourself. You no longer have the option to just stick around in one place, watch camera feeds and get offed by an animatronic killer. Now there’s nightly missions to complete. But those cute but deadly robots are still on your tail. Examine everything and try to survive for as long as you can. The darkness consumes Circus Baby’s house of fun…and you.
Emily Wants to Play
Developer: Shawn Hitchcock
Publisher: SKH Apps
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC, iOS
The life of a pizza delivery guy isn’t the safest profession in the world. Especially since they have to deal with crazed people who like to play sick games with them. Emily Wants to Play places you in such a scenario and your survival depends on how sane you can remain from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. A bunch of dolls are creeping all throughout the house you’re trapped within, so all those jump scares that’ll come your way will be caused by them. Surviving is the main objective here. This 1st-person adventure through a house of horrors stands out due to its menacing atmosphere and clever use of VR.
Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing Emily Wants to Play on PC.
Here They Lie
Developers: Tangentlemen, SIE Santa Monica Studio
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS4
Here They Lie is one of those PS VR experiences that places you into a world that’ll raise your heart rate the more you play it. You have no clue where you are and that’s where the true feelings of constant dread come from. Trying to figure out just what the hell is going on is a tough task. That’s due in part to the creatures that chase you down and super eerie music that sets the tense mood. This experience is heightened by the fact that you feel like you’re actually the one wading through such a trippy world. Virtual reality has done wonders for the genre of survival horror. Here They Lie is proof of that.