Spooky season is in full effect with Halloween just around the corner. What better way to celebrate than settling in on your couch with copious amounts of candy and a game or two that offers up some scares?
Whether you’re looking for survival horror, action, adventure, or something a little more lighthearted, there’s a game for you on this list of the top 10 spooky games to play on All Hallows’ Eve.
Alan Wake Remastered
Image credit: Remedy Entertainment
If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers like Twin Peaks and the horror stylings of Stephen King, Alan Wake is a must-play. Originally released in 2010, the game became a cult classic. The third-person action-adventure thriller tells the story of Alan Wake, a best-selling writer who goes in search of his missing wife. As he looks for her in a small town, he finds himself living out the events of a horror story he has no memory of writing. The remaster features upgraded 4K visuals, along with two story expansions: The Signal and The Writer, so there’s plenty of creepy storytelling to dig into.
Alan Wake Remastered is available on PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 ($39.98), PlayStation 4 ($39.98), Xbox Series X/S ($36.99), Xbox One ($35.99) and Nintendo Switch ($19.99).
Alan Wake II
Image credit: Remedy Entertainment
One of the biggest survival horror game releases this year arrives right before Halloween with the sequel to Alan Wake. As a fan of the series, it’s been a long 13-year wait but Alan Wake II is finally here, and the reviews of the game have been incredible. The premise of the game follows Wake’s attempt to escape from an alternate dimension he’s been trapped in for over a decade. He tries to escape by writing a horror story involving an FBI agent named Saga Anderson and things take a turn toward the twisted. The game features two separate stories, as well as detective elements and dialogue choices. Based on developer Remedy Entertainment’s recent track record with titles like Control (to which Wake’s story is connected), this is shaping up to be a horror classic.
Alan Wake II is now available on the PlayStation 5 ($79.99), Xbox Series X/S ($79.99) and PC.
Dead Island 2
Image credit: Deep Silver
What would a list of Halloween game recommendations be without some zombies? In this follow-up to 2011’s Dead Island, the undead apocalypse continues in the gory, action-packed setting of Los Angeles. This time around, you can team up with friends and explore a melee sandbox filled with action horror and Hollywood kitsch. You can pick from six different “zombie slayer” player types and use a variety of weapons and gadgets to fend off the undead horde. If you are looking for more action and “in your face” combat, Dead Island 2 offers both in a unique setting.
You can hop into the mayhem of an open-world zombie apocalypse on PlayStation 4 ($79.98), PlayStation 5 ($75.08), Xbox One ($89.98), Xbox Series X/S ($89.98) and PC.
Dead Space (2023)
Image credit: EA
One of the scariest sci-fi survival horror games ever made returned earlier this year to offer a new generation of frights. Montreal-based developer EA Motive reimagined the original, dialling up the gore, jump scares and overall intensity of an already scary game. In Dead Space, you play as Isaac Clarke, an engineer who must fight his way through a spaceship infested with grotesque Necromorph monsters. You’ll be forced to use your weapons and tools sparingly to take out powerful enemies and uncover the dark secrets of the ship. If you are a fan of survival horror, and love some great jump scares this is an absolute must-play.
Dead Space is available now on PlayStation 5 ($44.99), Xbox Series X/S ($44.99) (plus Xbox Game Pass) and PC.
Fort Solis
Image credit: Dear Villagers
If you’re looking for an otherworldly adventure, this third-person thriller takes you to an isolated mining post on Mars. You play as engineer Jack Leary as he responds to an emergency distress signal on the planet’s surface. What seems like a routine call turns into a much bigger, deadly mystery. The story is more of a “slow burn” that has you connecting the dots with audio logs and other clues. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, and it kept me hooked with some great plot twists. It is a far cry from the more action-heavy horror titles on this list.
Embark on a journey to Mars in Fort Solis on PlayStation 5 ($44.99), PC and macOS.
Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord
Image credit: Sony
This made-for-VR experience will arrive right before Halloween and lets you step into the boots of a Ghostbuster. As a huge fan of the franchise, I’m excited for this one as it offers plenty of callbacks to the film like proton packs, P.K.E. meters, and even the iconic Ecto-1 ride. The gameplay looks like a lot of fun letting you team up with friends with cooperative multiplayer. Of course, it’s all about bustin’ ghosts and saving the city of San Francisco from the Ghost Lord and his paranormal chaos.
You can take on the Ghost Lord on PlayStation VR2 (PS5) ($46.99), Meta Quest ($39.99), Meta Quest 2 ($39.99), Meta Quest Pro ($39.99) and Meta Quest 3 ($39.99).
Little Nightmares II
Image credit: Bandai Namco
If you’re looking for a dark, moody, and foreboding puzzle-platformer, Little Nightmares II offers plenty of spooky vibes. The game follows Mono, a young boy trying to survive the horrors of Pale City. He’s joined by Six, a girl in a yellow raincoat who acts as his guide, and sets out to find the source of the evil. Along the way, they encounter new threats from the terrible residents of the city.
You can experience Little Nightmares II on PlayStation 4 ($29.99), PlayStation 5 ($13.19), Xbox Series X/S ($54.99), Xbox One ($54.99), Nintendo Switch ($54.99) and PC.
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Image credit: Rockstar
Rockstar recently re-released Red Dead Redemption on the PlayStation 4 and Switch with some spooky DLC. This new package included the standalone Undead Nightmare expansion pack that adds a zombie horror-themed campaign to the game. It’s one of the best pieces of add-on content I have ever played with a great story and interesting twists that really push the characters and story to new frontiers. In many respects, Undead Nightmare is its own game clocking in at over seven hours to complete. The story follows John Marston, a former outlaw who must find a cure for a zombie plague that has infected his wife and son. You get to travel across the haunted frontier, fight off zombies and other supernatural creatures, and unravel the paranormal mysteries plaguing your town.
Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare are available now in a single package for the PlayStation 4 ($64.99) and Nintendo Switch ($64.99).
Resident Evil 4 (2023)
Image credit: Capcom
Keeping the zombie and game remake trends going with this list, Resident Evil 4 combines both masterfully in its return. The 2005 GameCube survival horror classic received a brilliant modern makeover with enhanced graphics, sound, and gameplay. In RE4, you play as Leon S. Kennedy, a special agent sent to rescue the president’s daughter from a cult in Spain. The combat and overall gameplay are more intuitive and dynamic than its predecessor, making facing off against enemies and solving puzzles more intuitive and fun. The Separate Ways paid DLC also recently dropped, adding a new story mode featuring Ada Wong. It’s a smaller, more focused experience that adds new objectives and challenges in the same setting as RE4.
Resident Evil 4 has been reanimated for the PlayStation 4 ($79.99), PS5 ($79.99), Xbox Series X/S ($79.91), PC, macOS and iOS.
Scorn
Image credit: Kepler Interactive
Welcome to a nightmarish, squishy world of flesh and metal where every environment is alive and interconnected. This slimy and unsettling game really messes with your senses in an uncomfortable way. You play as a skinless humanoid who must explore a grotesque environment, solve puzzles, and survive encounters with hostile creatures. The game aims to create a sense of dread and discomfort through its visuals, sound design, and gameplay mechanics. It really nails it with a macabre, bleak environment.
Slither into Scorn on PlayStation 5 ($59.99), Xbox Series X/S ($59.99) (plus Xbox Game Pass) and Microsoft Windows.
I hope you enjoyed this list of spooky games to play this Halloween. Let me know in the comments below what your favourite game is to get some spooky thrills and chills.
Header image credit: Remedy Entertainment
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