Top 5 Horror Games To Play This Halloween

‘Tis the season of spooks and scares! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Halloween is just around the corner. Most of you may be preparing yourself for a night of horror and fun. You’ve got your sexy pumpkin outfit all ready. The treats are bought. Now all you need are a few good spooks to get you in the mood. You could watch some horror films that think poltergeists like pulling on people’s legs while they sleep. Or, you could sit yourself down in front of your gaming device and play something that will scare the pants off of you. It’s your choice really. But, if you are thinking of doing the latter, here are the some of the better ones that you could play. These are in no particular order and do feature some older horror games but that doesn’t make them any less good. Welcome to the horror show!

1. Five Nights At Freddy’s

Yes, I know, it’s that game again. And, as much as I don’t like it, I seem to be talking about it a lot. Regardless, these games have had so many people playing them because they were scary. You can’t really deny it either. If you have never played them before then they can be terrifying. The latest addition to this franchise, Sister Location, did bring a whole new bunch of scares and a relatively creepy story line. However, I would recommend any potential new comers to play the original game first. It is far creepier than any of the others and the constant fear of death will keep you on your toes. Especially with Foxy on the prowl.

2. The Witch’s House – JRPG

Now, this one is a bit older but is definitely one of the best JRPGs I’ve ever played. If you are a fan of the genre and haven’t played this one, I highly recommend it. Equally, if you have never played a JRPG, this is a great one to start. The Witch’s House starts off being lovely before quickly throwing you into a literal house of horrors. Everything wants you dead: teddy bears, ghost frogs, even the flowers. It is brutal, terrifying and a whole lot of fun. If you have an itching for something that will creep you out while you try to complete puzzles, then this is definitely the game for you.

3. Left 4 Dead/ Left 4 Dead 2

Let’s be honest, you can’t beat a good zombie game and L4D just got it right. Again, another oldie but this one is great with friends. Perhaps you and your buddies want to play through this classic. Even if it isn’t particularly terrifying any more, it can still be a lot of zombie killing fun. And, if you have a lot of friends, you can play the VS mode where some of you can even play as the zombies. One of the best parts of this game was never knowing when you were going to come across a Tank. Or, the utter fear you felt when you accidentally triggered a Witch. This game had a bit of everything. And, even today, it still has a few good scares left in it. This one is definitely a Halloween mood-setter and, if nothing else, you get to slaughter a bunch of zombies.

4. Outlast

Image from kotaku.com

If you ask me, this game and it’s DLC are some of the best that horror games have to offer. It has a great story, some good scares and the sound in this game was fantastic. Perhaps it is a little cliche being set in an asylum. Nevertheless, it was definitely the right atmosphere and this game has never made me feel more on edge. It uses the classic Amnesia: The Dark Descent mechanic that you can’t fight and have to hide from enemies. The chase sequences in Outlast made me feel genuinely afraid. And, there are some epic heart-stopping jump scares. It isn’t just jump scares that get you though. There are some moments that are horrifically creepy and I cringed in disgust more than once. I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves horror games.

5. Silent Hill Games

Yes, technically not just one game that I’m listing here but I felt that these needed a mention. The Silent Hill franchise has been a big player in the horror genre for many years. Whether or not you are a fan of the series, there are some definite horror elements that everyone will know. The encroaching fog, the creepy monsters, Pyramid Head. Of course, we all know about these things. We loved them and hated them equally. I, personally, never found these games particularly scary. Creepy in places, yes and definitely weird but never did I ever feel terrified. Until P.T came around. Now, if you are one of the lucky few to still have access to the P.T Demo then this is what I recommend. Be alone. Make sure the lights are off. Settle yourself in, maybe wear some headphones. Turn on the demo and be sure to wear your brown pants. I still cannot play this game (if you want to call it that) especially not alone. I get about a third of the way through and still want to cry in fear. It is a shame that they will not be making Silent Hills because I think it would have been a fantastic addition to the series but that is life.

Happy Scarefest!

So there is my list of some of the top horror games that you could play this hallowed season. If you fancy scaring yourself silly there are plenty of options out there. There are possibly even some that didn’t make the list that you think should have. But, whether you are playing scary games or watching other people play scary games, enjoy yourself. At least until you realise there is something standing behind you…