With Halloween just around the corner, there’s no better genre than horror to prepare you for the spooky season. Between books, movies and tv shows, there’s plenty of media to spook you right out of your seat — but video games just might be the scariest of them all. Video games have one thing that all other media doesn’t: accountability. There is nothing quite like the chilling terror of sitting in a dark room in constant anticipation of a scare when you know you can’t just experience it as you would in a regular old horror movie — you have to react to it somehow. The interactive experience of the video game as a horror platform creates a sense of immersion that other horror mediums just can’t do. You are responsible for the outcome of the game, whether it be the completion of a story or just making it out alive.
Whether you’re looking for adrenaline-pumping jump-scares or a more slow-burn psychological horror, I’ve got you covered with five of my top picks for this Halloween season. From classics to some lesser-known titles, these games are each, in their own ways, experiences that won’t be leaving your memory any time soon.
- Fatal Frame
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Systems: Playstation 2, Xbox, Playstation 3
Fatal Frame is the perfect example of the difference between cheap, jump-scare reliant games and true, bone-chilling horror. It also brings a unique mechanic that, even though the game was released in 2001, is yet to be surpassed by other games today: the Camera Obscura. That’s right, your only weapon against malevolent spirits in this house is the camera on your back, and just one snap usually doesn’t get the job done.
The real horror in this game, however, is its story. The more you play, the more you realize that the house you’ve stepped inside is more sinister than you could have ever imagined. As seeds of doubt begin to crowd your mind, you’re left with an unsettling feeling gnawing inside your chest — one that doesn’t just go away when you turn the TV off.
- Doki Doki Literature Club!
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Systems: PC, Mac, Linux
Doki Doki Literature Club! is the physical embodiment of the statement “don’t judge a book by its cover.” At first, it seems like your stereotypical visual anime novel meets dating sim, but the content warning presented upfront suggests otherwise. One moment, you’re writing poetry to impress cute girls in short skirts. The next, you’ve walked into one of the most horrifying experiences you’ll ever encounter.
Doki Doki Literature Club! does a perfect job of subverting traditional horror expectations and providing a unique gaming experience that you can’t help but respect, even if you hate the horror genre. Without giving away too much, since the blind experience of the game is what brings it so much of its merit, I’ll just say that this game is easily one of the most unsettling ones I’ve ever played.
- Visage
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Systems: PC
Heavily influenced by the iconic P.T. — the playable teaser for the never-released game Silent Hills — this independent survival-psychological horror game has not been officially released in full yet. However, in an attempt to raise money, the production has created Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight campaigns as well as released the first two chapters as early access.
The story is set inside a labyrinthine house with a terrifyingly sinister history. The player must navigate the house and uncover its mystery by reliving the disturbing events of those who lived in the house prior while also attempting to stay alive in spite of the restless spirits wandering the halls. The sanity system also brings an unsettling amount of realism to the game. As paranormal experiences occur and the player stays in the dark for too long, the player’s sanity level decreases. As sanity levels get lower, players are more likely to experience paranormal events. Visage is probably one of the least recognizable of these titles, but it deserves a spot nonetheless.
- Bendy and the Ink Machine
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Systems: Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, PC, Mac
Bendy and the Ink Machine is a first-person survival horror game that twists the charming world of old school animation into the stuff of nightmares. Players are in for a ride as they traverse the dilapidated and abandoned animation workshop of Joey Drew Studios, where they must solve puzzles and riddles to progress in the game while also fighting disturbing shadowy ink creatures that look like Steamboat Willy gone demented. Players learn, piece by piece, the horrifyingly tragic history of the fate of the old studio and its employees as they attempt to escape the workshop that had once been long forgotten.
Bendy and the Ink Machine is a game that you’ll look back on with a distorted blend of nostalgia and unsettlement. All I can say is, just be prepared for your childhood to be completely and utterly ruined.
- Silent Hill 2
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Systems: Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, PC
I tried to steer away from this one when creating my list mainly because it has been mentioned so many times before, but I eventually caved because Silent Hill 2 is really the crowning jewel of the horror video game genre. Even twenty years after its creation, it stands the test of time and provides a gaming experience that will leave you wanting nothing more than to stop the overwhelming sense of dread. Yet, somehow, you’ll still find yourself glued to your seat.
Silent Hill 2 takes its place among the greats because it hits all the marks. Expertly crafted jump-scares blend perfectly with looming psychological foreboding as players explore the smoky town of Silent Hill. The story alone marks it as one of the most well-developed games of all time, even outside the horror genre.
Gamers play as James Sutherland who receives a mysterious letter from his supposed dead wife. Will you follow him as he tries to find her?
Whether you plan on working your way through these games alone or with a friend, there’s no experience quite like sitting in a dark room with a controller in your hand and feeling your heart start to pound as you anticipate what’s going to happen next. Luckily, there’s a wide variety of horror video games out there, and there’s bound to be something for everyone if you’re looking for some extra spooks and scares this Halloween season.