It’s the spookiest time of the year once again and we as gamers have no shortage of bone-chilling titles to celebrate the occasion. For the convenience of our readers, we’ve compiled a list of the 13 best games to play this Hallow’s Eve, with the sole caveat being that it is available on a current-gent platform.
Without further ado.
Resident Evil 4
Released in 2005, Resident Evil 4 was a turning point for both the franchise and horror gaming as a whole. Introducing full 3D movement for the first time, Resident Evil 4 welded horror and action together in a way that has never been matched, even by subsequent Resident Evil titles. Leon Kennedy’s adventures in Spain have resulted in one of the greatest survival horror games of all time, if not the greatest.
Resident Evil 4 is available on multiple platforms including PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One One/Series, PC, VR Platforms and Nintendo Switch
Silent Hill 2
A true classic of survival horror gaming, Silent Hill 2 built on the foundation of its predecessor with a unique narrative about loss, grief, and guilt. Often imitated but never surpassed, Silent hill 2’s story is still considered by many to be the high point of the series, and one could scarcely imagine a more fitting experience for Halloween.
It is available on Xbox Series X via backwards compatibility
Fatal Frame V: Maiden of Black Water
The Fatal Frame series has always managed to capture the unique horror of Japanese ghost stories. This latest entry, originally released on Wii U in 2014, takes inspiration from numerous Japanese folk tales, including but not limited to the legend of Aokigahara, a “suicide forest” located at the base of Mt. Hikami. From depictions of human sacrifice to suicide, Fatal Frame 5 is a game any horror fan will want to check out.
Fatal Frame V Maiden of Black Water is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series and PC
Mortal Kombat X
Much has been said about the Mortal Kombat franchise and its penchant for brutality, but relatively little has been said about the horror elements that have always undergirded the MK universe. Mortal Kombat X, the series’ tenth mainline entry, boasts an even wider range of ghastly fighters than ever before, from returning mainstays like Reptile to newcomers like D’Vorah. Classic horror icons like Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and Alien are also available through DLC. With its often horrifying character designs, excessive levels of gore (to the point that the game was and remains banned in Australia), and nods to classic horror films, Mortal Kombat X is a love-letter to B-movie horror.
Mortal Kombat X is available on PlayStation 5 and Series X via Backwards Compatibility and on PC
Alan Wake
Alan Wake is more or less what you would get if Stephen King and John Carpenter had a baby. Blending psychological horror and survival elements seamlessly, Alan Wake is a cinematic gaming masterpiece and a bold step forward for horror gaming. Describing Alan Wake’s meta nature in sympathetic detail would give away too many spoilers. Suffice it to say, it is an ideal way to spend the spookiest day of the year.
Alan Wake Remastered is available on Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and PC
Zombies Ate My Neighbours
A tribute to classic B-horror movies, Zombies Ate My Neighbours takes classic zombie tropes and combines them with teeth-grittingly difficult run ’n gun gameplay, forging something wholly unique and, to this day, fondly remembered by scions of the 16-bit era of gaming. Rescuing neighbours from zombies, slashers, and other monsters, fighting larges bosses, and using a variety of weapons to the tune of some great 16-bit music make this a standout.
Zombies ate my Neighbours, and its sequel Ghoul Patrol are available in a package on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5 Xbox One/Series and PC
Dead by Daylight
Asymmetrical Multiplayer games are a perfect fit for the slasher genre, and no game fits this better than Dead by Daylight. A game with its own unique horror lore that sets survivors against original slashers, Dead by Daylight quickly proved to be a hit with amazing gameplay and a perfect atmosphere. The kicker though, was the crossover DLC content. DLC appearances by slashers and survivors such as Michael Myers, Laurie Strode and Ash Williams took this from a great slasher game and love letter to the genre, to the best adaptation some franchises have had. If you like Slasher films, this is perfect for Halloween.
Dead by Daylight is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One/Series, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Castlevania
What really needs to be said here? The series started out as a love letter to classic monster cinema and soon developed its own lore. Whether it is the classic style or the latter IGAvania style, the Castlevania games are true must-play gems for their great gameplay, music and haunting imagery. Series standouts like Symphony of the Night, Rondo of Blood, Super Castlevania 4, and Aria of Sorrow are high points that show off the best of gaming and dark fantasy action games and action RPGs.
Castlevania is available across multiple collections on PS4/5, Xbox One/Series PC and Nintendo Switch.
Stubbs The Zombie
Zombie games where you kill zombies are a dime a dozen, but a game where you are the zombie? That is unique and the premise of Stubbs the Zombie. Take control of a zombie in this parody of ‘50s B movies and take down the military, police and many others, while building an army and using unique zombie abilities. It has aged a bit since release, but Stubbs still has it where it counts, and that is horror-comedy with an offbeat nature.
Stubbs the Zombie is available on PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series and Switch
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Ghostbusters has not had many great games over the years, with only three really standing out as decent. Those three games were New Ghostbusters II on NES from HAL, Ghostbusters on Sega Genesis/Megadrive and Atari’s Ghostbusters the Video Game. The latter is easily the best game based on the franchise and serves as the unofficial third film with the original cast being heavily involved. Putting players in the role of a new Ghostbuster working with the returning characters, Ghostbusters the Video Game is everything fans wanted and more. Good gameplay, excellent visuals, and references to every part of the lore, with a great story.
Ghostbusters the video game is available on PS4/5, Xbox One/Series, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Luigi’s Mansion 3
Mario’s little brother shines bright in his latest outing that sees him fighting ghosts in a haunted hotel. Luigi’s Mansion has always been darker than the main Mario games, while still being family-friendly affairs, and this is a great game for audiences of all ages to enjoy on Halloween Whether fighting ghosts in single-player mode, or playing with others in multiplayer, Luigi’s Mansion 3 represents some of the best gaming on Nintendo Switch and shows Nintendo is still fond of spookiness.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a Switch exclusive.
Splatterhouse
Imagine a masked slasher but as the hero of the story. That essentially is Splatterhouse, a game that sees the protagonist Rick don the Terror Mask (giving him an appearance similar to Jason Voorhees) to save his girlfriend from the West Mansion (the name being a reference to the Re-Animator films). The original arcade game is gory by the standards of the time and still plays well. There is also Splatterhouse Wanpaku Grafiti – a cutesy parody prequel – that plays like a more traditional side-scroller. Both games are filled with horror references and themes; the Arcade game is available on Nintendo Switch as part of the Namco Museum, and Wanpaku Grafiti is available on Xbox One/Series, PlayStation 4/5 (PS4 BC) PC and Switch on Namco Museum Classics vol 1.
Bloodborne
A Soulslike game had to make the list and the best choice is the dark fantasy game Bloodborne. Playing much like Dark Souls from the same developer, Bloodborne also plays as the ideal 3D Castlevania game. With brutal difficulty, nightmarish imagery, and deep lore, this action RPG became a true sensation like its spiritual ancestor for a reason. Bloodborne shows pure refinement of the Souls series formula; with the combat and horror perfectly balanced with an intense challenge, this is a must-play game on Halloween.
Bloodborne is available on PS4 and can be played on a PS5.
And there you have it. What will you be playing this Halloween?