October is here, and with it comes the essence of Halloween, which also applies to gaming. This month is great for celebrating spooky things, and there are plenty of horror games that deliver it.
Interactive media, which is also known as gaming can deliver experiences that movies, books, and music fail to deliver.
Franchises like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and other horror classics are known in mainstream media. However, there are horror games that deserve praise even though they are not considered mainstream as such.
Best spooky games for Halloween 2024
While many consider the horror genre to be full of jumpscares, it’s the feeling of lingering fear that captures everyone’s attention. Thus, here are our top picks of games you should try this Halloween.
Just to put it out, all the games mentioned in this list do not follow ranking order. Take every game as a suggestion. If you want to know about more horror games, we have mentioned them after our top five picks.
Best collection of horror games to try out in Halloween 2024
Still Wakes the Deep
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Unreal Engine 5 is specially known for its outstanding graphical fidelity which has been seen with titles like Black Myth Wukong, Nobody Wants To Die, and more modern games.
However, some Unreal Engine 5-developed games haven’t gotten to same recognition as others like Still Wakes the Deep.
Still Wakes the Deep takes place in 1975 on collapsing a oil rig where some supernatural events take place. Your mission is to escape it while uncovering what is going on.
What makes Still Wake the Deep is its narrative that bends reality which is enhanced by the soundscape.
Even though the full experience is only a few hours long, Still Wake the Deep does leave an everlasting impression.
Until Dawn
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
Until Dawn is a story-driven interactive horror game that was exclusively released for the PlayStation platform. On October 4, 2024, a remastered version for PC and PlayStation 5 to deliver a new-gen experience.
Until Dawn takes place at a remote mountain lodge where a group of eight friends goes out for a retreat. However, the plan goes wrong as they realize they aren’t alone and are constantly being hunted.
The experience of Until Dawn is driven by the player’s decisions and actions, which means every player will have their own tailored experience.
Supermassive Games even has Oscar-winner Rami Malek on this game, who has starred in Bohemian Rhapsody, Oppenheimer, and Mr. Robot.
Halloween is best experienced if made spooky, and Until Dawn delivers it through every occasion. The lingering feeling that something might go wrong is what makes the title so special.
Dead Space
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S.
Ever imagined what it’s like to be stuck in a space station crawling with deathly aliens? Dead Space will let you live every second of that nightmare.
Dead Space series is one of Electronic Arts’ iconic franchises which focuses on the space horror genre. If you’re into science fiction type of storytelling the game is perfect for you.
Other than the story, Dead Space also provides an immersive experience where you feel involved. The dark grim visual makes the game special on many occasions and remains highly recommended to this date.
Dead Space Remake was released in 2023, so first-timers can try out the game in high definition. Moreover, it is available for cheaper nowadays since the remake was released one year ago.
The Dead Space series should be explored by every horror fan once in their lifetime. So, what’s a better time than Halloween to experience the space-horror game?
Alan Wake 2
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S.
Everyone secretly wishes to change the world if they had the power. But, what if that power turns the world into a nightmare? Alan Wake remains to be a prime example of this situation.
Alan Wake 2 continues the story unfolded in the first game made by Remedy Entertainment. However, utilizing modern technology, the sequel takes the franchise to a new level.
Calling Alan Wake 2 only a horror game would be a crime, as it has various elements that make it a thriller and mind-bender.
The narrative, art style, and audio design are all top-notch in Alan Wake 2 and have gotten many commendations last year.
Not forgetting to mention, Alan Wake 2 will also receive a new expansion called Lake House, this October. The story told in this expansion might lead to Control 2, which fans are eagerly waiting for.
Visage
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Visage is an underrated gem when it comes to psychological horror games. Developed by SadSquare Studio, the game manages to deliver a dark gloomy experience which made Hideo Kojima’s P.T. demo special to many.
It is to be declared that Visage is not for faint-hearted people, as the game remains to be scary till the end. The game has great jumpscares and tremendous sound design which is unsettling.
The story of Visage takes place in a strangely structured house, which might sound cliche. However, don’t judge that fact as it has a lot going on inside it.
It would be fair to say the biggest selling point of Visage is the eerie visuals and soundscape that still hold out to this date.
If you are already a survival horror veteran, do turn your lights off as it sets the mood even better. But, it can’t be guaranteed that you’ll like to play the game that way till the end.
Other horror games to check out in Halloween 2024
While we have mentioned some of the best horror games available in 2024, some shouldn’t be missed out on.
The other games we are about to mention include titles developed by indie and mainstream studios. So here few more games to check out in Halloween 2024:
- Phasmophobia
- Outlast 1 and 2
- Alien Isolation
- Evil Within 1 and 2
- Amnesia
- Resident Evil 7
- Silent Hill series
- Madison
- Martha is Dead
- Layers of Fear
- Soma
- Eternal Threads
- Little Nightmares series
- Demonologist
- Amnesia: The Bunker
- Darkwood
- Forbidden Siren
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