One of my favorite ways to celebrate Halloween is to go to a friend’s place and watch horror movies, everything from cheesy slasher films to heart-stopping Stephen King movies. Games, however, are much scarier because you’re thrown into the action, and you need to get yourself out of situations that are similar to the plots of your favorite horror movies. If you want to immerse yourself in some horror stories this Halloween, here are some games I recommend.
Subnautica
This is a gorgeous game to play year-round. Subnautica is a beautiful and relaxing game at times, and a terrifying and anxiety-inducing game at other times. The soundtrack, environments, and alien creatures create a unique world that you can get lost in for hours. This is a great game if you’re looking for a game that will have you relaxing one second and give you a heart attack the next.
Until Dawn
If you love horror movies, I highly recommend Until Dawn. This is a game where you take control of multiple characters at various points throughout the story, determining the fates of everyone involved. The atmosphere slowly builds over time, resulting in satisfying scares and heart-pounding moments throughout. Because there are so many outcomes based on your choices, this game can be played over and over again.
Any game from the Dark Pictures Anthology
These games are from the same developers as Until Dawn. With this series, multiple people can play over the course of the story, so this is great for a group of friends. With everyone in charge of a different character, there’s more pressure to not mess things up for your friends. Similar to Until Dawn, the variety of outcomes means that this game can be played several times.
Alien: Isolation
I don’t recommend playing this game alone, as it’s one of the scariest games out there. However, if you enjoyed the Alien movies and want to be thrown into the action, this would be an awesome game to play on Halloween. Alien: Isolation will have your heart pounding for hours, and would be a great game to watch a friend play or have a friend watch you play.
Betrayal at House on the Hill
If you like board games and/or haunted houses, I highly recommend Betrayal: House on the Hill. The house is built as you explore it, so your game board will look different each time you play. When one of your fellow players betrays the group halfway through the game, the rest of the group must team up to defeat them. There are hundreds of scenarios to play through, so you’ll never feel bored by playing this game multiple times.
Hopefully this list gives you some ideas to immerse yourself in some horror for Halloween this year. No matter how you celebrate, have a Happy Halloween!