Halloween is just around the corner: So it is high time to get the horror games out of the closet again in the scary month of October.
There is probably little that goes better with October than spooky, horror and undead – apart from all kinds of pumpkin products. On October 31st, Halloween is the annual night of horror. But many video game fans enjoy their favorite scary titles all month long. Here is an overview of some of the best horror games of the past few years.
From alien to zombie
What has worked on the big screen for decades can't be bad on the home monitor or television in video game form, right? Not even close. Many implementations of well-known film brands are not particularly convincing. It looks different with "Alien: Isolation" (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One). The sci-fi survival horror takes place 15 years after the first part of the "Alien" series. And Ellen Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver, 70) daughter Amanda, who is looking for her missing mother, has to fight to survive.
If you want to enjoy a little more film feeling, "Until Dawn" should give it a chance. A group of young friends try to survive a trip to a remote cabin in the exclusive PS4 title. The individual roles include the digital images of Rami Malek (39, "Mr. Robot") and Hayden Panettiere (31, "Heroes"). Alternatively, there is the "The Dark Pictures" anthology of the "Until Dawn" makers. "Man of Medan" is already available, "Little Hope" should be released on October 30th (each for PC, PS4, Xbox One).
Similar to "Little Hope", "Remothered: Broken Porcelain" (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch) will be released on time for Halloween. The game, which is available from October 13th, serves both as a sequel and as a predecessor of "Remothered: Tormented Fathers" (also PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch) from 2018. Gamers learn more about the gloomy Past and experience nerve-wracking horror while searching for the truth about a girl who disappeared years ago.
With "Resident Evil 2" (PC, PS4, Xbox One) an excellent new edition of the 1998 game of the same name was released in 2019. The remodeled classic is an absolute must for all zombie horror fans. A new version of "Resident Evil 3" (PC, PS4, Xbox One) has been available as an alternative for a few months, but it is more action-heavy.
Don't be fooled
"Doki Doki Literature Club!", Which is available for free on Steam, tells an unexpectedly dark story. At first the whole thing looks very harmless, but soon the motley bubblegum look can no longer hide the way the supposedly romantic story unfolds. Like all titles on this list, "Doki Doki Literature Club!" not suitable for children!
In "Maid of Sker" (PC, PS4, Xbox One) gamers try to survive in 1898. The story takes horror fans to a remote hotel where they stumble upon a supernatural secret. The developers of "Soma" (PC), a dystopian sci-fi horror from 2015, were also involved in the creation of the survival horror.
It also gets scary in "Call of Cthulhu" (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch), which is based on the famous myth of H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937). A private detective wants to uncover the truth behind the death of an artist and her family in the game. Alternatively, there is also "The Sinking City" (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch), which struggles with technical problems, but scores with atmosphere and was also inspired by Lovecraft.
If you don't want to go through the whole horror alone, there are also multiplayer titles for you. "Dead by Daylight" (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Smartphones) sends a group of four players to different horror areas, where they are pursued by a killer – also a player – and have to flee. Thanks to numerous extensions, the ranks of adversaries to choose from include famous film and series characters such as Freddy Krueger from the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" series, Michael Myers from "Halloween" and the Demogorgon from " Stranger Things ".
In "Phasmophobia" (PC), which was only released a few weeks ago, up to four players slip into the role of investigators who investigate paranormal events. The team has to gather evidence of the type of ghost haunted there at various locations. The game also has VR support.
Last but not least, it is also a good idea to unearth a classic – including issues of the "Resident Evil" or "Silent Hill" series, which have only really established horror in video game form. Or how about "Deadly Premonition" (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch)? The latter has quickly developed from an insider tip despite technical difficulties and has now enjoyed cult status.