Orange leaves are drifting off the trees outside and the air is pregnant with the crisp, foreboding presence of All Hallows’ Eve.
There will be pranks, there will be treats, there will be screams and scares and busy streets. For gamers there will be much of the same but also murder, mayhem, horror, and guts mixed with gory glory.
This year we’ve come to remind you to carve out a part of the day (preferably the evening) to play one of the following five games to maximize your frightening and freaky Halloween.
#5 Costume Quest
Let’s start out with something fun and safe for all audiences including the kids. This downloadable gem has been out for a few years but you might have easily missed it in the holiday hustle.
Costume Quest comes from Double Fine, Tim Schafer’s former company. Double Fine games always have a unique personality that could never fall into the “generic” syndrome that many downloadable titles can. Furthermore the game was headed by a former animator at Pixar, so you know it’s gonna be great for the kids. But it isn’t just for kids. I got this game with my PSPlus subscription and found myself enjoying it from a nostalgic standpoint.
Not only is it a classically styled adventure, but the story revolving around two siblings encountering serious neighborhood trouble on Halloween will bring back all those great memories of trick or treating with family and friends. The art style is unique always pleasing while the gameplay is light and breezy. All ages should give this one a go, maybe before the sun goes down and then you can break out the truly scary stuff.
#4 Lollipop Chainsaw
Cheerleader? Check. Zombies? Check. Tons of classic horror movie references? Check. Lollipop Chainsaw is a love letter from that crazed lunatic Suda51 to anybody with a love of horror and a sense of humor. If you ever saw a B-horror movie and loved it then LPC should be right up your alley. Join cheerleader Juliette Starling and battle a zombie invasion of her high school on her 18th birthday (which makes all the sexual innuendo perfectly appropriate mind you) for one of the wildest rides of the generation.
While cutting through the hoards of zombies that alternately spout gouts of blood and bright pink… sparkly stuff… with a chainsaw you can also play dress up, collect hilarious phone calls, and use your boyfriend’s severed head to turn bodies into helpful dance machines. Beware the bosses though, they are the most imaginative bad guys you will encounter no matter what you’re doing later on Halloween night.
Yeah it’s about the craziest game I’ve ever played and as a child of 80’s slasher flicks and tongue-in-cheek humor I can give you two severed thumbs up.
#3 Metro: Last Light
I definitely wanted an FPS game in here because nothing makes the terror more personal than a direct perspective. One of the voices in my head said to argue for FEAR 3. Yeah I know it got some flack for being more mainstream but there was still a lot of supernatural greatness. Another voice said Dishonored is the one because you wear a wicked mask and slink in the shadows. The final voice was right though, Metro: Last Light was an utterly unique and totally freaky experience from start to finish.
Whether you are a fan of the stealth approach or you want to go in guns blazing Metro is one of those rare games where the impact of the horror won’t be lost no matter which route you choose. You play as the ranger Artyom, who is on a mission to destroy the mysterious Dark One, the last of his race. In the metro tunnels beneath Russia or the chaotic radiation-soaked planet above you’ll battle Nazis, Communists, and ungodly mutants in the most horrifying atmospheres ever developed. The game haunts a middle ground between FPS and survival while you learn how your actions will determine the fate of the remains of humanity. This one made my want to check behind me every now and then.
#2 Silent Hill: Downpour
Unless you are a die hard Silent Hill fan like me you might have actually missed this game due to some lukewarm reviews. Sadly nobody buys games that score under an 8 these days, but there are a few things I think people need to know about Downpour and why it should be in their Halloween queue.
As Murphy Pendleton you’ll find yourself in Silent Hill when a prison bus transporting you has a mishap outside the legendary town. You’ll be pursued by Officer Anne Cunningham, who seems to have a personal vendetta against you. She finds it more difficult to do her job when the Other World descends on the both of them.
One of the best things going for the title is that it doesn’t abandon survival/horror for action. I feel like I must caution against playing on a high difficulty, not because you aren’t survivor material but because some of the glitches in the game that hurt those reviews happened when too many enemies got on screen. However, what a lot of folks don’t know is that a very long time after everyone was done playing the game, many of the problems were resolved with a patch so you can have some more confidence going in now.
What’s great about it? It’s classic Silent Hill. The atmosphere of the locations (which include some great new areas on the outskirts of town) are some of the best ever for the series. Don’t just do the campaign though, feel free to wander the streets and go solving the many side quests. Getting into new locations and investigating the mysteries of Silent Hill is reward enough. The implementation of creative ideas is expert. For instance two of my favorite areas are accessed by splicing film together and stepping into the movie, and using old theater equipment to activate a stage play that you become a part of. It is gripping and full of all the horrific imagery we have come to expect from the series. Also there are some cool new additions like the ability to peek back over your shoulder to see what’s behind you, and to open doors slowly (and so peek into rooms) to avoid unfortunate run-ins. It also features some of the best graphics in the series to date.
Murphy’s story itself is a great vehicle for the horrors he will encounter. A lot of fans still say James Sunderland’s story from Silent Hill 2 was the best, but I think the deep psychological mess that is Murphy Pendleton is a strong rival. If you want to be ensconced in hopeless fear for your life while wave after wave of unspeakable horrors and terrifying environments haunt you then you want to play this game this Halloween. Just make sure you get inside when it starts to rain.
#1 Folklore
An early PS3 exclusive, this mystery/action/RPG was tailor made for Halloween. It follows Ellen and Keats, two people drawn to the enigmatic village of Doolin where the living can meet the dead. Once you reach the spooky location you’ll alternate characters to investigate the mystery of what happened in this foggy corner of the earth 17 years ago. To unravel the enigma you’ll ally with some of the best designed ghouls I’ve ever seen in a game. Whether you are fulfilling requests from creatures that stay up late at the pub or capturing the souls of erratic folks to unleash them on your enemies, once you enter the fairy realms you’ll never want to stop trapping the population in your cloak and using them to your advantage.
This ain’t Pokemon, there’s no caring for the folks whose souls you rip out. Just beat them down, tear out their essence with a little flick of the sixaxis and then assign their unique attack or defense to a button. Along with the fun gameplay there is also an excellent storytelling apparatus in the 2.5D storyboards which are both dramatic and artistic. Since it is Halloween there is plenty of dress up to do; different cloaks with varying effects are available for Ellen to sport as you unlock them by conquering new levels in the fairy world.
The game starts on Halloween, of course, and that’s when you should start playing it because the whole aura fits this time of year like a glove. So too do the backdrops, all glittering with magic, mysticism and the like. As with most Japanese games you can expect some excellent boss designs as well. Is it an action game? Is it a JRPG? Is it horror? All I know is I promise you’ve never played anything quite like it.
Okay kids there’s your list, now go get one or all of these and start playing away. Trust me, the games you play around certain times of the year play a big role in the good times you’ll have and the memories you’ll make.
If you survive the night.
I tried playing the FOlklore demo way back and thought, what's this? reading a story in a NEXT-gen game? NEVER. *PS button, quit, triangle, delete* =p
okay, where's Mortal Kombat? MK is a must.
Imagination, son. More can be done with a great environment and some lines of text than another halfway decent voice performance. Though Ellen does have the sexiest accent I ever heard. 🙂 Blood and guts galore isn't enough for my list.
meh, I don't like your list. MK deserves being on a Halloween game list, no matter what.. daddy
You can still play it Temji
I don't mind reading characters dialogue, but having the dialogue displayed in a visual Novel form is a big no no. So I will have to miss out on Folklore I'm afraid.
Well sadly you are missing out on one of the most unique games on the PS3.
I loooved almost everything about Folklore.
Not all cutscenes are in story-board style. Some are in CGI, though, admittedly, as a launch title for the ps3, it didn't seem next gen. But, after playing it later this gen, I felt it was one of the quaintest, atmospheric gems I had a pleasure to play through. Folkore is a wonderful game (made by the designer of Street Fighter 2). I can't recommend it enough, even if only as a palette-cleanser, though it's much more than that.
I bought Folklore a long time ago. Just another one of the games in my collection I never played. Costume Quest and Metro both are great.
For me, I like to play Amnesia, Fatal Frame, System Shock 2, and Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, among some others. October is mostly all horror games for me for the entire month. It's also the time the Arkham Horror, and Betrayal at House on the Hill, board games get increased playing times.
loved Dark Corners, good old Bethesda.
David Nelson for president!
you know the whole 'I'm gonna snuggle up to David Nelson because I don't like Ben thing' is childishly apparent. It's a real big internet out there… why not go explore it and find a place more deserving of your presence.
How does temjin get downvotes? He's right. So very, very right.
And he's called World names before… he knows World is David, right?
Politics is my crack cocaine.
…And crack cocaine is vitamins for Hotel Soap! 😛
Sorry, I had to use that line for something at least once…
On my bucket list too, friend. It's on mine too…. Congrats… I, on the other hand, must continue to dream.
seeing that's it's more realistic to play shorter games on halloween here's my retro lineup.
Castlevania
Mortal Kombat
Altered Beast
Ghosts 'n Goblins
Haunted House (Atari 2600) the original scary console game 😉
Rise from the grave! *Epic Sega genesis beats*
…Then Game Over, because if you aren't playing the arcade version on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (Sega Megadrive Collection in the UK), the you don't have unlimited continues, and I guarantee that most people will likely have difficulties by level two, and will want to throw their controller at a wall by level 6 (I think… whichever level had the golden ants…).
yah, it was a toughy.
…and for those who have a light gun and a working DC or Saturn I'd say The House of the Dead as well should be on there.
The Fatal Frame games are always freaky. I think one or two are on the PSN now.
They need to be, those were great horror titles. I mean really, what's scarier than something you can't touch with your hands that can kill you?
Just waiting on the price cut tuesday to put them on my PS3. I'd like to try part 3 though, I've never played that but I don't think it's discounted.
I see two titles on your list that I will give a try.
I'd say Resident Evil Outbreak (seriously…), Shadows of the Damned (while very action-oriented, I loved the atmosphere, story, and combination of thrill and humor). The first Bioshock (the ultimately demented Masquerade Ball… it screams Halloween), any Dead Space, and Downpour (as well as any Silent Hill game really, but to really be creeped out you have to really immerse yourself, and understand the plot, backstory etcetera etcetera for the full effect… It's a series that it more horrifying as you read between the fleshy, blood-soaked lines).
Honorable mention goes to Alan Wake on the 360. While on a console I don't have nor own, it was a great-tasting bit of psychological terror when I played it for the first time… on the hardest starting difficulty.
Last edited by Sol on 10/26/2013 11:35:42 PM
wow, i loved that folklore game.. one of my first games on the ps3… i agree that folklore is the best game to play on halloween… ^_^
http://teamninja-studio.com/doa5/ultimate/us/home.html#screenshots_hc
people can always grab themselves some DOA5 U Halloween costumes as well =)
You said Metro Last Light and Silent Hill Downpour, marry me david lol
No Condemned 2? Boo!
Great game though.
only horror game i really enjoyed this year was condemned 2.
yea its not so much of a horror game as it does not have many jump scares, but come on nothing has such a rich intense atmospheric atmosphere as condemned!
im so sick of this run and hide you cant defend yourself BS!
its essentially a hide and seek game, ie, BORING!
condemned just has the perfect gameplay, you actually felt like a detective analyzing evidence seeing some truly horrific scenes.
in fact dam it youve made me want to go download the game again!
I need to revisit Folklore. I originally bought it because we don't get a lot of games based around Irish lore (Doolin is actually a real place and is awesome, if you're into surfing you should visit).
My Halloween game I'm playing this year is Corpse Party, available for PSP I'm playing on the Vita. I was playing last night/early hours of this morning with headphones in and the lights out. Quite unnerving, definitely a spooky experience.
Ooh Corpse Party's a good one!
I'm going to watch the anime 🙂
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The f***!?
I mean, me too!
unfortunately i think that metro might be the only one i might be interested it but oh well this stuff never much interested me anyways i'm always doing other things.
happy gaming =)
I wanted to include Siren: Blood Curse but I've only ever played the demo, thankfully that will change when it goes on sale Tuesday.
Oh Snap!
Demon's Souls
Last edited by Palmetto on 10/27/2013 10:40:58 AM
I would Silent games 1-3. Although unfortunately or fortunately they have not done an HD version of the original, my all time fav horror. Well, Dead Space was close which is why I use to refer to it as Silent Hill in space.
Folklore takes a while to get in to. It did for me because how its pace can and is slow in places, but once you get going and explore the worlds its visually stunning and fun. I have neglected the game, which I have never finished, because I lost my save files on my previous 60gb PS3. Might be time to delve in again.
Costume Quest is fun and cute. I found the boss battler a bit confusing at times, but definitely worth the purchase and fun. Can be slow at times but addictive to play.
I played the Fatal Frame games. I admit I got bored with both after a few hours play. They are creepy. Not so much as the gore like in Silent Hill, but ghost/spirit freaky. In the end I got rid of the games as the pace and environments got a bit repetitive and boring for my tastes. Yep, it was last gen so I forgive it for that. BUT definitely a must for the suspense/horror fan.
Hey, any game that through its gameplay send shivers up your spine, is definitely worth a play on Halloween. Too bad Resident Evil never did that for me. Dare I say, Silent Hill fanboy here?
Keep Playing and don't turnaround! (Remember The Last of Us?)
My favorite turn around moment was in Bioshock, I think it's when you are in some doctor's lab and you go to check out a desk or bench or something and the when you spin around to leave the dude is right there in your face!
Hello @David, i don't log in much on this site, but when i do i usually have something to say. So lets begin… This list is crap and would only scare my 3 year old niece.
I really don't know how you celebrate Halloween and don't care. But for most of us, we want a good scare. I have played Metro and lets just say its dark, but not in a good way. Crappy PC port that shouldn't be played on any day of the week…. especially Halloween. Silent Hill? Hasn't been good since lets see…. The original! Please don't get me started on your other child approved picks. But the reason i logged on was to ask you, why in all your wisdom would you not recommend Demon Souls? Its free if you have PS Plus (None of the titles you listed are) and its the perfect fit for halloween.
I guess if you want your readers to shell out extra money and go to a physical store to get a game that I am sure none of your readers have then by all means you have that right. But failing to list a title that actually fits with Haloween and is practically free is something that i cannot let go unnoticed!
Last edited by The Real Deal on 10/27/2013 1:00:53 PM
I can see why you don't talk much on here… I think David's article was fun idea, I don't know who you are to come on here and just ridicule him. While I do agree they wouldn't be my choices you lost me on your comment on Silent Hill, The second game is by far the best in the series and Silent Hill 3 is certainly up to the standard the series was known for before team Silent disbanded. Also, I don't see how Demon's Souls is any more suitable, the only thing horrifying about that game is the controls…
As for Downpour, I need to get around to it… I think after playing Homecoming I just don't dare… I would get the HD Collection if it wasn't full of bugs. But If anything on gen gen consoles I would recommend Siren Blood Curse, it's a very tense game which can get very atmospheric, if you can find it for a decent price it is worth your time.
Demon souls isn't a halloween themed game, nor is it really scary either.
These are just games he recommends to play on halloween, and really metro is the only game that doesn't fit the halloween feel. But honestly who cares.
Just chill out and make your own top five list instead of bashing his ok?
I'm sorry you took a top 5 list meant to entertain you on a newsless Sunday so seriously.
You know what holiday I take super seriously? Christmas. And I can spell it right, too! Beat that, Real Deal!
Last edited by Underdog15 on 10/28/2013 12:39:27 AM
Folklore is yet another gem that the mainstream crowd would sadly probably never play or get into, just like Valkyria Chronicles, ICO, Shadow of the Colossus …. the list could go on and on.
great list David,
costume quest, that game ia alot fun 🙂
silent hill downpour, damn some of the reviews
Thank you.
For me, Halloween is synonymous with Castlevania. Whether we're talking Simon's Quest back in the 80s, Symphony of the Night in '98, or Dawn of Sorrow five or six years ago, there's just nothing better for the season. It really looks like a bunch of sweet Halloween decorations come to life (and that gameplay and music is just killer, of course.) I'm actually going to play some Rondo of Blood this week in celebration of the season, a game I downloaded for Wii a few years ago but never sunk much effort into. I also took advantage of the awesome PSN sale to get RE4 for like $5.50 so I'm taking that for a spin as well. Happy Halloween all!