Spooky and scary video games for the brave of heart
Let’s set the scene. A dark room, the glowing light from a TV or laptop screen, headphones that draw us further into game, sounds of the trees rustling in the wind. The question is, what is the right video game to play on Halloween? Everyone has different genre preferences—wanting to focus more on either the plot or the horror. Some want it gritty, while others look for that rush they get when they realize they just survived for one more night. There is also the choice between playing with friends or on your own. Sometimes it’s about what kind of game console an individual owns. Luckily for those who use a computer, be it PC or Mac, there’s a program called Steam that allows gamers to buy indie or mainstream games and play them right on their computers—no need for a Playstation or Xbox.
Five Nights at Freddy’s
From your laptop to your phone, if you want great jump scares at a children’s pizzeria with killer animations, this game is definitely for you. The player is hired as a security guard for the night shift from midnight to 6:00 a.m. Your goal is to survive five nights while avoiding the things that want to stuff you in a metal suit. The game is single player and has a simple gameplay that brings you back again and again for more. The latest game released by the wonderful creator, Scott Cawthorn, is Five Nights at Freddy’s Sister Location. It is completely different from the original, but the game plot is wonderful with plenty of scares, chills, and spooky animations.
Dead by Daylight
If you’re interested in playing with friends, try Dead by Daylight. This, however, is a game released only on PC computers. It’s a multiplayer survival horror game where you and a team of one to four players have to work with each other to repair disabled generators and escape either a secluded forest, decrepit cornfield, haunted asylum, or abandoned junkyard. The goal, of course, is to escape while avoiding the killer who tries to grab a player and kill them or hang them on hooks. Players can wiggle loose or try to run, and players who have “died” can be rescued and healed by their friends. It’s fun, it’s dark, and can be played over and over again.
The Wolf Among Us
If you’re looking for something lighter that has more of a story with several different outcomes, The Wolf Among Us is a great choice. It has an episodic gameplay and is based off of Bill Willingham’s comic book series Fables. The game consists of four episodes where the player (sadly this is a single player game) plays Bigby B. Wolf (also know as the Big Bad Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood), a detective who protects his fellow Fables from Mundies—or normal humans. This game can be played on both PC and Mac along with Xbox 360. It has great graphics, a truly intriguing storyline, and the best part is that it’s somewhat of a decision-based game. Each choice the player makes affects the outcome of the episode and the start of the next one.
The Evil Within
Another game to take a look at is The Evil Within, directed by Shinji Mikami, who also created Resident Evil. You can play this on Xbox 360 and Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC computers. In this game, you play detective Sebastian Castellanos and help him navigate through a nightmarish world filled with monsters and twisted landscapes. But beware! This game will mess with your brain as you figure out that you went from reality to nightmare. In this game, you need to make the choice of when you should fight or when you should run.