We’re living in some of the strangest times we might see for a while, but that doesn’t mean the world stops spinning, the ghosts stop spoopin’, or the games stop coming. I mean, some of them did stop coming for now, but you know. Halloween is coming up very soon, and it’ll be landing right before a new console generation gets rolling. But if you aren’t begging neighbors for candy or throwing big parties, you’re probably building your list of spooky media.
Halloween Video Games in 2020
Usually, it’s easy to lean on the classics. After all there are dozens upon dozens of novels, films, games, and Scooby-Doo specials to last for a lifetime of Octobers. But there won’t ever be any new classics if you don’t try new things! So we took a look at the calendar for 2020, took a look at review scores and our (my) personal tastes, and made a list for y’all. If you want to celebrate 2020’s Halloween with some 2020 scares, here are some of the best (or upcoming) games you’ll want to consider.
Related: Death end re;Quest 2 Review | Playing Shuffleboard in Anime Hell
Upcoming
Amnesia: Rebirth
The Amnesia games are basically the godfather of modern, indie horror games, and over the last decade have remained a staple. You can get a collection of the first two games, or you can wait for the new sequel, this time from the original game’s developer. These games don’t let you get comfortable for one second, so buckle up.
Remothered: Broken Porcelain
The first Remothered, made by an Italian studio and heavily inspired by Italian horror (among other things, natch), was praised as a spiritual successor to Clock Tower. The sequel looks to be more of that with a bigger budget, so it’s an easy game to recommend.
Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
Once again, Supermassive Games is doing its thing. While Man of Medan didn’t necessarily land strong, the creators of surprise hit Until Dawn deserve a look at whatever it puts out. This one is rooted in the history of witch trials, a popular but effective setup.
Pumpkin Jack
What if Medievil was about a badass pumpkin man who escapes a fiery prison and wants revenge? That seems to be a reasonable summary of Pumpkin Jack, and upcoming action/adventure game from developer Nicolas Meyssonnier. It’s a more lighthearted game compared to the real nasty horror stuff, but that’s cool too.
Available Now
Coma 2: Vicious Sisters
The Coma games are sidescrolling, 2D survival horror games out of Korea, and they’re definitely good at what they do. The art is detailed and stylish, the challenge is there, and the mythology and main antagonist is a real trip.
Death end re;Quest 2
This game has strong Otaku energy, but if you can handle that you’ll find one of the strangest experiences on this list, and maybe this year for that matter. With a scenario from the writer of the Corpse Party series, you can be guaranteed some gruesome horror on top of your goofy JRPG tropes. This game is edgy as hell though, so a sweeping content warning applies.
Inmost
If you’re looking for something a little different, Inmost is a puzzle-platformer that’s more about building an atmosphere and telling a story than it is scaring the bejeezus out of you. Its haunting, tinted color palette and truly unsettling enemy design make this an affecting experience for sure.
The Persistence
A roguelike that borrows more from Dead Space than Dark Souls, The Persistence sees the player trying to survive on a dilapidated space colony inhabited by sci-fi zombie creatures. Not only is this one available on a wide variety of platforms, that includes the PlayStation VR. So if a shooter in VR is something your brain can handle, you can really just let the tension and dread wash all over you.
Song of Horror
Song of Horror is an episodic tribute to the classic survival horror format, that borrows a little from all the greats and then some. Sure it’s a little lower budget, but it absolutely succeeds at the vibe it aims for, and tells a pretty solid story to boot. You even have control over it, sort of, as your performance can alter where the story ends up.
Resident Evil 3
Speaking of survival horror, a blockbuster game managed to sneak its way here. It’s a remake of a game from the 90s and more of an action game than most, but Resident Evil 3 is a thrilling ride that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It also comes with a multiplayer game that’s a part of that asynchronous horror trend, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Carrion
What if you’d rather be the horror, instead of always on the receiving end? That’s exactly what Carrion does, giving players control of a viscous, toothy science experiment gone wrong as it escapes its prison tube and spreads its biomass throughout the facility. Carrion is a Metroidvania sort of game, but one where you get to use tentacles to tear doors and people to shreds.
Skelattack
Yes, I’m putting the cutesy skeleton platformer on this list. We love this adorable skeleton and will protect it at all costs.
This isn’t every horror game that came out this year, but they’re definitely the most notable and/or successful ones that are out now, or will be out by Halloween 2020. We won’t judge you for sticking with what you know, but if you sneak at least one game from this list onto yours, you won’t regret it.
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What are your spooky content plans for this year’s Halloween season? Got anything lined up already or are you playing it by ear? Giving any of these games a whirl? Let us know over at the Prima Games Facebook and Twitter channels!
