Halloween season is a great time to revisit games in the horror genre to get into the spirit of the holiday. It's the best time during autumn, when some of the darkest and creepiest beings become the focus of every form of entertainment. Whether you're a fan of survival horror games or any title with monsters and ghouls that show up to the party, there are tons of great games to play during Halloween. But it's not always a good idea to play some games with the lights off, sitting in the dark of your house with the screen on. Anyone that is easily frightened by horror-related experiences would be terrified by how some games go out of their way to scare players.
Horror games have a special tendency to make us feel something visceral when playing through them. The monsters may not be real, but the tension and fight or flight response can definitely feel like it. And playing them in the dark will definitely not help keep your cool. Here are four games you don't want to play with the lights off during Halloween season. Don't say we didn't warn you!
Dead Space (Remake)
Gruesome body horror
The Dead Space games are some of the best horror video games around. Many people love the atmosphere they create, with a sci-fi twist on the suspenseful body horror that is present throughout the series. But while many players love the original game from 2008, the remake of Dead Space in 2023 improved upon the original in many ways. Voice actors reprised their roles from the original game, which was greatly appreciated by fans of the series. The lighting and the overall sound design were improved upon, making every section of the game to be scarier.
Dead Space takes place on a mining ship in deep space, the USG Ishimura. An engineer named Issac Clarke finds himself stranded there when a breakout of horrific creatures known as Necromorphs overrun the ship. While trying to survive and fight his inner demons, Issac has to outrun the Necromorphs and find the root cause of the appearance of the monsters. The original game was known for having enemies that would continuously attack players until their limbs were cut off, and their bodies fully destroyed, making for a truly terrifying experience when faced with danger.
One aspect of Dead Space that many people loved was how immersive it was. Elements of the HUD were part of the model of Issac, with windows being projected from his suit and weapons, as well as health being shown on his back while moving. This kept everything feeling tense throughout, with the possibility of a Necromorph appearing while a player was trying to get their bearings in order. Roaming in the dark through the Ishimura was scary, especially when the sounds of Necromorphs moving around would keep everyone on high alert.
Dead Space
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Survival Horror
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Released October 14, 2008
ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Developer(s) Visceral Games
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Engine Frostbite
Franchise Dead Space
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DIGITAL
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Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Faced with survival terror
Prior to the release of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Capcom's legendary survival horror series had always provided experiences that were done in the third-person. Whether it was through fixed camera angles or behind the shoulder of a character, the horror and action of the series was always being seen through a third-person camera lens. But when Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was released on consoles, Capcom shifted things to a first-person view, which completely changed the dynamic of gameplay for the first time. Players would see through the eyes of a new character named Ethan Winters, whose connection to the Baker Family will scare and surprise everyone.
What worked for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was how the first-person view allowed the series to take certain aspects of survival horror even further. Most scary things can be even scarier when seen through this perspective, as opposed to how Resident Evil had done so previously for a long time. Watching Ethan's hand get chopped off through his eyes is a real eye-opener that wouldn't have impacted players the same way through the traditional third-person view. The same goes for many of the encounters throughout Resident Evil 7, which have Ethan facing off against all sorts of biological horrors and crazy monsters.
The change to the series was so successful that the next game to follow, Resident Evil Village, would do something similar. While the story was different, the first-person viewpoint was retained and pushed even further. People have always associated Resident Evil with the best of the survival horror genre, and both of these games help solidify how willing Capcom was to go forward with new ideas to keep that reputation. What resulted is some of the best horror game experiences anyone can play through today. But maybe you shouldn't play through them in the dark, because they can be that scary.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
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Survival Horror
Psychological Horror
First-Person
Systems
OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 86/100 Critics Rec: 90%
Released January 24, 2017
ESRB Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
Developer(s) Capcom
Publisher(s) Capcom
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DIGITAL
Engine RE Engine
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Five Nights at Freddy's
The jump scares feel real
In comparison to many other horror games out there, Five Nights at Freddy's can seem a little silly. The idea of haunted animatronics that roam around an entertainment center and restaurant at night might be seem like material for a b-movie. And while that might be true to an extent, playing through the game can catch most people off guard, especially when played at night. Five Nights at Freddy's has players watching over cameras and shutting doors to prevent anything hostile from slipping in, which can be one of a few broken down and haunted mascots from Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Don't let the goofy look of the animatronics fool you.
The game is known for its frequent and potent jump scares, which happen when a player fails to prevent the animatronics from catching them in the security area. Looking over the camera and locking doors periodically are the key to getting through each of the nights that you spend in the restaurant. Each of the four mascots for Freddy Fazbear's can be terrifying when they show up and scare you, signifying your failure. In the middle of this, a dark and haunting tale is told about how the place became haunted, and who was responsible for drawing the ire of those who passed away.
The game took on a life of its own, with many online communities and content creators sharing it around. Its massive success led to multiple sequels and spin-off games that tie into the lore of Five Nights at Freddy's, with a few releases on home consoles. It may seem like a silly and goofy-looking game in the daytime, but you may want to think twice if you're planning on playing Five Nights at Freddy's in the dark. You may not be able to handle the jump scares.
Five Nights at Freddy's
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Survival Horror
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OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 78/100 Critics Rec: 71%
Released August 8, 2014
ESRB m
Developer(s) Scott Cawthon
Publisher(s) Scott Cawthon, Clickteam LLC USA
Engine multimedia fusion
Franchise Five Nights at Freddy's
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DIGITAL
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Alien: Isolation
The xenomorph will find you
The Alien franchise is massively popular, with multiple films and video game releases being part of it. But while there have been many action games related to the Alien series, with games like Aliens: Colonial Marines and Alien vs Predator, there haven't been many horror games specifically made for the franchise. It's the originals of what jump started things in the first place, dating back to 1979 with the first movie. This is what Alien: Isolation takes its inspiration from the most, opting to be more true survival horror than pure action. It's a nice change of pace for fans who love to go back to the original film.
The gameplay of Alien: Isolation is done in first-person, and takes you to different locations inspired by the universe, but heavily based on aspects of the first Alien movie. The plot of the game even ties back to that movie in a clever way, paying homage to the character of Ellen Ripley by focusing on her daughter, Amanda Ripley. While some people may contend that the game plays too loosely with the canon of the franchise, many will agree that it also takes some of the best aspects from the first film to create a really solid survival horror game.
Players are constantly running and hiding from the infamous xenomorph alien, which roams the space station Sevastopol, which is decimated after humans stationed there try to contain it. While Amanda has access to weapons like guns and a flamethrower, she can't kill the xenomorph and must avoid encountering it when possible. Doing so will lead to a quick death, in a fashion that only the Alien series can deliver, in a terrifying way. Hiding around corners or in lockers to avoid being spotted is important, because as soon as the xenomorph notices, it'll pursue relentlessly. The most terrifying moments in the game come when you're hiding and watching the xenomorph slowly scan through the area for its next victim. It's the stuff pulled directly out of nightmares, and something nobody can truly handle when the lights are out.
The game has been praised heavily by critics and players for its atmosphere, even with some of the technical hiccups it suffers from occasionally. The game was successful enough to warrant the release of downloadable content that was based on the first Alien film, which put players in control of Ellen Ripley herself, with the likeness of actress Sigourney Weaver. It's a great horror game experience that should be played by any fan of the genre, especially if you love watching the Alien movies and want to see more from that universe.
Alien: Isolation
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Survival Horror
Systems
OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 81/100 Critics Rec: 76%
Released October 7, 2014
ESRB M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s) Creative Assembly
Publisher(s) Sega
Engine Cathode
Franchise Alien
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DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Keep the lights on, seriously
Horror games can really bring out reactions from us because of how they prey on our fears and uncomfortable thoughts of danger. And while it can be fun going through these types of games and freaking out at some of the scary moments, things can be even more frightful when playing them in the dark. Anyone looking to give themselves a good scare during Halloween season will definitely get what they ask for with any of these games. But don't say we didn't warn you, because you may want to keep the lights on when you play them. Seriously, we're not kidding, you may not be ready for what awaits you.