Dec 24, 2024
Oct 29,2024
Whether you're after a high-stakes horror, a fun multiplayer with a spot of carnage, or even a spooky comedy, video games are one of the best ways to enjoy Halloween. And through the years, there’s been plenty of new scary staples to enjoy.
Below is a mix of new releases and updated classics that are sure to raise the heartbeat, all the while balancing fright and delight. From Hollywood blockbuster crossovers to terrifying chase games, dark comedy and more, these are some of the best new games to play this Halloween season.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead
A Quiet Place is a blockbuster franchise that plays on your senses. In a world with blind aliens who hunt humans through sound alone, the message is clear: stay quiet…or else. So when this behemoth of cinema decided to transform itself into a video game, horror fans were undoubtedly curious to see how the mechanic would translate.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a stand-alone story. Playing as the asthmatic Alex will provide fans of the movies with a new way to enjoy this unique world of silence. The atmosphere is unnerving as you tip-toe around a virtual world, trying to slip past abomination after abomination undetected.
With a first-person perspective, you're given a front-row seat to the distressing world before you. And the game doesn’t make things easy for you. Environments are littered with booby traps that can trigger a simple noise and lead to your downfall.
As such, every step you make is considered. Creaky floorboards, cluttered rooms, and rusty door hinges are now your mortal enemies. This slows the game's pace and makes every single motion agonisingly prolonged.
The game has an option microphone noise detection feature reserved for the bravest of gamers. With it on, it’s no longer enough to stay quiet in-game; you must be silent in reality, too. If you make a noise from the comfort of your chair, the game will punish you. Blending stealth, survival and silence, it’s a brand new, interactive way to enjoy the magic (and terror) of the movies.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
CROWDED. FOLLOWED.
CROWDED. FOLLOWED. is a cat-and-mouse psychological horror that feeds on your paranoia and anxiety at every moment. It sees you desperately running from a malignant entity - who could very well be anyone around you. Great…
The game opens with the constant thud of your heartbeat. And already, your nerves are primed. As you beg on the street for spare coins, you realise your character is in a sorry state of health. In a game about running away from something, this does not bode well for you.
Upon hearing a strange noise down a side street, you find yourself the owner of a mysterious briefcase. And this briefcase is attracting the attention of a sinister creature who will hunt you mercilessly from now on to get it.
You'll try to run aimlessly through crowds of people to create some distance. Environments are dark and claustrophobic, causing you to look frantically for any possible exit or loop around familiar territory, all the while scanning for missed supplies.
CROWDED. FOLLOWED. has an agonising twist on the stamina bar – your inhaler. You’ll need to slow down and prime it to keep running. This puts you at the mercy of the entity on a regular basis, who, unfortunately, has no trouble navigating the labyrinth of levels.
If you’re too slow, a terrifying jumpscare will flash across your screen. And no matter how often you get caught, nothing can prepare you for the frights. Created by indie studio NIGHT DIAL and published by Banshee Games, this game represents the huge growth the Northern Irish games industry is enjoying right now. Suffice it to say, if you need a short scare this Halloween, this game will deliver.
CROWDED. FOLLOWED. is available to play on PC
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Asymmetrical horror games are a fickle thing— upon release, they start off strong. They're fun. They’re hilarious. They’re equally scary. But eventually, the hype fizzles as everyone goes back to the behemoth that is Dead by Daylight.
But The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game has done the impossible. A year after release, it's going from strength to strength, with new game modes and new cosmetics released recently that prove it has sticking power. It’s here to stay—time to take a seat at its horrifying table.
Based on the 1974 horror film, this game relies on a surprising amount of teamwork to survive whatever horrors await you or inflict as much pain as possible. Playing as one of the four survivors, you must navigate a maze of tunnels, staircases, alleys, and more to find a means of escape. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to choose an escape route that fits your playstyle.
As you unlock new parts of the map, repair essential systems, or arm yourself with weapons, there’s danger afoot. You’re not alone, after all. Three killers will hunt you mercilessly around the map, listening to any hint of movement. From the vigilant Cook and the sadistic Johnny to the iconic Leatherface, each killer has unique weapons, abilities and playstyles to add flavour to every match.
New campy cosmetics and game modes mean there’s a wealth of gruesome fun with the Sawyer family to look forward to. And it’s great to see the developers leaning into their previous Friday the 13th legacy. With matches including up to 7 players, a group of friends can easily have many horrifying matches together this spooky season.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Until Dawn (2024 version)
With a cast of famous faces like Hayden Panettiere and Rami Malek, Until Dawn was a horror revelation. Released in 2015, its 'butterfly effect' gameplay mechanic meant there were over 256 possible endings to enjoy, giving players the ultimate freedom to save (or kill) their cast of famous faces.
With a blockbuster film scheduled for release in 2025, it comes as no surprise that the game returns to our consoles this year with an upgraded and revamped version. Rebuilt and enhanced from the ground up, this game promises movie-like graphics that put you into the thick of every gripping and gruesome decision you make.
For gamers on their first visit to Blackwood Mountain, Until Dawn is an interactive drama. You play as a gang of friends who return to a lodge where two of their friends vanished mysteriously a year prior. Seems like such a great idea, right?
The player controls characters at different points throughout. Each time, you’ll make choices that can and will affect events further down the line. Some are minor and superficial, while others have devastating consequences that can determine who lives and dies much later in the game.
It’s an engrossing game mechanic with massive replayability. Trying to have everyone survive until the credits can be arduous without any guides or tips. And as deaths are permanent, there’s no guarantee your favourites will survive till the end.
If you haven’t played the original Until Dawn, the new version offers a great way to experience the horror hype. That said, part of the original's charm was the twists, turns, and subtle deaths characters could endure. Those who survived the 2015 edition might have seen all this remaster has to offer.
Until Dawn (2024) is available to play on PlayStation 5 and PC
Vampire Therapist
When we think of vampires, our minds are instantly drawn to fangs, blood and vengeance. But rarely do we think how hard life must be for an immortal apex predator…that is, until Vampire Therapist.
This is a visual novel game centred around mental health. You play as Sam Walls, a cowboy vampire who, after having an epiphany from his murderous tendencies, wants to reform his life as a modern-day bloodsucker. His quest to become a counsellor brings him to the ancient vampire, Andromachos, for advice and training.
Throughout the game, Sam receives his own therapy sessions, gradually learning about and applying the principles behind positive mental health. He'll channel these lessons into a host of therapy sessions with cookie vampires, challenging their 'cognitive distortions’. This is a game where every character you meet is more zany than the last. And you’ll learn that not every vampire is coping with their lives as immortal creatures.
Beautiful artwork and voice-acting will keep you clued into the conversations on screen. While Vampire Therapist balances some surprisingly serious mental health theory with captivating dialogue, dark comedy is its secret ingredient. As such, expect lots of innuendo, adult themes, and mature content to sink your teeth into.
Vampire Therapist is available to play on PC
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