Five Video Games to Play this Halloween

By Trey Higgins
Web Editor

Halloween is finally upon us. In just a few short hours children will be ruining their dental hygiene for the year and sorority girls in matching Harley Quinn costumes will be glaring at each other from across the room of a party. It’s a magical time of year, filled with ghosts and ghouls and “Simpsons: Tree House of Horror” marathons. If you’re anything like me, you’ll likely be enjoying the evening planted in your favorite chair with a bowl full of snack size Kit Kats in your lap and a controller in your hand. If you don’t know what video games to play this Halloween, have no fear because I’m here to suggest five of the games I’ll be deciding between. 

Alien Isolation

One of my favorite horror movies is “Alien.” After years of video game missteps with the franchise, it appears that developer Creative Assembly has finally gotten it right. “Alien Isolation” takes place fifteen years after “Alien” the film. You play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, as she explores the Nostromo in an attempt to gain closure regarding the fate of her mother. The gameplay in “Alien Isolation” is your typical run of the mill first person action. Your enemy in the game is a singular super smart alien. This terrifying extraterrestrial was programmed to find the main character through sight, sound and smell. Your job is to hide from and distract it in hopes of sneaking by when the beast isn’t looking, which is easier said than done. Horror fans will love the stressful encounters with the alien and fans of the classic horror film will love how faithful the game is to the franchise. “Alien Isolation” is available on pretty much any console but is probably best played on X-Box One, Playstation 4 or higher end PCs.

P.T.

During the Gamescom earlier this year Sony released a strange demo for a game known as “P.T.” The demo is absolutely terrifying. I don’t want to go into much detail about why you should play this game or what the experience is like. Once you begin to play the game, you’ll get exactly why the demo has been downloaded and played by so many people. The final scene in the game will delight both gamers and fans of the horror genre. The game is only available on PS4 and is free. If you own a PS4 there is no reason why you shouldn’t at least try it out.

Costume Quest 2

If spooky games aren’t really your cup of tea, “Costume Quest 2” might just be the game for you. You control one of two adorable fraternal twins, Reynold or Wren, as they attempt to make friends and collect candy on Halloween. This game is a turn-based role playing game (think “Final Fantasy” or Pokemon) but your character’s powers are determined by the costume they choose to wear. At the moment you can buy the game on all platforms, and it’s a little bit cheaper than the standard game.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

“Animal Crossing: New Leaf” is another option for those of us who are a little softer of heart. This delightful game places you in the shoes of an adorable human who is elected mayor of a small town full of anthropomorphic animals. The game offers you a ton of ways to customize your town, home and character. Although “New Leaf” isn’t a Halloween game in and of itself, the game follows the internal clock on your Nintendo 3DS and has certain holidays scheduled throughout the year. On Halloween, you can run around the town collecting candy to get you exclusive furniture for your house, while simultaneously seeing your furry neighbors dressed up. The best part is that the portable nature of this game allows you to play in the middle of a party your friends dragged you to. 

The Evil Within

“The Evil Within” is a terrifying game created by Shinji Makami, the master behind the “Resident Evil” series. While the game isn’t connected to “Resident Evil” in any way other than a shared creator, it does control very similarly to the fourth game in the franchise. You play as detective Sebastian Castellanos as he attempts to escape a horrific delusion. The game is third person and its mechanics are focused on using stealth and the environment to survive encounters with deranged enemies. Like “Alien Isolation,” this game is available on pretty much any platform you can think of but is probably best played on next generation consoles or higher end PCs.

Well, there you have it. Do you have any other suggestions for great horror games to play tonight? If so, leave a few in the comments section below. Happy Halloween and stay safe.