Halloween is just around the corner, and for us gamers, it’s more than an excuse to dress up in costume and get totally off your face on cheap booze. Nope, it’s chiefly the excuse we need to pull out some classic horror games spanning PlayStation’s illustrious history, close the curtains, grab some pizza, and indulge in a spot of pant-wetting gaming marathons. But what games are worth your time this Halloween?
Love scary games? Here’s 5 essential PlayStation Halloween classics that’ll have you reaching for the underwear drawer in no time.
Resident Evil HD Remaster
While the original Resident Evil is rightly one of the most influential horror titles to grace PlayStation, the remake is unequivocally a far scarier and superior product in just about every conceivable aspect. So, how about cranking out the PS4 HD remaster and dim those lights for a night out at the Spencer Mansion? Resi Remake is the quintessential fright fest, with its chillingly atmospheric locations, blood-thirsty zombies, and fiendish puzzles making for the perfect Halloween recipe regardless whether you’re a fan of the series or not. Whether you’re capping undead as a thunderstorm rages outside the mansion, lobbing grenades shells at skittery giant spiders in the Guard House, or facing off against the seemingly immortal Tyrant in the spooky labs, Resi Remake is one game you simply must dust off this Halloween.
Silent Hill 2
Konami’s psychological horror sequel may be 15-years-old, but it’s lost none of its ability to soil sofas. Indeed, Silent Hill 2 ranks as one of the scariest videogames to date, and it does without so much as breaking a sweat. There’s no jump tactics here ala Resi; Silent Hill 2 delves deep into your noggin, creating a perennial sense of stomach-knotting dread that stays with you until the credits roll. James Sunderland’s trip into the foggy streets, encountering all manner of grotesque beast—many of which are dripping with ambiguity and dark sexual undertones—makes for an epic and chilling solo experience, and one that you’ll no doubt find hard to complete without having to take a breather after every gut-churning boss battle. Featuring one of the most compelling narratives of the genre, Silent Hill 2 is simply one of the best Halloween ‘treats’ you could bestow upon yourself this year.
Siren: Blood Curse
Effectively a reboot of the classic Siren franchise on PS2, Siren: Blood Curse is an episodic horror romp that draws much of its inspiration from Silent Hill, offering a psychological horror trip that stands out among its contemporaries. Set in a spooky, remote Japanese village, Blood Curse has you playing through the same story from the perspective of multiple characters, each one woven seamlessly into each other as you attempt to survive the night against its ghoulish, pale-faced residents. The Sight Jacking feature, which allows you to see through the eyes of your foes, is particularly intriguing, not to mention unsettling as your enemy hunts you down and you see yourself getting closer in its blood-smeared gaze. Indeed, there’s something intrinsically unsettling about its grainy aesthetic, and at times feels like you are auditioning for a role in the next Grudge film. An underrated classic, Siren: Blood Curse is definitely worth a punt this Halloween.
Dead Space
There was a time that EA’s Dead Space series looked set to steal the horror crown from Resident Evil and Silent Hill, and while the future of the brand remains up in the air, there’s no denying it’s left some quality scares behind it. The original game is easily one of the best horror games of the past decade or so, and even to this day puts modern titles to shame. Surely, the undead Necromorphs rank among the most gruesome foes to come out of the horror space in some time, while the doomed Ishimura provides some of the downright creepiest environments to explore outside of Resi’s Spencer Mansion and the streets of Silent Hill. Not only that, but Dead Space’s strategic dismemberment system is just down right fun to play, as you nonchalantly slice-’n-dice infected crew members with devastating and visceral precision. In terms of sheer atmosphere, Dead Space really has no rival; this is a game that doesn’t need to do anything to spook you out, and that speaks volume of Visceral Games’ deft horror gaming chops.
Outlast
Set in a creepy and dilapidated psychiatric hospital, Outlast in many ways feels more like Clock Tower than anything else, in the sense it eschews traditional horror combat in favor of exploration and narrative. Echoing found footage exploits such as The Blair Witch Project, Outlast sees hero Miles Upshur skulking through the corridors of the hospital while avoiding its homicidal occupants, while documenting the events via his notebook and camcorder. A slower paced affair than most horror titles, Outlast captures you with its stellar atmosphere and plot, while forcing you to hide from enemies in heart-pumping sequences that really showcase its old-school charm.
Which horror games would you add to list of scary games?