Looking to set your heart racing during the spooky season? Whether it’s a grizzly survival shooter primed to make you wince or something that skews a little more family friendly, you needn’t look far for some truly great horror video games to play during Halloween. PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch have so many Halloween video games to choose from, though, we thought it worthwhile to help Gaming Deals readers out with a definitive list of the best.
From ground-up remakes of beloved PS One horror classics to all-new creature features ready to grace your modern console, take your pick from any of these great spooky games perfect to play throughout Halloween:
10. Resident Evil 2
- Release Date: 25th January 2019
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer: Capcom
- Available Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, PC
Released back in 2019 for PS4, Xbox One and PC, the remake of Resident Evil 2 blew away all expectations by reinstalling some classic scares into a familiar environment using an entirely new graphics engine. You still play as Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield exploring the zombie-infested RPD headquarters, only now you do so from an RE 4 style over-the-shoulder perspective and against undead enemies that look incredibly realistic. You’ll attempt to find a way to escape with the dreaded Mr. X always hot on your heel, making Resident Evil 2 a perfect way to set in scares.
9. Until Dawn
- Release Date: 25th August 2015
- Publisher: Supermassive Games
- Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Available Platforms: PS4
Choose your own adventure may be a genre with a storied past, but Until Dawn is an underrated PS4 gem that merges the concept with the schlocky premise of a teenage slasher movie to create something totally fresh. You take on the role of numerous characters staying in a cabin in the woods, making decisions and uncovering pathways in the attempt to survive the supernatural dangers outside. Think of Until Dawn as more like an interactive movie than a traditional game. This is what makes it such a great Halloween game to play alongside others, letting you make choices together. Also for the PS5 players Until Dawn has received an update that boosts the frame rate to 60.
8. Luigi’s Mansion 3
- Release Date: 31st October 2019
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Next Level Games
- Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch
While Luigi’s Mansion 3 may not scare the bravest among us, it will most certainly be a great way to get the kids and family into the spooky Halloween spirit. Arriving exclusively on Nintendo Switch, Luigi’s Mansion 3 successfully ups the ante on the previous games by setting the titular sibling off in a sprawling hotel, with each floor being full of ghosts and ghouls just waiting to be hoovered up. This will be the first Luigi’s Mansion to be rendered fully in HD, showcasing the power of Nintendo Switch to offer up a Halloween-themed adventure like no other.
7. Dead by Daylight
- Release Date: 14th June 2016
- Publisher: Behaviour Interactive
- Developer: Behaviour Interactive
- Available Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, PC and Nintendo Switch
If multiplayer scares are more your thing, Dead by Daylight has been a popular choice for a fair few years now. It casts one player as a roaming murderer required to chase other players that are trying to escape. Recent years have seen all manner of legendary bad guys from Holly wood films added to the mix, including Leather Face from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Freddy from Nightmare on Elm Street. If you’re after an ideal party game this Halloween, trust Dead by Daylight to deliver asynchronous fun. PS5 and Xbox Series X players are also welcome to a free upgrade from their PS4 or Xbox One versions, boasting higher frame rates and better graphic fidelity. The game is constantly evolving and updating as one of the most popular asymmetric games in the multiplayer space.
6. Little Nightmares 2
- Release Date: 10th February 2021
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Developer: Tarsier Studios
- Available Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, PC and Nintendo Switch
2D side-scrollers, as a general rule of thumb, tend to be quite colourful and charming. However, the arrival of Limbo in 2010 suddenly changed all this, providing that the side-on perspective can equally give players chills given an appropriately spooky setting. Little Nightmares 2 is one of the best examples of this tact, it was released last year following the success of the first game back in 2017. Casting players as the yellow-coated Six and new character Mono attempting to escape an oversized world filled with haunting dangers. Give it a go if you prefer your Halloween video games to be bitesize.
5. GhostWire: Tokyo
- Release Date: 25th March 2022
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Developer: Tango Gameworks
- Available Platforms: PS5 and PC
GhostWire: Tokyo was released back in March of this year by Developer Tango Gameworks exclusively on PS5 and PC. A whole new IP that has been shrouded in mystery since its announcement back at E3 2019. Set in Tokyo as the game's title suggests players will explore the city where the population seems to be vanishing and dwindling and it's your job to find out why. Interact with supernatural entities in this open-world action experience as you find the truth of the city's demise and try to save Tokyo. A most enticing experience to play through this October that is simply oozing with style.
4. The Quarry
- Release Date: 10th June 2022
- Publisher: 2K
- Developer: Supermassive Games
- Available Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, PC
The highest game on this list to release this year is The Quarry which hit shelves back on June 10th. Brought to you by the same developers as Until Dawn this interactive horror game takes a group of teenage counsellors who must survive against all odds as both evil creatures and disturbing locals don't want them to see the end of their Summer. As the player, you will make choices which can lead to catastrophic consequences and different developments; meaning this game has some good replayability. This title definitely takes a lot of influence from teen slasher movies so if that's you're cup of tea this is an easy recommendation for this Halloween.
3. The Evil Within 2
- Release Date: 13th October 2017
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Developer: Tango Gameworks
- Available Platforms: PS4, Xbox One and PC
The second game produced by the original creator of Resident Evil, Evil Within 2 is a more confident and focused third-person survival horror game than the first, upping the scale by setting you off within a series of spooky hubs. The entire game takes place in your mind, meaning that nothing is off the table in terms of possible nightmares. The combat is always challenging but fair, and Evil Within 2 is unafraid to bend the mind a little in the story it weaves. A nice gem to play throughout Halloween.
2. Resident Evil Village
- Release Date: 2nd May 2021
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer: Capcom
- Available Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, PC
The Resident Evil series is obviously a behemoth in the survival horror genre with one of the games in the series already holding a spot in this list, and is there any way we could leave out the latest in the franchise? Of course not, Resident Evil Village was released back in May of this year on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X and PC and once again had a great critical reception. In the 8th installment of Resident Evil, protagonist Ethan Winters finds himself trapped in a remote village with residents who are more than strange. Following on the story of Resident Evil 7 and inspired by its gameplay this is another first-person experience where you must solve puzzles, defeat bosses and explore as you attempt to reunite with your daughter. An easy recommendation to fans of the survival horror genre this Halloween, with a pleasant mixture of exhilarating scares, gorgeous visuals and a haunting atmosphere. Furthermore, on October 28th 2022 Resident Evil Village is seeing the Shadows of Rose expansion where Rose Winters returns to the village to explore her own past. You can pick this DLC up separately or as a part of the Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition which also comes with the original game.
1. Alien Isolation
- Release Date: 6th October 2014
- Publisher: Sega
- Developer: Creative Assembly
- Available Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch
Our number one spot is an oldie but a truly terrifying horror experience. While the much-maligned Aliens: Colonial Marines left us with a very poor taste in the mouth, Alien Isolation showed us what can happen when a game pays true homage to a classic horror film correctly. Alien: Isolation is the slow-paced sequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien we never got, placing you in the shoes of Ellen’s daughter Amanda who is stuck on Sevastopol station trying to avoid the titular creature. You can never kill the Xenomorph stalking you, only delay it. What follows is the perfect sci-fi game of cat and mouse and a truly tense scary game for Halloween.
Guide Updated: 12th October 2022
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