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Remedy’s Alan Wake 2 has set itself up to be the premiere scary game of the Halloween season this year. That doesn’t mean it’s the only scary game out there that players should break out for the night of fright. 2023 has been full of fantastic horror titles, and currently, there are spooky games being offered to players at no extra cost on basically every major platform where players are looking, some from this year and some big hits from the past that should definitely be experienced by those who haven’t tried them out yet.
Dead Space (2023 Remake)
The original Dead Space is one of the greatest horror games of all time. The atmosphere it creates through its alien, biological horrors combined with the cold, sci-fi surroundings is only enhanced by this remake’s attention to giving the original title a massive visual buff.
Just in time for Halloween, the new remake has become available on Xbox Game Pass for subscribers on both console and PC. There’s a lot of great horror stuff on Game Pass, including the entire original Dead Space trilogy if any players are interested in binging the entire series during the spooky season. Still, the remake is definitely a 2023 highlight.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Gun Interactive’s latest horror multiplayer game The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, does a good job balancing the familiar asymmetric multiplayer horror genre tropes with some twists to keep things interesting, combined with an obvious adoration for the iconic original film.
The game was a day-one Xbox Game Pass title and continues to be available through the service. For a game like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Game Pass is a great way for a group of friends to pick up the game and try it out, and this is definitely the type of game that’s a lot of fun to play around with in a small group.
The Evil Within 2
The 2017 modern horror hit is definitely worth a first playthrough or a revisit for any players who want a truly terrifying experience on Halloween. The Evil Within is a truly intense experience between the horrifying landscapes and bloodthirsty, nightmarish enemies it manages to conjure up consistently throughout its runtime.
The main reason The Evil Within 2 shows up on this list is that the Epic Games Store recently made this game free for all players to add to their libraries through the week of Halloween, so it’s a must-grab for PC players looking for a scary game for Halloween who don’t already own the title.
World War Z: Aftermath
Similar to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, World War Z: Aftermath is a game that a group of people looking to play something intense and horror-themed on Halloween should definitely be kept in consideration. It’s a thrilling game that sees players working together as a group to stop the terrifyingly quick and ferocious zombies first incepted in Max Brooks’ hit novel, and the variety of locations available for players to explore and fight their way through definitely ups the game’s appeal.
World War Z: Aftermath is currently on the PS Plus roster of titles available for the Extra tier subscribers. There are a number of other solid horror titles available in the PS5’s catalog as well like Alien: Isolation, Hello Neighbor, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, and more.
Luigi’s Mansion 3
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is, pretty obviously, the least scary game for Halloween on this list. More often than not, the game will make the player laugh before it makes them scream. However, horror and comedy are a match made in heaven, and this game still manages to strike a great tone for players who want something in the spirit of Halloween without actually wanting to get traumatized by spine-chilling imagery.
It’s the only game on this list that isn’t currently freely available somewhere. Sadly, Nintendo isn’t big on major discounts or giveaways for its first-party content, but it’s still a game worth considering for Switch owners who want something ghostly for Halloween. There are also some spooky retro titles available on Nintendo Switch Online like Ghouls ‘n Ghosts or Castlevania: Bloodlines for any players who might be looking for more of an old-school scary experience.
