Looking for a horror game this Halloween? Do not make the obvious choice

October is always the perfect time to dive Horror gamesAnd it looks like horror fans will be spoiled for choice this year. of the already-detailed Silent Hill 2 Remake to the less thoroughly transformed return of Until thenThere are a lot of obvious options to jump for. Even these Starfield DLC Shattered Space is getting into the spirit, adding a touch of cosmic horror to a game that otherwise focuses more on the joy of exploration than the fear of the unknown.

Despite the opportunities at hand, what better way to celebrate the Halloween season than to catch the newest blockbuster games. Major production values ​​can sometimes increase the fear factor, but the more interesting and immersive scares tend to be found in smaller titles that never overplay their hands. If a costume party or slasher film isn’t set to occupy Halloween night, slotting in a creative indie horror game with a short runtime virtually guarantees a great time, and there are some fantastic options to choose from.

World of Horror is a black and white 1-bit wonder

There’s nothing like this Roguelite RPG

One look at World of horror Shows just how different it is from any AAA horror experience on the market. A black-and-white style that clutters the screen with text and pixelated drawings is as enticing as it is overwhelming, with the influence taken from horror manga artist Junji Ito on its sleeve. Learning the ropes can definitely be a challenge, especially considering the heavy influence of random chance, but success feels more rewarding for it.

World of horror Employs a roguelite structure that encourages repeated playthroughs, so seeing the majority of what the game has to show can take a while. A single successful run is likely only an hour or soHowever, making it a good choice for quick entertainment. Either way, it is worth keeping in mind that the desire to venture out once again in the breach may end up lasting deep into the night.

Detention and dedication offer uniquely Taiwanese horror

Schools and apartments have never been so scary

Detention is about as high-profile as short indie horror games can get, but anyone who hasn’t yet checked it out should at least consider doing so. Created by the Taiwanese studio RedCandleGames, This is a fascinating look into the cultural and historical context of Taiwan in the 1960sAnd that’s without ever wanting to be a dry educational experience. Careful tension-building and a unique art style that leans into a handcrafted appearance Detention Enrapturing, priming its scares to be as effective as possible.

Although it is not available on Steam anymore, RedCandleGames followed Detention with DevotionWhich jumps to the 1980s and moves from the first game’s school setting to an apartment complex. While Detention is a side scroller, Devotion Offers a more equally immersive first-person experience, and it handles the new challenge just as well. A DRM-free version of the game can still be purchased directly from the RedCandleGames website. Both Detention And Devotion can be completed in three hours or so, qualifying them as very small commitments.

Dread X Collection is the perfect bite-sized sampler

An anthology series that is consistently creative

For truly bite-sized horror, it’s hard to find a better option than this Dread X Collection Series. All five Dread X Collection Games are, true to the name, collectionsPackaging anywhere from 7-12 small horror games with diverse styles into Anthology Bundles. Naturally, the attempt can feel a little hit or miss, but each entry has some memorable inclusions, and allowing publisher DreadXP to do the curating saves time and effort that might otherwise be spent scouring digital storefronts for hidden gems.

The best thing about the US Dread X Collection Games are as low-commitment as they come. If one part of any pack does not feel interesting or scary, it is easy to bounce to another, preventing Halloween night from a boring game and sunk cost fallacy. There’s also just an unbelievable amount of creativity on display, and even games without much of a fear factor, like the first collection Hand of doomAre often so charming and atmospheric that they still end up being the perfect choices for the season.

There is no shortage of small indie horror games

A constantly growing market keeps delivering

Although World of horror, DetentionAnd Dread X Collection They’re all great experiences, they’re just a few standouts in a fantastic indie scene of solid horror games. One place to look that can provide a ton of qualifiers is the library of games from Chilla’s ArtA Japanese two-man studio with more than twenty short horror titles published on Steam. Diving into more divisive choices like Paratopic It may also be worthwhile, especially for those who value atmosphere and eccentricity over the details of narrative structure and conventional scares.

For something a little longer than the games above but shorter than most major releases, Crow country is a surprisingly cozy 2024 standout that marries retro PlayStation style with fresh polish, and it can still be completed in one night with a bit more of a marathon approach. Getting a little loose with genre opens up its own alternatives. Although Rusty Lake should not be primarily labeled as horror and The Norwood Suite Definitely can’t qualify, they are still offbeat and potentially unnerving in all the right ways.

Like titles like these Resident Evil Remakes have proven there’s plenty of joy to be found in some of horror’s most high-budget experiences. But even if the games take up a lot of time this October, it’s absolutely worth squeezing in one or two smaller indie titles to shake up the season. Horror is often at its best when it plays up the weird, strange and unknown, and venturing off the beaten path this Halloween is the best way to find things that really embrace the spirit.