The Scariest and Spoopiest Games for this Halloween

The horror genre is easily, in this writer's personal opinion, one of the best genres to exist within the video game world. The simple act of being afraid of a game has ensured millions of people are too terrified to turn off the lights at night.

However, there is another breed of gamer out there who bathes in the fear, who loves to get their hands on the latest horror games and sit afraid in their living room or at their computer.

For those gamers, here are some of the very best horror games to enjoy this Halloween.

Until Dawn

Until Dawn, one of the most recently released horror games, albeit one exclusively on the PlayStation 4, is in the running for the best horror launch this year.

While the game is primarily about the story - much like TellTale's adventures - you can still control your character and put them through life or death situations. Every single choice you, the player, makes will alter the course of the story. Main characters will live or die depending on whether or not you take the left path or the right, or if you decide to hide or confront the killer head on.

It's terrifying and interesting all wrapped into one package.

SOMA

SOMA, the most recent sci-fi survival horror game from developer Frictional Games, has combined some intense scenery with an unsettling story about being a human being.

Set in an underwater facility, SOMA is tosses the player into this dilapidated world filled with robots who fancy themselves humans. The team at Frictional has created terrifying encounters with twisted creatures and insane AI, only you get to determine how to handle the situation on hand.

Bloodborne

Thanks to developer From Software, the creators of the Dark Souls franchise, the world of Gothic Horror has been brought down upon gamers' heads in Bloodborne; another PS4-exclusive title.

The game may not be scary in the same sense as SOMA or Until Dawn, but it certainly has its moments. The setting is the scariest of all, as is the difficulty, where if you die you start back further away. It is unforgiving.

Outlast

Outlast, although it is an older game, remains one of the very best survival horror titles in the entire world. The first-person perspective, the terrifying location, the creepy enemies, and more all lend their hand to ensure this tale sticks with you long after you complete the campaign.

With the most recent release of Whistleblower, there has never been a better time to enjoy the world of Outlast.

Honestly, Whistleblower features one of the very best antagonists seen within the video game world, and not just within the horror genre. See for yourself!

Alien: Isolation

There are very few games that truly scare me when it comes to the horror genre, but Alien: Isolation was the most recent to do so. I played late at night, enjoying the dark expanse of space for a time before things turned into a living nightmare aboard the spacecraft.

If you want the perfect horror atmosphere, then look no further than Alien: Isolation. This is the game everyone was waiting for when the Alien franchise turned toward the gaming world.

Spooky's House of Jumpscares

Spooky's House of Jumpscares doesn't look like it would scare anyone, let alone a child, but you'd be dead wrong in thinking that way. Ten minutes into the game and I was already on the edge of my seat as little monsters and creatures popped up in the hallways and random rooms.

The spoopy horror game boasts 1000 rooms of "cute terror" that the player must survive. Cuteness fades quickly and gives way to hideous creatures. It's unsettling.

The Forest

If you've ever been looking for a video game version of the film The Descent, with just a bit more added in, then The Forest is what you're looking for. Surviving alone on a deserted island after a plane crash is bad enough, but adding in flesh-eating cannibals and horrific deformed creatures is a bit overkill.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what this Steam Early Access title accomplished. It's an unsettling player-driven adventure that could last you days in-game, or you could last for all of ten minutes. The enemies are smart, they hunt you down after seeing you once, so staying on the move is a good idea.

In all, these horror games simply scratch the surface of the genre. Sure, they may be some of the very best recently released, but there are always plenty more to get your hands on for a couple of cheap thrills or horrifying nightmares.

Halloween is less than a week away, so if you truly want to be scared, then turn off the lights, close the blinds, toss on some headphones, and enjoy one of these titles.