Autumn is in full swing with a crisp chill in the air, shorter days and pumpkin spice flavour in everything. It’s a sure sign that Halloween is on the way, now is the perfect time immerse yourself in spooky, fun filled frights. I’ve braved some of videogame’s scariest delights to bring you my top picks for the season of scares. Let’s take a look some family fun and mature experiences that will make the hairs on your neck stand up.
Family Friendly Halloween Frights
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Halloween Event)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nintendo EPD
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Simulation
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons might not immediately cross your mind for a ghoulish time, but its chalk full of Halloween content. Thanks to the recent fall update you can dress up and decorate your island in pumpkins, scarecrows and more. You’ll even get a visit from Jack the czar of Halloween to help with your trick or treating adventures. You can convert your island paradise into a massive Halloween party!
Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Nintendo Switch
Goosebumps Dead of Night
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch 
Developer: Cosmic Forces
Publisher: Cosmic Forces
Genre: Action-Adventure
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone 10+)
The classic children’s novels return as a chilling video game that pits you against iconic ghouls, terrifying environments and plenty of jump scares. The first-person experience lets you explore settings like R.L. Stine’s House, Dr. Brewer’s Twisted Conservatory, and Tesla’s Tower. The entire experience is hosted by the ventriloquist dummy Slappy, who is voiced by actor Jack Black. Classic characters, settings, and scares add up to a thrilling and scary adventure.
Gamers Beware—You’re in for a Scare!
Buy Goosebumps Dead of Night for Nintendo Switch
Adult Scares
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (The Haunting of Verdansk)
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC 
Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision
Genre: First-person shooter
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
For a limited time, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone are being transformed for All Hallows Eve. Both the game and Warzone will receive seasonal skins, weapons and modes. Headlining the event are SAW’s Jigsaw and Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre who are available as purchasable skins. The biggest changes come to Warzone complete with a spooky moonlit night mode, Zombie Royale and “trick or treat” boxes scattered around the map. Get locked and loaded quickly, the limited time event runs for two weeks from October 20th – November 3rd.
Good luck surviving the horrors of Verdansk, you are going to need it.
Get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for PlayStation 4
Buy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for Xbox One
The Last of Us Part II
Platform: PlayStation 4
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Genre: Action-adventure
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
Nothing says Halloween horror like exploring a post-apocalyptic United States with Joel and Ellie. The story picks up 5 years after The Last of Us with the two mired in a tale of gritty survival against monstrously mutated humans. Additionally, fellow survivors who have broken off into warring factions, looking to establish dominance in a chaotic dystopia.
Developer Naughty Dog delivers one of the best games of the decade packing enough twists, turns and horrifying thrills to keep you on the edge of your seat. The Last of Us 2 is a marquee in graphics, story and survival horror.
Get The Last of Us Part 2 for PlayStation 4
Resident Evil 3
Platforms: PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Genre: Survival Horror
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
Nothing says Halloween like scores of the walking dead creating chaos and horror. Resident Evil 3 is the sequel to the stellar Resident Evil 2 remake, both are some of the best the survival horror genre has to offer. In RE3 you’ll play as Jill Valentine who is desperately trying to escape the biological terrors of Racoon City.
The experience is more visceral with a completely new graphics engine, revamped sound and gameplay design. Additionally, face off against Nemesis an overpowering monster that tracks you anywhere and is unrelenting in his mission to eliminate you. If you are looking for a nightmarish battle for survival, this is one of the best out there.
Buy Resident Evil 3 for PlayStation 4
Get Resident Evil 3 for Xbox One
Borderlands 3 (Bloody Harvest Event)
Platforms: PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Developer: Gearbox Software
Publisher: 2K Games
Genre: First-person shooter
Modes: Multiplayer
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
There are many tricks and treats in the wild world of Borderlands 3, even more have arrived with the spooky Halloween event Bloody Harvest. This spooky content is free as long as you own Borderlands 3, Captain Haunt and his macabre minions await. Exclusive rare rewards are up for grabs like a weapon trinket, ECHO, Vault Hunter and weapon skins. Don’t delay the event runs for a limited time ending November 5th!
Great news for next-gen Vault Hunters, an upgrade will be launching day-and-date for the game with the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. You’ll see a big increase in visual fidelity going from 30fps to 60fps all running at full 4K resolution. Three to four player local multiplayer is also being added along with vertical two player co-op. All of these features and improvements will be added for free in the next-gen console patch.
Buy Borderlands 3 for PlayStation 4
Get Borderlands 3 for Xbox One
Dreams (All Hallows’ Dreams Event)
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Developer: Media Molecule
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Game creation system
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
If you are into building, designing and exploring for some frights, Dreams is an experience you’ll love! The game is all about building your own interactive experience, you can design your very own game, within the game.
Developer Media Molecule has a special event launching October 15th called All Hallows’ Dreams which is a collaborative build with the community. For the spooky event players have the opportunity to design each room within a massive Haunted House. You can submit your own spooky room, carve a pumpkin or explore what the community has to offer. Beyond Halloween, Dreams has incredible host of tools to help bring your gaming vision to life. Let your creativity run wild!
Maneater
Platforms: PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Developer: Tripwire Interactive / Blindside Interactive
Publisher: Tripwire Interactive / Deep Silver
Genre: Action role-playing
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
This Halloween, become a nightmarish monster of the deep in Maneater. This open world action RPG lets you eat, explore and evolve into a ferocious apex predator. The game’s concept is definitely one of the most original (and gory) to come out this year, letting you play as a shark. It’s a tale of revenge (pun intended) where you grow from a wee bull shark into a massive killing machine on the hunt for your mother’s murderer Scaly Pete. If you are picking up the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, the game will get a free next-gen upgrade. You’ll be able to terrorize the Gulf Coast in 4K at 60fps with Ray Tracing to bolster lighting and environmental effects.
Disrupt the food chain, grow and evolve beyond what nature intended and become a terrifying Franken-shark.
Buy Maneater for PlayStation 4
Get Maneater for Xbox One
Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Fighting
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
If you picked up the recently released Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Kollection or the Aftermath Expansion DLC you’re in for a treat with some free Halloween content. The All Hallows’ Eve skin pack is available now adding new costumes to a few of the series’ mainstay characters. D’vorah dons a “Bad Medicine” nurse outfit, Sub-Zero dresses up as “Blizzard King.” In addition, Johnny Cage awakens a “Beast Within” morphing into an 80’s Werewolf.
Buy Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath for PlayStation 4
Get Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath for Xbox One
Control Ultimate Edition
Platforms: PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: 505 Games
Genre: Action-adventure
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
Just in time for Halloween psychological thriller Control Ultimate Edition will be arriving on the PS4 and Xbox One. The new edition will include the main game and all previously released expansions in one package. Harness supernatural abilities as Jesse Faden in a struggle to battle back evil forces who have taken over the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control. The story is a spine-tingling supernatural adventure with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The second expansion pack adds lore from the classic horror game Alan Wake. This provides even more thrills and chills for your virtual Halloween adventures. Furthermore, this edition of the game will grant you access to enhanced next-gen content on the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Buy Control Ultimate Edition for PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5
Get Control Ultimate Edition for Xbox One / Xbox Series X
Did your favourite horror game of 2020 make my list?
To sum up, there’s my big list for the top Halloween horror games, enter if you dare! What are some of your favourites for a good scare? Let me know in the comments below, Happy Halloween!
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