Every gamer needs a little bit of horror in their lives now and then. If you are one of those people who love to add a little thrill and horror to the mundane, Halloween is probably your favorite time of the year.
But to fully enjoy Halloween, you need to make the right preparations. Sure costume parties and horror films induce a little dose of horror and excitement, but they do not make you feel like you are a part of it.
So if you are a horror freak and a game lover as well, we have just the thing that could make your Halloween thrilling and full of horror-fun. To get the right amount of excitement, you need to try these
5 Best Retro PC Games To Play On Halloween
System Shock 2
System Shock 2 is a scary first-person survival game that was developed by Ken Levine, Irrational Games, and Looking Glass Studios in 1999. The game gives a cyberpunk portrayal of 2114, with the setting being the inside of a spooky starship.
The storyline features first-person action and discovery but it also integrates aspects of the role-playing, in which you can acquire abilities and characteristics like hacking and psionic talents.
The game starts with you being alone and having no memory of your identity. But given the setting, you get to play the part of a military man attempting to stop a genetic illness that has badly affected the ship.
The background is described gradually by collecting audio records from you, and experiences with demonic appearances. Of course, you are equipped with an arsenal of melee and ranged weapons to kill opponents.
The scary audio really sets the pace, “Look at you hacker. A pathetic creature of meat and bone panting and sweating as you run through my corridors. How can you challenge a perfect immortal machine?”.
These lines just get you immersed in an instant. You get the feeling that what you are experiencing is just the beginning of the horror.
The 7th Guest
The 7th Guest is an immersive video game, developed by Trilobyte and officially published in April 1993 by Virgin Interactive Entertainment. The game has the setting of a deserted mansion.
Your role will be that of an amnesiac. The game starts with a trip down memory lane of the Harley-on-the-Hudson town in 1935, and the chills start right away.
A wanderer named Henry Stauf begins a sequence of horrible crimes by murdering a lady to rob her. Live combat videos, pre-rendered 3D visuals, and adult material are a central aspect of the game.
The mansion is quite creepy with eerie drawings, shocking visuals, so much so that you may get creeped out, but that is exactly what you are looking for, right?
You will also hear Stauf’s voice throughout the game, threatening and ridiculing you like “We’ll all be dead by the time you solve this!” or “Don’t think you’ll be so lucky next time!”
And Stauf’s scream when you exit the game will get you every time.
Alone In The Dark
This game has the setting of you being alone in a haunted mansion. When you have restricted assets and nobody to support you, the dread and suspense reach another level fast.
It starts with supernatural researcher Edward Carnby being taken for execution by a security officer to the rooftop. But when the officer gets pulled away and murdered by an unknown force, then the horror begins.
The game includes an adjustable first- and third-person camera. The environment is a large part to the gameplay because you can scoop up and make use of whatever item as a combat weapon.
The game is full of uphill fights, isolated landscapes, creatures. Cracking puzzles to stay alive is also part of the storyline.
In the present day, the visuals which meld with 2D surroundings and 3D polygonal structures, sound very simple but still hold up. It gives you a quite immersive and intimidating atmosphere.
Sanitarium
Sanitarium is a scary adventure PC game that was initially designed for Windows. It was produced by DreamForge Intertainment and was released in 1998 by ASC Games.
The game employs a bird’s-eye view and a non-tiled 2D mapping system. Each environment and background hold a distinctive aura that either portrays the real world, the fictional world, or a mixture of the two.
In Sanitarium, you have lost all of your memories and so you have to struggle with internal demons, combat soul-wrenching torture, and strive to gain just a little hold on reality.
The game begins with a video showing a horrible car accident, with you being the unfortunate driver. You will return to consciousness in an asylum, your head will be covered in bandages and surrounded by yammering maniacs who will be banging their heads into the wall.
You will have to try your best to find a way out. There are so many more things that will freak you out. Can you make the journey from your lunacy to ultimate redemption?
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria is a scary FMV game, developed for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows by Roberta Williams and it was introduced on August 24, 1995, by Sierra On-Line.
The game revolves around the tale of the author Adrienne Delaney (Victoria Morsell), who moves into a distant mansion and discovers herself tormented by paranormal forces.
Phantasmagoria stars live-action performers and movie clips, both throughout the gameplay sequences as well as inside the game’s three-dimensionally designed settings. You will end up making strange revelations, such as weird music, notifications printed on the computer, and cryptic texts via a fortune-teller.
I don’t want to give too much away, but somebody becomes possessed and things get gory. Part B-movie, the graphics, and sounds will make up the exact kind of atmosphere that you wanted.
This game does not lack in any aspect of the classic horror genre and is a surprising release from Sierra.
So if you are too old to go trick or treating and plan on staying indoors this Halloween, all you have to do is pick up one of these games, lock yourself in, and enjoy. You’ll find just the right amount of spookiness and fun. So what are you waiting for? Grab them off Steam or Amazon now.
