Rocket Scares 2012: Free horror games for Halloween

October 28, 2012

Korsakovia

Happy Halloween from Rocket Chainsaw! We hope you had a great weekend trick or treating or, for you older folk, attending Halloween parties and sipping witches’ brew. And if you live in the Melbourne area, you may have seen our editor, Adam, dressed up as Slender Man. (At least… I think that was Adam.)

For those looking to continue the scares until the real Halloween arrives (this Wednesday), here’s a list of some of the best free horror games floating around. Just like that ghost behind you.

Please note that these games have mature themes and are not suitable for younger players.

Snowdrift
URL: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/599586
Type: Flash browser game

Snowdrift

An adventure game created in RPG Maker, Snowdrift tells the tale of Sam, an old man who lives alone in the middle of woods blanketed with snow. But times are getting more desperate; the world is being consumed by a sentient darkness and paranormal events are beginning to occur. Scavenge for food, chop wood and find water in order to survive the last days of mankind. After all, there might be a way to escape your fate.

 

Ao Oni (Blue Demon)
URL:
http://mygames888.info/aooni.html
Type:
Downloadable game for Windows

Ao Oni

A call back to hide-and-seek horror games such as Clock Tower and Haunting Ground, Ao Oni  is an adventure game in which you and your friends must escape a house while avoiding the goofy, yet somehow terrifying blue demon. The random nature of his appearances means you are never safe, even if you’ve just managed to elude him.

 

SCP – Containment Breach
URL:
http://www.scpcbgame.com/
Type:
Downloadable game for Windows

SCP Foundation

If you’ve been around the Internet, chances are you’ve heard of the SCP creepypasta series. The stories are written as logs about various objects and beings with abnormalities, ranging from the unremarkable to the highly dangerous. In SCP – Containment Breach, you play as an employee of the titular foundation, when a sudden power failure lets the various subjects loose through the facility. Most notable is SCP-173 (the original, so to speak), a statue which you must keep eye contact with in order to stop him from moving and killing you. Add a blink meter in as a game mechanic and the game gets much more intense and frightening. Oh, and did I mention that the game randomises the layout of the facility each time you play? If you play one game on this list, play this one. In my opinion, it’s definitely the scariest of the lot. For more of the same, also check out SCP-087-B.

 

Slender
URL:
http://www.parsecproductions.net/slender/
Type:
Downloadable game for Windows and Mac

Slender

The internet’s king of creepy is growing up, having received his own game earlier in the year. Simply titled Slender, the game sees you collecting notes scattered throughout a sprawling wood, all while having to avoid Slender Man. The game’s mechanics could certainly be better, but where the game’s real scare factor comes from is the sound design. Could Slender Man be behind you? Listen hard and listen well…

 

Gyossait
URL:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/582867
Type:
Flash browser game

Gyossait

In the middle of a haunting landscape wanders Oyeatia, the creator of man, on the hunt for his lost love. That’s the premise of Gyossait, an action platformer by Amon 26. I’ve covered his other horror titles, All of Our Friends Are Dead and Au Sable in my other Halloween features on the PAL Gaming Network, so to see a new game from him in a similar vein is awesome. If you’ve played those games, this is much of the same – a moody and poetic atmosphere, incredible visuals and industrial-inspired soundtrack.
Corpse Party
URL:
http://www.memoriesoffear.com/games_corpsepartypc98/index.html
Type:
Downloadable game for Windows

Corpse Party

PlayStation Portable owners may have heard of Corpse Party, a horror adventure title about a group of students who suddenly find themselves in a decrepit school that may be in an alternate dimension. It was released for the handheld console last year but the game is actually much older than that, originally being released for the PC-98 system. A dedicated group of fans took it upon themselves to recreate the experience for English-speaking gamers by using the RPG TKool kit. Sure, it’s not as pretty as its PSP counterpart, but if haunted schools, gory deaths and disturbing details are your cup of tea, Corpse Party is well worth checking out.

 

Don’t Look Back
URL: http://distractionware.com/blog/?p=672  / http://tinyurl.com/9ezcy4j  / http://tinyurl.com/8b3pwff
Type: Flash browser game / Downloadable game for Windows & Mac / Downloadable game for iOS and Android devices

Don't Look Back

PALGN readers may remember we covered Don’t Look Back a while ago, but I felt it was worth mentioning the game again as it is now available on iOS and Android devices. Created by Terry Cavanagh of VVVVVV and Super Hexagon fame, the game’s refreshing simplicity makes it difficult to summarise without spoiling. Just don’t look back.

 

Irisu Syndrome
URL: Download – http://www.vector.co.jp/soft/dl/win95/game/se463417.html, English patch –  http://www.mediafire.com/?nlujzb91wjl0bu7
Type:
Downloadable game for Windows

Irisu Syndrome

Irisu Syndrome is another game I’ve previously covered on PALGN, but with most of the game’s suspense coming from the backstory and text files, I understand it might have been difficult or too much hassle for a lot of players given that the game was only available in Japanese. Since then, it has been translated into English, so it’s the perfect time to check out this disturbing puzzle game.

 

Korsakovia
URL:
http://www.moddb.com/mods/korsakovia
Type:
Half-Life 2 mod

Korsakovia

Not your typical Half-Life 2 mod, Korsakovia is a very interesting take on horror games in which you step into the delusions of a man named Christopher, who suffers from Korsakoff’s Syndrome. This has strange effects on the world around you, but without spoiling too much, you’ll have to play to find out why Korsakovia is a deeply unsettling experience. The mod was developed by thechineseroom, most famous for Dear Esther, and who is also developing Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. If their work is anything to go by, we should be very excited.

 

Dark Meadow: The Pact
URL:
http://tinyurl.com/8dfqygu / http://tinyurl.com/8kt8qoq
Type:
Downloadable game for iOS and Android devices

Dark Meadow: The Pact

Another gem I came across on the iOS App and Google Play stores (boy, it’s hard to find good horror games for mobile devices), Dark Meadow sees you awaken in an abandoned hospital crawling with all sorts of abominations and must try to escape. Your only companion is a wheelchair-bound man who directs you via the hospital’s PA system. The game makes good use of your device’s touch screen for combat and while it does get a bit repetitive after a while, the game has a unique atmosphere and superb voice acting. The Pact is a free and improved version of the previously released Dark Meadow, although there are numerous in-app purchases that can be made to help you in your quest.

 

As always, if you’ve come across any terrifying games that you’d like to share, please leave a comment. Enjoy your Halloween and don’t scare yourself to death…