Halloween is definitely a time where the creepy crawlies that lurk in the dark corners of our rooms come in full view to our terror and morbid curiosity. Whether we crave creatures from cosmic horrors, the undead, or those that troll our social media pages, there’s always something that goes bump in the night that terrifies us when we’re not careful.

As such, video games have found ways to tickle that fancy either by blowing it up to kingdom come or simply reminding us that there are forces in this universe that we cannot control.

In this list, we’ve gathered 10 of the best horror games that launched (or relaunched) this year that make for good titles to play this Halloween, so sit back, let loose, and have a bit of a scare. If some of these selections are a tad too scary, buyer beware!

Best Horror Games Halloween 2021

The Medium

Release Date: January 28, 2021 (Xbox Series), September 5, 2021 (PS5)

Platform: PS5, Xbox Series, PC

Review: See our full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz, Game One PH, Gameline

While it’s not really known for its obvious horror aspects, The Medium works more of a supernatural mystery with the horror mostly atmospheric. Nonetheless, this mystery game delves more into the psyche of the newly departed and explores the past lives of the deceased.

Despite the lack of action, The Medium‘s plot is easy to follow and sustains its interest quite well within its 6-8 hour run time. A short and sweet mystery game to get through the Halloween weekend.

Little Nightmares II

Release Date: February 11, 2021, August 25, 2021 (Next-gen)

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

Review: See our full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz, Game One PH, Gameline

Little Nightmares II is quite possibly the scariest item on this list. It combines the atmospheric horror in its unique and gothic designs, as well as visceral horror where they use a combination of jump scares and high-pressure chase sequences that put you on a heightened state of anxiety.

Don’t let the creepy cute platformer fool you, this game is intense throughout its 4-5 hour run, making it one of the best horror games to play. If you decide to tackle this for Halloween, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Returnal

Release Date: April 30, 2021

Platform: PS5

Review: See our full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz, Game One PH, Gameline

If cosmic horror is more your thing, Returnal has you covered. Not only that, you get a damn fine PS5 exclusive that will challenge not only your reflexes and skills, but also your sanity as well as you enter an infinite time loop in the planet of Atropos.

Enemy swarms will test your patience and your mettle and the surrounding mystery of the planet as well as the protagonist’s journey will keep your imagination occupied for days to come. Take care to keep yourself anchored during Halloween if you dare proceed, if the difficulty doesn’t push you to insanity, its secrets will.

Resident Evil Village

Release Date: May 7, 2021

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC

Review: See full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz, Game One PH, Gameline

Continuing Ethan Winters’ story from Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village moves away from the creepy crawly atmospheric survival horror to the more action-oriented horror seen in Resident Evil 4. While you can blast away most of the nightmares that roam this European hamlet, there are some horrors that you can’t shoot your way out of.

You’ll definitely find out if you pick up the game and check out one of the best horror games released this year.

Days Gone

Release Date: May 18, 2021 (PC release)

Platform: PS4, PC

Review: See our full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz

Days Gone has been around since 2019 as a console exclusive for the PS4 and the title getting a lot of traction recently due to the title being offered a new lease on life on PS Plus and its PC port. The game mostly is a post apocalyptic open world action that explores the Pacific Northwest overrun with zombies.

As single opponents, they’re not too tough, but when you start taking on the horde, all bets are off and survival becomes your first priority. Some of the cultists are just as terrifying once you encounter them. All this and more are contained in a massive 40-60 hour experience now going for a decent sale price.

Lost In Random

Release Date: September 10, 2021

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch

Review: See our full review HERE.

Lost in Random is a deckbuilder-action game where you take the role of Even, a runaway from the town of Onecroft to find her sister Odd who has been taken by realm’s Queen who rules with an iron fist.

While it’s not the scariest game on this list, it does have some visual quirks that has some nightmare fuel attached to it with its creepy cute motif inspired by Halloween titles such as The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s a decent story with a fantastic game mechanic to boot, so get lost in the realm of Random where your fate is decided by a dice roll.

Diablo II: Resurrected

Release Date: September 23, 2021

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, PC

Review: See our full review HERE.

Diablo II Resurrected is the much awaited remaster of the classic cRPG that defined genre expectations at the time. Nostalgia fuels much of the excitement for this return, but Diablo isn’t exactly something that many players would consider scary despite its gothic horror elements and some scary imagery.

Although, when you think about it, going against the prime evils is always a scary affair and with its updated visuals, hell has never looked better.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

Release Date: September 23, 2021

Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

Review: See our full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz, Game One PH, Gameline

Death Stranding’s scares mostly are conceptual in nature – the very idea of extinction where your entire species faces oblivion at a collective scale. Leave it to Kojima to explore that primal fear that may not exist with less self-aware creatures, but would definitely keep some humans up late at night.

However there is some real visceral fear that you will encounter in Death Stranding, especially when you encounter BTs for the first time.

If you have access to a PS5 this Halloween, let your fear embrace you when you engage this post-extinction America with 3D audio and haptic feedback for the best immersive experience offered.

Back 4 Blood

Release Date: October 12, 2021

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC

Review: See our full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz, Game One PH, Gameline

Halloween is definitely synonymous with zombies and Back 4 Blood will deliver that by the horde. The best part about this game is that you don’t have to go at it alone, take on this fearsome undead wave with a group of friends and shoot to your hearts’ content.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes

Release Date: October 21, 2021

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC

Review: See our full review HERE.

Purchase: Datablitz, Game One PH, Gameline

Here is something a little different from the usual Dark Pictures Anthology as House of Ashes pivots away from the creepy supernatural horror seen from Man of Medan and A Little Hope and embracing a campy military action-horror story that takes place in 2003 Iraq under a forgotten ruins.

What will we find there? Pack your bags soldier and find out!