These Scary Indie Games Are the Perfect Choice for Halloween
It’s no secret that the Six One Indie team are huge fans of horror (well, most of us.) We love the ghoulies, the creepies, the spookies, the crippling trauma — we’ll take it all. And because of this undying love, we’re pretty familiar with the genre. October is the perfect time to pull out your spooky accouterments, turn down the lights and immerse yourself in the darkness. I’ve put together a little list of games we think are must plays for All Hallow’s Eve (and beyond if you’re a creature of the night all year round like the rest of us). We definitely couldn't include everything so this just scratches the surface of indie horror - trust us. But we’ve tried to include some that have only just been released and some we’ve loved for many years.
I’ve split our picks into three different categories: Sweet and Scary, Nostalgia Trips and Just Plain Terrifying. To start out softly, for those that might be a little sensitive, we’ve got some games that can definitely be scary but also have some cute elements that make them great choices for any gamers that can’t go all in on the spooks. Our Nostalgia Trip choices really channel classic games from our childhoods whether in look, atmosphere or gameplay itself. And finally, the Just Plain Terrifying category is for those that want to get a really good spook just in time for Halloween. This category includes games that send shivers down our spines and for that, we can’t recommend them enough.
Sweet and Scary
Night in the Woods (2017)
From Developer Infinite Fall, Night in the Woods is a story-based exploration game where you play as Mae, a young cat that has returned home to Possum Springs to reconnect with friends. She quickly realizes that things are a lot different from how she remembers them. Her friends are different, the town is changing, and some things are getting just plain strange. Night in the Woods starts as a cute little adventure about rekindling friendships and learning from past mistakes and turns into a spooky night of mysteries.
Night in the Woods is available on PC/Mac, iOS/Android, PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox X/S.
My Friendly Neighborhood (2023)
From the brother duo John and Evan Szymanski, My Friendly Neighborhood is a survival horror game with puppets — cute right? You might be thinking, ew puppets are creepy, but these aren’t Deadly Silence/Goosebumps puppets, these are fuzzy, friendly Sesame Street-type puppets. I say again, cute right? Well, still wrong actually. While parts of My Friendly Neighborhood are pretty cute, it can get genuinely scary. You play as Gordon, a repairman who has come to the My Friendly Neighborhood set to figure out why the show has suddenly started up again after being canceled. Unfortunately this isn’t some heartfelt, exciting reunion — something is seriously wrong with the puppets and Gordon is forced to try and stop them by any means necessary. You can’t help but love (and also really really hate) the puppets of My Friendly Neighborhood and the game is pretty perfect for beginners to the genre that want scary, but aren’t fans of your regularly scheduled blood soaked violence.
My Friendly Neighborhood is available on PC.
Sucker For Love: Date to Die For (2024)
A game that was released earlier this year, Sucker For Love: Date to Die For from Developer Akabaka is a dating sim visual novel with a scary twist. You play as Stardust, a young woman who has become trapped in her rural hometown. Upon returning home you meet Rhok’Zan, a powerful and incredibly sexy entity. But what makes a romance visual novel scary? Well, dismemberment, blood sacrifice and general all around violence. During the game players will have to fight back against terrifying creatures in an attempt to stay alive and make it out of Stardust’s hometown for good. Maybe with a new goat mommy by her side? Only time will tell.
Sucker For Love: Date to Die For is available on PC
Other games to try in the Sweet but Scary category: Cult of the Lamb (2022), Doki Doki Literature Club (2017), Beacon Pines (2022)
Nostalgia Trips
Fear the Spotlight (2023)
Developed by Cozy Game Pals and the first title published by Blumhouse Games, Fear the Spotlight is a third person horror game that follows Vivian and Amy, two young women who get trapped in their school after hours. Ever the rebellious teen, Vivian performs a seance and quickly discovers that her school harbors many dark secrets. An absolute love letter to 90s horror, Fear the Spotlight focuses on story, a tense atmosphere and puzzles to create a must-play experience.
Fear the Spotlight is currently available on PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.
Crow Country (2024)
Another game oozing nostalgia is Crow Country from Developer SFB Games. You play as Mara, a young woman who has broken into the Crow Country theme park. Out of the three games in our nostalgia category, Crow Country plays the most like the classics. With an eerie atmosphere similar to games like Resident Evil or Silent Hill, SFB definitely understood the assignment when it comes to creating a game that transports the player to the 90s. Its setting, imagery and enemy design make it an experience absolutely worth diving into.
Crow Country is available on PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.
Mouthwashing (2024)
If you’re a fan of the horror genre and you’ve been on the internet at all over the past few weeks, you’ve probably already heard about Mouthwashing. From Developer CRITICAL REFLEX, Mouthwashing follows the crew of spaceship freighter The Tulpar following a tragic event that has doomed them to a slow death in the darkest reaches of space. Not for the faint of heart, this title is visceral, emotional, unsettling and beautifully nostalgic. The crew of The Tulpar have much more to hide than you may think and watching them slowly lose their sanity is a truly disturbing experience. And with a pretty short playtime it is a perfect pickup and play choice for Halloween night.
Mouthwashing is currently available on PC.
Other games to grab in the Nostalgia Trip category: Song of Horror (2019), Murder House (2020), Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout (2024)
Just Plain Terrifying
Bramble: The Mountain King (2023)
Released late last year, Bramble: The Mountain King from Developer Dimfrost Studio is a gorgeous adventure game based on Nordic fables. The story follows two young children who venture away from their home at night and get caught up in the scary and twisted land of Bramble. The story has the main character Olle encounter terrifying creatures in a dangerous journey to save his sister. Bramble is bloody, violent, disturbing and exciting and had us on the very edge of our seats the entire game, especially during the brief moments of respite when we knew something scary was just around the corner.
Bramble: The Mountain King is available on PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
MADiSON (2022)
A psychological horror game from BLOODIOUS GAMES, MADiSON puts players in the shoes of Luca who wakes up in a dark room with his hands covered in blood. Equipped with just an instant camera, players will explore Luca’s home and try not to attract unwanted attention from the dark entities that reside there. Take pictures to reveal disturbing secrets, solve mind-bending puzzles and try to escape the horrific maze, in this truly terrifying adventure. And, if playing it with mouse and keyboard or controller weren’t enough, you can also play it in VR on Steam on or PSVR.
MADiSON and MADiSON VR are available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
The Last Door (2019)
A game that I played way back when, The Last Door from Developer The Game Kitchen is a pixel horror game with a rich, unique story. Every time Halloween comes around and friends are asking about scary games to play I always recommend The Last Door. You play as Jeremiah Devitt who recently received a letter from an old schoolmate. The letter is hard to decipher and Jeremiah fears that something is very wrong with his friend. He takes a trip to his old school and quickly begins to discover strange things about not only the grounds, but those that still live there. As the memories of his past begin to resurface, Jeremiah remembers the sinister things that occurred there when he was young. Originally The Last Door was made up of four episodes, but later received a second season adding four more episodes. More recently in 2019, it received a Complete Edition for consoles and included all eight episodes with enhanced graphics, remastered sound, bonus scenes and more.
The Last Door (including its different versions) is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android.
Other games to pick up in the Just Plain Terrifying category: The Mortuary Assistant (2022), Detention (2017), Visage (2020)
Feature by Becca Smith