Halloween and video games go together hand-in-hand as interactive media lends itself extremely well to horror because players usually feel the fear of the characters that they’re controlling. Sometimes, however, it’s hard to know which horror games to play as choosing poorly can cost up to $60 for a title that might not end up being all that scary. Luckily,Xbox Game Passis able to offer plenty of excellent horror experiences for a relatively low subscription cost making it the best investment that fans of gaming can make as Halloween gets that much closer.
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Alien: Isolation
When discussing classic horror movies, the originalAlienis bound to come up. No video game captures the profound sense of terror showcased in the film quite likeAlien: Isolationwhich has the player in constant fear that they’re going to be spotted by the ever-persuing, unkillable Xenomorph and murdered. A lot of the game is spent either cowering in fear under desks, hoping that the alien doesn’t see the player or making mad dashes to the exit of different areas in hopes of outrunning it.Alien: Isolationhas a spectacular atmosphereand delivers some of the most genuine scares found in gaming over the last few console generations, perfect for a sci-fi Halloween night.
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Although the entireDead Spaceseries is on Xbox Game Pass thanks to EA Play,Dead Space 2feels like its peak as it upped the ante from the first game in a meaningful way without turning into a straight horror/action game likeDead Space 3.Dead Space 2starts with a bang as Isaac Clarke finds himself in a straight jacket trying to escape a mental asylum asan outbreak of Necromorphsbegins taking over the space station he’s on, slaughtering everyone. From there, it’s up to him and his trusty plasma cutter to dismember his way through the Sprawl and attempt to put an end to the Necromorph problem once and for all. Even if the player doesn’t have time to get through the entire game,Dead Space 2’s introduction is extremely strong and perfect for setting a terrifying mood on Halloween.
The Medium
The Mediumdebuted earlier this year as the first Xbox Series X and S exclusive title and impressed many players with its modern adaptation of the classicSilent Hillmechanics that inspired it. Players take control of Marianne, a spirit medium who can visit the haunting spirit world to help guide souls to rest. After receiving a mysterious phone call, Marianne heads to an abandoned workers' resort only to be met by a monster known as the Maw. Players need to help Marianne escape while getting to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the resort and the Maw.The Medium’s spirit worldhas some striking visuals as it was inspired by the eerie paintings of Polish artist Zdzislaw Beksinski and the desire to revisit the world and see what it’ll look like next serves as a selling point for playing the game all on its own.
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard
To many, theResident Evilseries lost its way around its fifth installment as the games began leaning too heavily into action than into the nail-biting horror that the franchise was known for in its early days.Resident Evil 7Biohazardchanged all that by returning to the franchise’s roots and delivering one of the most unsettling video games in recent memory. From the horrific Molded monsters thatprotagonist Ethan Wintersneeds to face to the downright terrifying and sadistic Baker family, the game makes players doubt just how worth it proceeding into the next room of the Baker residence is when they could just as easily exit the game and play something relaxing on Game Pass likeDonut Countyinstead of facing the other horrors that the game has in store.
Outlast 2
TheOutlastseries is one of the scariest in all of gaming because the franchise doesn’t allow the player to carry any sort of weapon to fight back against the people chasing them.Outlast 2continues that tradition, but ups the intensity of just about all of the groundwork that was laid by the first title. Gorier deaths, more terrifying scares, and a deeper story add up to one of the best games to play on Halloween that Game Pass has to offer. Whether the player is hiding in cornfields or behind school desks during some of the flashback sequences,Outlast 2is chilling for its entire runtime. WithOutlast Trialscoming soon, there’s no better time than now to brush up on the story and gameplay in anticipation of the co-op horror entry.
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