The season of the witch
Halloween is my favorite holiday. Aside from being a great excuse to dress up like an idiot, party with friends, and drink terrible pumpkin-flavored booze (that any other time of the year you’d dump into the nearest gutter), it has the best aesthetic of any of the major holidays. Spooky ghosts, creepy mansions, wolf-men, and every other sort of monster you can name — what other holiday can beat that? Every year I make a point of playing a few extra spooky games during October to get myself in the Halloween spirit, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
This particular season of spooky games is already going great for me. I finally got a chance to sink my teeth intoBloodborne, and its towering Gothic cathedrals, horrifying beast-men, and strange eldritch abominations are just perfect for the season. I mean, it’s basically “Monster Mash: the game” (except instead of dancing, all the monsters are taking turns pulling your entrails out and flogging you with them). I’ve been long overdue for a trip to Yharnam, and I’m a little embarrassed that it has taken me so long to pick it up, but in a way I’m happy it’s worked out like this. I played the originalDark Soulsduring the Halloween season, and the series has always been associated with the crisp fall mornings, falling leaves and the first frosts of the year in my mind. It feels right to playBloodbornenow (even if aGOTY edition was announcedmere days after I finally bought it).
Of course, when it comes to hordes of monsters, not evenBloodbornecan hold a candle to theDiabloseries. After having a “ho-hum” time withDiablo IIIon the PC when it launched, I’ve been more than pleasantly surprised by theReaper of Soulsversion for the PS4. Everybody saidReaper of Soulsis a completely different beast from the original, and I have to admit they were right. The game plays faster and smoother than ever before, like it belonged to the console world of controllers and couches all along. It’s the perfect late night co-op game to snuggle up and relax with. Who would have thought ripping through unending waves of goat-men and lesser demons could be so therapeutic and festive?
I’ve also been making time to practice myBinding of Isaacskills when I can. You might not agree with me lumpingIsaacin as a Halloween game, but if a bowl of spaghetti “guts” in the dark is gross enough to qualify as a spooky experience,Isaachas more than got that beat. Besides,Afterbirthis coming out at the end of the month, and if what Edmund hasteasedabout it is any indication, he’s planning a hell of a time for us. I’m going to want to be in top form for its release.
So what have you been playing, or what are you planning to play, this Halloween season? Will you be breaking out the indie horror hits likeAmnesiaandOutlast? Revisiting classics likeSilent HillandAlan Wake? Or maybe you like the idea of being the monster yourself and you’ve dusted off a copy ofVampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. Of course, let’s not forget about Halloween-themed DLC likeRed Dead‘sUndead Nightmareeither!
There are a lot of ways to get spooky this month. What’s your favorite?
