Last year we spent the week of Halloween naming off our favorite scary, creepy, and eerie games. We figured why not do it again? Each day a different editor will list off three of their favorite games to play around this time of year.
Once again it’s time for the site’s resident chicken to list his “scary” game choices. Despite a general aversion to scary games I do have the occasional series that I enjoy enough that I can power through my fears. Last year I cited Dead Space as just such a game, this year I’ll point out that I really love the Resident Evil series (even in some of its worst incarnations). Anyway, get to reading so you can make fun of me.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (PC, PS4)
Ethan Carter is a great example of the kind of horror game I like. There’s very little by way of cheap attempts to startle you, in fact for most of the game you don’t even see another person or creature. Instead you’re stumbling upon displays of violence well after the action has actually occurred. The lack of immediate danger doesn’t make things any less unnerving and because the game isn’t throwing jump scares at you left and right, when one does finally show up it’s super effective.
A lot of people compare the game to Myst, which is a game that I also think inspired an overarching sense of unease in its players. Whether you’re recreating a crime scene for a grisly murder, or just tracking an astronaut through the woods (yes that’s a thing that happens) you’ll likely always retain a vague sense that things are not heading to a happy resolution. Is that the case? You’ll have to play the game to find out for yourself.
Resident Evil 2 (PSX, PC, N64, Gamecube, Dreamcast)
As a Nintendo 64 owner I came somewhat late to the Resident Evil party. I got to experience the original game as a spectator at a friend’s house, but I didn’t actually put my hands on the series until Resident Evil 2 miraculously made its way to the N64. Of course my hands didn’t stay there long, whether it was the lumbering horror that was Mr. X, zombie hands grabbing me through boarded up windows, or a Licker jumping through a two way mirror to assault me, there were plenty of times when the controller actually left my grasp entirely.
Now that I’ve had a chance to go back and play most RE’s back catalog, I feel like I can pretty safely say that RE2 is the best installment in the series’ PSX era. It really is a pitch perfect example of the early Resident Evil formula (Remember when each character had an A and B campaign?), and it also birthed a lot of characters and lore that have remained with the series ever since. There’s a million ways to play the game now, and although the tank controls haven’t aged well at all, it’s still the best way to experience the series in its absolute (pre RE4) prime.
Maniac Mansion (PC, NES)
I don’t think anyone would call Maniac Mansion scary, but it certainly fits the Halloween season nicely. The game is often mistakenly attributed to Tim Schafer who actually was only in charge of the tonally contrasting sequel, Day of the Tentacle. Keen adventure game fans will know that this was largely Ron Gilbert’s baby, and his design sensibilities are immediately apparent, especially if you played The Cave last year.
The game sees you exploring a mansion belonging to the Edison family, a deranged group of individuals being controlled by a sentient meteor (yep) that crash landed nearby years earlier. You are given a selection of five walking horror movie character tropes and can switch between them at any time, using their unique abilities to rescue one of the character’s kidnapped girlfriend. The game has a great sense of humor just like you would expect from a LucasArts adventure game. Using the different characters means that there are multiple different ways that you can potentially complete its puzzles. You probably won’t be hiding in your closet after playing, but that won’t stop you from experiencing a light jump every time you encounter one of the Edisons. This is also the only game ever published on a Nintendo platform that will let you murder a hamster in a microwave.
Maniac Mansion is definitely required material, so if you’ve never played it get moving.
Keep checking back all week to read the rest of editor’s picks.
