“I want to play a game” – Jigsaw
Classes are coming at full speed now. There are assignments, readings, and… oh shoot! You have to reply to a discussion post by tonight. What a nightmare.
Walking to the bus stop after your evening class, it’s already dark. There seems to be a fog in the air that is making everything a bit blurry.
You hop on the bus and catch a glimpse of the bus driver. He seems … a bit uncanny.
Now is the perfect time to disconnect from the harrowing reality of student life and find some enjoyment in spooky games.
There are millions of spooky games out there and deciding can be scary. So, I have curated a list of games that will, without a doubt, get you in the mood for the season.
Unfortunate Spacemen
Are you a fan of Among Us? Then I think you’ll like Unfortunate Spacemen.
In this game, you and your friends play as people stranded in space. You must complete objectives to be rescued, but one ‘person’ among the crew is a shape-shifting alien whose goal is to hunt down the crew.
Hunt down your friends for a game night to recreate the Among Us frenzy from 2020.
- Free to play
- Multiplayer
- Available on Steam
Fears to Fathom
In episode one, Home Alone, you play as 14-year-old Miles, who has been left home alone. He is woken by an intruder on the property and a message from his mother telling him to stay hidden until the cops arrive.
I suggest you play this while home alone for the full experience. Wink wink.
Episode four, Ironbark Lookout, has another spook-tacular story. You play 24-year-old Jack Nelson, who works alone at a fire lookout. As he looks out into the forest, he sees a bonfire in the distance but also sees someone else…
The part that gives me the heebie-jeebies is that these stories are based on Reddit posts from real life… allegedly.
- First episode is free to play
- Single player
- Available on steam and some episodes on PS5.
Welcome to Elderfield
Welcome to Elderfield is if Stardew Valley and horror had a baby.
In this game, you can farm, become friends with the town’s folk, and investigate mysteries. You can explore eerie places like the dead mall, the local church and the catacombs.
The best part is that instead of a pet dog, you get to have a giant pet crow, a cow with tentacles, or even a tall man. Yes, I literally mean a very, very tall man who you can keep in a tall house.
- Paid
- Single player
- Available on Steam
Year Walk
Are you always on the run? Don’t fret, I’ve got a game for you that you can play on your phone!
Year Walk is based on a pagan Swedish ritual called Årsgång, where a person isolates themselves on the last day of the year to fast. Then they go for a walk in the winter woods to see visions of what the upcoming year has in store.
In this game, you play a man who takes part in the ritual. You must look for clues and solve puzzles in order to make your way through the woods.
- Paid
- Single player
- Available on mobile devices and Steam
Free web games
In honour of our 12-year-old selves who used to search for free online games on library computers, I have a few web games for you to explore.
itch.io Games:
You explore the void and meet lost souls along the way.
You get to explore an eerie trailer park and uncover dreadful secrets.
You are alone and lost but a mysterious laptop allows you to rewrite reality. You must utilize the laptop in order to find a way out.
All three games are free to play on a browser.
Humber Gaming Club
If playing games is your cup of tea, then you’ll love the Humber Gaming Club (HGC).
Ethan Sanchez is the president of HGC. He is studying computer engineering technology and is in his last year.
The HGC provides a space for students to destress and meet new people.
For an upcoming meeting, they have something spooktacular planned.
“We’re planning to do costumes and a costume contest, trying to figure out what kind of prize we’re going to give away,” says Sanchez.
Sanchez says that Roblox is an unexpected platform to find spooky gems.
“One (game) I played last October was Poppy Play Time,” laughs Sanchaz, “I normally play fighting games, but it definitely was scary.”
Spooky season is as good a time as any to throw your feet up and play a game or two with like-minded people.
“I believe it comes with the whole college experience of meeting new people and exploring different opportunities. When I first came to Humber and joined the gaming club, I didn’t really expect it to blossom into the amount of opportunities I have right now,” explains Sanchez.
This is your sign from the underworld to sign up for a club! Or maybe create one of your own.
Feature Photo by IGNITE
Interested about why you feel spookozy when playing games? Read Escapism: Why fiction feels more comforting than ever
