Lighthearted, cutesy fun to add a dash of Hocus Pocus to your All Hallows Eve preparations! Pair with a mug of pumpkin spiced-whatever for ultimate basic autumnal energy.
Pumpkin Jack (Nicolas Meyssonnieur) 2020
The pumpkin king gets a royal makeover in this 3D platformer title. It's just shy of a year old this month, but Pumpkin Jack still holds up as quintessential seasonal gaming.
What it lacks in technical precision (yes, I rage-quit some combat scenes a few times) it makes up for in sheer atmosphere. Its vibrant graphics, with cool-toned purples, pinks, and acidic blues vying for dominance, are a constant marvel.
Usually when you think of a spooky game, you might imagine a dark and gloomy palette- perhaps even monochromatic, as in genre mainstay Darkwood (Acid Wizard Studio, 2014).
However, Pumpkin Jack proves that you don't have to be a horror game in order to thrive in the spooky Halloween spirit. Paired with kooky theremin music, sound effects, and a host of distinct characters to encounter on your journey, Pumpkin Jack is a deliciously entertaining portal into a world where gourd-heads are no big deal and the talking raven on your shoulder is your only moral compass.
If hack n' slash games are your thing and you don't feel like putting yourself through another ordeal with Jack Baker, Pumpkin Jack may be a better fit for you.
Children of Silentown: Prologue (Elf Games/Luna2 Studio) 2021
Lucy hears something outside her window every night. Something which plagues her dreams and turns them into nightmares. Something which, she believes, is the reason why people have been vanishing in the woods surrounding their sleepy, isolated town. And now that it's coming for the neighbourhood children as well, Lucy is determined to find this something that goes bump in the dark.
It is a very sophisticated mix of cute and creepy, both charming and horrific.
True to its name, Children of Silentown features no voice acting. Instead, it is underscored by an ethereal backing track, invoking both childlike wonder as well as a constant murmur of impending dread. Enchanting pencil-and-watercolour animations create the world of Silentown, the characters' wide eyes like two silver coins apiece boring into each others and, periodically, breaking the fourth wall to stare at you.
The game is perfect for a short and sweet spooky gaming session. At present, the free prologue/demo is available to download on Steam- but be sure to keep an eye on this title for the full game soon!
Skul: Hero Slayer (NeoWiz Games, SouthPAW Games) 2021
If nostalgia infused with the macabre is your style this Halloween, consider picking up Skul: Hero Slayer. An 8-bit dungeon crawler with shades of old-school Super Mario and Zelda, Skul the skeleton is sent on a quest by a helpful Witch who commands him to hack n' slash his way through the evil mortal realm to rescue their king. As in all roguelikes, getting battered to the point of losing all your health results in permadeath, sending Skul back to his own realm. Don't fret, though- the coins and dark stones you have collected on your previous runs can be spent on upgrades for Skul, including new spells to cast and crush your enemies with!
In terms of gameplay, Skul is simple and familiar. There is nothing groundbreaking about it- except the bizarre broccoli-like trees which pepper the mortal realm (ew)- but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. Japanese game studios have this remarkable talent for tempering a dark storyline with kawaii flair, and that is no exception here. The peppy music feels very 1990s Nintendo, spurring the player along as you rip your own head off, chuck it at your adversaries, and then bash them over the head with a fallen skeleton's femur for good measure. It is unapologetically silly fun, and the perfect little game to dig into when you're missing arcade games this spooky season.
Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp (Beautiful Glitch) 2020
A game that is relevant both at Valentines and Halloween, Monster Camp is indeed the campiest dating sim I have ever seen. Yes, even moreso than my beloved Dream Daddy (Game Grumps, 2017).
Select your character and play as one of a host of teenage monsters gone wild at summer camp- one so overrun with boogeymen that even Camp Crystal Lake would be a picnic. After answering some brief questions, you're paired up with the crush of your dreams (nightmares?) and must vye for their affections through a series of turn-based narrative scenarios. Grab a few friends if you fancy, because this game is even more outrageously funny when you play with a group.
Unlocking different outfits, props, and other cool game perks offers major replayability. There are so many endings, from ones conventional to secret ones, so shaking up your partner combinations always results in a brand new story. Trust me, I sunk about 30 hours into this game over just a few days and I still don't have even a third of the ending achievements. Jade has my heart forever though. *sigh*.
By: Jasmine Gould-Wilson