If you ask me, it’s never too early to start celebrating Halloween. The fine folks over at PlayStation seem to agree with me because we just got three terrifying titles added to the PS5 library. Horror games come in many different shapes and sizes, and the selection I’ve chosen specifically for you to play this weekend covers all the major bases. Are you a fan of the old school PS1-era survival horror games? I got you covered with one of the best retro-inspired Resident Evil-likes. Are you more of a fan of fighting for survival against nature? Survival games are a dime a dozen, but you’ve never played one like the one I’ve found. And last, how about some historical horror?
Enough preamble; here are three spectacularly spooky games to play this weekend.
Crow Country
If you miss the days of tank controls, hunting for puzzle objects, and reading tons of notes and documents scattered around a complex map, Crow Country might as well be a lost PS1 game someone dug up and put on modern consoles. Set in 1990, you play as a woman investigating the titular amusement park after the owner has gone missing. Things are clearly worse than she expected, and you will uncover a deep conspiracy, shady characters, and plenty of grotesque monsters as you navigate the various sections of the park. If tank controls aren’t your thing, you don’t have to use them. There is a limited inventory, though, so you have to be judicious about when and where you spend your precious resources. This is a tight, spooky, and gripping game for any horror fan.
Crow Country is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
Green Hell
Survival games are a distinct genre from survival horror, but Green Hell blends the two together. It takes the open world, crafting, base building, and resource gathering elements from typical survival games, but sets the player in the uniquely deadly Amazon jungle. Besides all the natural dangers, there are also native tribes who will assault you with weapons and tactics. There is a story here about a man searching for his missing wife, but most players will simply want to ignore that and focus on surviving as long as possible. You’ll need to manage your usual survival meters like hunger and thirst, but also take care of your mental health. Green Hell is deep, too. If you get far enough, you can even tame and raise animals. Play with friends in co-op to up your chances of surviving the Amazon.
Green Hell is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
Conscript
Typically, when I think of a horror game, a first or third-person game comes to mind. Hardly ever would I think of an isometric game. Conscript is just that, but it isn’t just its perspective that is unique. Set during the First World War, you take control of a French soldier searching for his missing brother during the Battle of Verdun. To do so, you will need to navigate the maze of trenches, fight off enemy soldiers, solve puzzles, and make mad dashes across no-man’s land. There are no monsters in Conscript, unless you count war as a monster. This game doesn’t want to make war seem fun…at all. It is hardcore, punishing, and unrelenting. Don’t expect to make it through on your first attempt…or even your tenth in my case.
Conscript is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
