Order Up! Spooktober for Scaredy Cats (Part 2)
By Rae
Hello hello hello and welcome to my favourite month of the year – October! It’s that time of year for warm drinks, comfy sweaters, and all things scary spooky.
I’m a big fan of spooky movies, games, and stories, but my weak spot is stressful horror – those games that rely too much on sending you running down the hallways of abandoned schools as murderers chase you, or force you to hide around the corner as a monster makes its way by. I don’t like being chased, and unfortunately horror games have a pretty specific formula they like to follow to scare their players.
A few years ago, I wrote Spooktober for Scaredy Cats – a list of titles that gamers who want to enjoy some scary stories can play if they’re not into survival horror that forces them to run, hide, and fight monsters in the night. This year we’re back with part 2!
Want some good Halloween vibes from different genres this month? We recommend:
If you like Metroidvania… try Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight
This feels like cheating, as the last article I wrote for this suggested Momodora’s spiritual successor, Minoria. But Momodora is still one of the most enjoyable metroidvania games I’ve played, and can be a very fun challenge if you’re up for trying to earn special items by defeating bosses without getting hit.
Momodora’s haunted atmosphere, fantastic monsters, and dark storyline make for a great horror adventure. The settings are creepy, enhanced with gorgeous pixel graphics and an excellent soundtrack. Like any good metroidvania, exploring is encouraged – but sometimes dangerous. If you’re looking for a game with a good amount of horror that isn’t necessarily a straightup horror game, this is a great bet.
If you like Point and Click Adventure Games… try The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is a gorgeously nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic adventure games and of classic English tales of horror. Set in an unwelcoming little village in rural England, Hob’s Barrow takes us to the moors to investigate a strange burial site. What started as an exciting invitation sours quickly when Thomasina’s assistant never arrives and the townsfolk claim to know nothing about the barrow she keeps mentioning. What’s hidden within the barrow and why are they so eager to keep it out of reach?
Hob’s Barrow features fantastic sound design, full voice acting, and wonderfully classic pixel art, all wrapped up in the feeling of looking outside into a dark and dreary night. Many of its puzzles are clever, and it features some of the best voice acting I’ve heard in a point and click.
If you like Hidden Object Games… try Paper Bride
In this adventure through ancient Chinese mythology and ghostly lore, a man is trying to solve the mystery of an unsettling white entity following his wife around. Could it be a ghost, tied to the strange little village his wife comes from and was happy to leave? Paper Bride does a fantastic job of building a dark, unsettling atmosphere, studded with occasional jumpscares.
Some of the puzzles can be difficult – particularly if you’re not familiar with kanji – but Paper Bride also features a thorough hint system if you’re really stuck. I enjoyed the puzzles that have you interacting with the lore you just learned, or moving between the living and spirit world. This is a great pick if you want to combine relaxing with a puzzle game with lots of spooky moments this Halloween. There are three games in all, and while I’ve only played the first so far, I’m excited to experience more.
If you like Walking Sims… try The Convenience Store
Chilla’s art is a small Japanese indie team that specializes in short horror games. The gameplay varies a bit – some are pure exploration while others send you into dangerous areas with ghosts to fight and escape. The Convenience Store is the former kind of game, but it does a fantastic job at constantly making you feel like maybe you really shouldn’t open that door to investigate.
In this short title, the player takes the role of a young woman working part-time at a convenience store on the edge of town. Working the night shift is already pretty unnerving, but things start to go downhill as strange noises, banging doors, and mysterious deliveries begin to manifest. Good luck on those literal graveyard shifts. And if you enjoy this one, there are some more like it in the catalogue, including Inunaki Tunnel, which features the same claustrophobic atmosphere, with a bit more puzzling.
If you like Visual Novels… try Beacon Pines
In Beacon Pines, the player takes control of Luka – a young resident of the once-farming town of Beacon Pines. After a harvest went terribly wrong, Beacon Pines has never really recovered, and neither has Luca, as both of their parents have gone missing. They now live with their grandmother and spends the days getting into trouble with their best friend Rolo. Unfortunately, the cute little town isn’t quite as idyllic as it seems – strange things are happening in the old factory on the edge of town and some of the residents seem to know something they’re not telling…
Beacon Pines isn’t exactly a VN – it includes some exploration, errands, and word collection, but it’s got the same kind of relaxed gameplay and a very heavy focus on storytelling. In fact, the whole point to Beacon Pines is to successfully complete Luka’s story by trying new words at critical moments. It’s also not outright horror, making it a great choice if you like a little bit of sinister, spooky mystery-solving, but don’t really want to be terrified as ghosts jump at you from haunted bathrooms. It’s a well-crafted cute but haunting adventure perfect for getting a little creepiness in without going overboard.
Happy Halloween y’all! May you find some fun spooky adventures this year and enjoy the season to its fullest. And if you find any true gems? Feel free to leave a comment or reach out! We love trying new things.
Order Up! is a weekly column featuring indie-focused reviews, news, or interviews! We like old games just as much as new ones and are always looking for something to check out. Have a game recommendation, a project, or a company you want to talk about? Email me at rae@thegeeklygrind.com or find me on Twitter @ArcanaChance