People love to watch spooky films in the run-up to Halloween, but nothing prepares you like playing some spooky games. If you’re saving up for the holiday season, then don’t worry because we have ten games you can play for free. Each of these excellent games is available as part of Xbox Game Pass, and they are free to play for all subscribers. Here are our top 10 spooky games currently available on Xbox Game Pass.
Inside (2016) – 4 hours
The shortest spooky game on the list is the excellent Inside, which has one of the wildest endings in all of gaming. You play as a boy who wanders through a factory, which seems to be attempting to create an army of mindless zombies. It brings the excellent 2D puzzle platforming from previous game Limbo and introduces it to an even stronger story.
Amnesia: The Bunker (2023) – 5 hours
Our first entry from this year is also one of the shortest, but has the backing that this well-established series has to offer. This is more of a hardcore horror game, where death comes with serious penalties, sending you far back. Punishing deaths instill a real fear inside you, aside from all of the horrors you’ll find in the game yourself.
Bramble: The Mountain King (2023) – 5 hours
Another entry from this year, Bramble: The Mountain King was a surprise success earning great review scores across the board. Set in a fantastical and spooky world, you play as Olle, a young boy on the hunt for his sister after she was captured by trolls. You have to be suspicious of everything as you travel through the world of Bramble, as most things are not as they seem.
Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice (2017) – 8 hours
As we eagerly await the sequel, Senua’s Saga, it’s the perfect time to dive into the original, which was lauded for its amazing acting. While not strictly a horror game, it gives off a terrifying atmosphere, as you struggle to distinguish between internal and external threats. What adds to the fear that Hellblade instills, is how it breaks the fourth wall, talking to you as a player and putting you at a sense of unease.
Soma (2015) – 10 hours
When it comes to horror games, few are scarier than Soma, which is a prime example of the genre. A first-person survival horror game, it’s the psychological aspect and the storytelling that make it so horrifying. There is now a mode where you can stop the monsters from killing you, and somehow it’s just as scary as the original.
The Evil Within 2 (2017) – 15 hours
Epic Games recently gave away the original Evil Within for free, but the sequel comes with some much-needed improvements. It’s visually striking in its style, and the game itself feels like a spiritual successor to the ever-popular Resident Evil 4. This is another survival horror, but as you can choose third- or first-person view, you can switch up your level of scare.
Prey (2017) – 20 hours
While not a traditional horror game, you’ll feel the tension as you try to survive on the space station. Any inanimate object you find could be an alien in disguise, so you have to be careful with everything you touch. Despite Arkane also developing games like Dishonored and Deathloop, Prey remains one of their best.
Psychonauts 2 (2021) – 20 hours
For those who aren't into horror games, Psychonauts is a great option as it mixes comedy with some spooky elements. You play as Raz, a member of the psychonauts who solves crimes by diving into different people’s minds. If you played the original, then the sequel is bigger and better, with much-needed upgrades to the platforming.
Lies of P (2023) – 40 hours
Another very recent release, Lies of P takes on the Bloodborne formula but adds its own twist on the genre. The world is based on the story of Pinocchio, and you’ll spot a number of elements from the classic fairytale. Lies of P adds a number of choices which can lead to three different endings, taking you on a spooky ride.
Phoenix Point (2019) – 60 hours
The longest title on our list is a turn-based strategy game from one of the creators of XCOM. While strategy and horror are two genres that don’t go hand in hand, Phoenix Point makes it work. It is set in a version of Earth that has been overrun by Lovecraftian horrors that you try to eliminate.
If you want to learn more about the service, you can check out Xbox Game Pass games this October.
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