It’s that time of year again! The candy is flowing, the costumes and cosplay is everywhere, and Steam has their Halloween themed sale.
I’ve learned that nearly everyone likes spooky season, but not everyone likes being actually spooked. There’s something fun about reveling in ghosts and goblins, whether its pretending to be one, going to haunted houses, or just simply enjoying a cup of warm apple cider and pumpkin pie while watching the festivities. With this in mind, we’ve made a list of games that are on pretty steep sale that covers a wide range of genres, mood, and scary factor.
All the games below are under $20 and are at least 40% off, as well as having been played by one of our writers so we can vouch for them. So, if you’ve needed an excuse to try out a game that fits the season, take a look and see what you like!
Dead Space Remake - For Those Who Want A Proper Fright (70% off - $17.99)
We’ll start the list with probably the scariest and most expensive game we picked: Dead Space. This is the remake version that was introduced in 2023, and it’s down a whopping 70% from $60 to $17.99.
The original from 2008 was groundbreaking in just how well it was able to set up terror in a sci-fi gaming environment, using the derelict USG Ishimura ship to set up huge jump scares and creepy environments. This is an action-horror game like Resident Evil 4, so you do have the ability to fight back against the things which hunt you. However, we picked this one because the necromorphs are such great monsters that still feel unique.
Whether you are new to the series and have needed an excuse to try it, or you loved the original games long ago and want to revisit the Ishimura, now’s a great time. The original trilogy is also on steep discount if you want to try and collect those as well.
Inscryption - For Those Who Like Card Games And Anxiety (60% off - $7.99)
This is a game that isn’t trying to give you jumpscares, but instead slowly crawl inside your skull with building tension. It’s hard to imagine a deck building card game to be actually spooky, but Inscryption manages it. Daniel Mullins is someone who loves games, loves those who make games, and promptly asks ‘how strange can I make this while still being a good game’?
I don’t want to say too much about Inscryption, as it is very much an experience you are supposed to go in blind to and see for yourself, but if you are a fan of Slay The Spire, Monster Train, or other deck builders, give this game a shot. It’s a really fun and refreshing take on a genre that can often feel cut-and-paste. The moodiness of the game really shines through and its odd twists can stay with you long after you turn off your computer.
Dredge - For People Who Like Just A Little Creeping Dread (40% off - $14.99)
I became a fan of Dredge after just half an hour of demo gameplay back in 2022, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading Lovecraftian or cosmic horror style tales. While there can be some moments of sudden fright, this game is all about cultivating a sense of unease.
As a fisherman who ends up shipwrecked on a set of islands in the middle of nowhere, you just want to fish to make a living. Half of the game can be, in fact, a cozy fishing simulator. But as you explore further into the game, as you journey out further at night to see what mysteries you can discover, the game gets stranger. Your stress meter fills, and the lowkey terror that the ocean gives most people starts to feel more and more real.
It’s a great game that lets you feel spooked and unnerved, but also is just fun to genuinely upgrade your tugboat to become the best fisherman you can be. There’s also expansions on sale that have come out since the 2023 release , so there might be reasons for fans of the game to grab their fishing poles again.
State of Decay 2 : Juggernaut Edition - For The Zombie Survival Fan (75% off - $7.49)
There’s always got to be at least some zombies brought up during Halloween, and what game is a better choice for the list than one we just finished reviewing!
State of Decay is a favorite series of mine. I would sum it up as being a community of survivors trapped inside a zombie B-movie, and I love that. Find a location to make as your home base, scavenge local towns on maps for supplies, and try and make your community something that’s going to last. One of its greatest strengths is that you can play it many different ways: it can be genuinely thrilling to play single-player on higher difficulties, or an absolute rambo-like slugfest if you play multiplayer with friends.
It’s less than $10, and all the expansions and updates (including a horde mode and a story map) are included on that price. The developers just finished working on the game to dedicate all their resources to State of Decay 3, so now is a great time to get the full package and have some fun.
Carrion - For When You Want To Be The Monster (75% off - $4.99)
Carrion is both unnerving and thrilling as a platformer because of its unique take. Instead of playing the humanoid running around a metroidvania-style world, you are the creepy alien monster that eats the humans. You start the game breaking out of containment, and spend the next five or so hours becoming an absolute terror.
It’s a treat being an amorphous ball of flesh that devours all it touches! The first time you ooze along a ceiling to drop down onto some poor security guard with a gun, it’s a rush. I did say the game is only about five hours, but those are a great five hours. New challenges are given to you, gameplay stays fresh, and the concept doesn’t outstay its welcome. At just $5, you can’t argue you aren’t getting your moneys worth for such a great, unique, and cohesive experience.
Dungeons 3 - Fulfilling Your Evil Overlord With Real Estate Dreams (80% off - $5.99)
This is probably the last spooky game on the list, but I included it simply because its such a delightful concept. The spiritual successor to the cult classic Dungeon Keeper, here you play as an evil overlord who slowly builds dungeons with monsters and traps for fun and profit.
There's something fun to being evil occasionally... even if you are doing it as an architect and middle manager.
This is a very tongue-and-cheek game, with the narrator having fun with their role. The campaign has you building dungeons, then bringing your monsters up to the surface in RTS style segments to beat up paladins, dwarves, and the usual high fantasy heroes. While there is a Dungeons 4 that looks very good, this one is from 2017, still holds up, and is incredibly cheap. It also is the first one in the series that lets you play co-op with a friend, as an added treat.
Subnautica - The Brightest And Most Colorful Creepy Game Ever (50% off - $14.99)
Finally, I’m wrapping up this list with one of my favorite games of all time. I love that the developers of Subnautica stated that they didn’t mean to make a scary game, and yet googling the name pulls up nearly hundreds of reaction videos of people freaking out, reddit posts comparing their experiences, and lots and lots of comments surrounding the word Thalassophobia in it.
This is another one of those games that is best if you don’t know much about it before playing. Keeping it simple, it’s a survival game, but it's set on an ocean planet after crashing onto it. The developers purposefully took away traditional weapons as a design choice, and wanted a game that was all about exploration and wonder. The survival aspects seeped in during early access, and the brilliant choice of setting an exploration in an underwater environment creates an experience I have yet to replicate.
As I’ve told many of my friends already: this game is worth its full cost and then some. The fact that it's only $15 means you should buy it, must buy it. Please. I need more people to rave about this game with!
Happy Halloween, and Have Fun Gaming!
Keep in mind, the Steam sale only goes on until November 4th, so get these games over the weekend if you want to appreciate the sales as the weather starts to turn colder. If you have any suggestions, feel free to add them here for others to enjoy. Happy fall everyone!
