Halloween Gaming for the Budget Gamer

Hi, and welcome back to Silver Linings where I comb through the catacombs to find the best ghoulish delights.

It's October; so, it's time to enjoy some terrifying games. However, it seems the thing that's truly scaring the majority of people this year is the state of the economy. With out-of-control inflation and prices of essentials skyrocketing, it's getting increasingly impossible to justify spending $60 - $70 on a new game. However, you can enjoy some great games for the season without breaking the bank. I'm going to point you in the direction of ten great games that fit the Halloween season that you can download for less than it costs to get a costume at Spirit Halloween.

These ten games are available on most, if not all, of the current gaming platforms, and each represents a different style and taste. Check these out!

For the retro-gamer...

Castlevania Advance Collection

Four classics from Konami's glory days for only $20? Yes! While the Super Nintendo's port of Dracula X is far behind the original version of Rondo of Blood, it's still a satisfying horror platformer. However, the major draw is the trio of Game Boy Advance games in the package. Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance are excellent Metroid-Vania titles, but Aria of Sorrow is the only one I found that can truly compete with the legendary Symphony of the Night. Lots of gaming goodness for the money!

For those wanting a fresh Metroid-Vania...

Dead Or School

There are plenty of Metroid-Vania type games out there, but Dead Or School won me over with its goofy charm. This game is VERY Japanese, from the apocalyptic Tokyo setting to the monster designs to the fact that your character Hisako is a buxom schoolgirl straight out of a cheesy anime. The game also borrows a few elements from Dark Souls, but it isn't nearly as frustrating as those games. Plenty of fun ghoul-blasting for cheap!

For those who can't wait for the next Silent Hill...

Injection π23 'No Name, No Number'

When I booted up this indie horror game, I was floored by how much it felt like the classic survival horror games I played when I was younger. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the puzzles found the sweet spot between the mental gymnastics of Silent Hill and the mindless put-key-here bits of Resident Evil. This was definitely worth the $12 I paid.

For those who want a head-trip...

Path To Mnemosyne

This puzzle adventure is a mindf***. Pure and simple. The puzzles really test your observational and reasoning skills. However, it can be easy to miss the clues to solve those puzzles as the trippy visuals in stark black-and-white (with occasional splashes of color) steal your attention without remorse. Playing it feels like a descent into madness, and the fact that it's very easy on the wallet is even crazier.

For those who want tons of action and gore with their horror...

Prodeus

This just got on Xbox Game Pass, and I've been having a blast with it! It's a loving throwback to classic Doom with creative level designs, tons of monsters to blast to pieces, and enough gore to rival a Clive Barker movie. Don't worry if you don't have Game Pass as this awesome homage is only $25!

For those who enjoy reading Stephen King...

Raging Loop

It may seem weird to put a visual novel in the mix, but Raging Loop won me over for how creatively it tells its yomibito story. The player will make choices in the story that will kill lead character Haruaki over and over but will get info that will change how things play out when the story starts again. It's just like the classic movie Groundhog Day... except I don't remember the part where Bill Murray gets torn to pieces by a mythical demon after talking to Ned.

For those in the mood for an interactive horror movie...

Simulacra

FMV games have come a long way since the lame days of Night Trap, and Simulacra showed just how far the genre can go when done right. Taking place entirely on a recovered smartphone, the search for clues to the whereabouts of a missing woman become more intense as the terrified videos and disturbing glitches add up. It is one of the most creative FMV games I've ever seen.

For those who just enjoy solving puzzles...

Slayaway Camp

This clever puzzle game revolves around taking blocky renditions of 80s horror icons and helping them complete their murder sprees. The mechanics are simple to grasp, and the puzzles get more devious as you go on. It also totally embraces 80s horror cheesiness from the goofy titles on the puzzle groups to the VHS filters on the playbacks. Load this up in the middle of your Friday The 13th marathon!

For those who wish Braid had the atmosphere of Hellraiser...

Tamashii

This puzzle platformer has simple mechanics and straightforward goals like any good platformer. What sets it apart is the outright nightmarish imagery everywhere that's somehow scarier with the scanlines and filters of old computers. The greatest horror movies have made use of limited means, and games like Tamashii have accomplished the same thing in the virtual space.

For those itching for an RPG for Halloween...

Vampire's Fall: Origins

This is a classic-style RPG in every sense of the word, from the huge world to explore to the assortment of weapons and powers to use against the various demons infesting the land. The turn-based battles have all the strategy fans of the genre crave, and the 2D visuals are flat-out gorgeous. It seems impossible to believe that this work of art can be bought for only $13!

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I know I left out a bunch of worthwhile games for Halloween. Any more you can think of for gamers who want a bargain? Drop 'em in the comments below, or let me know on Twitter!

Happy Halloween!