Season's greetings to all my fellow fear fiends! If you're on the hunt for the best horror games to play on Xbox Game Pass this Halloween, I'm proud to announce that I've done the hard work for you.
Sad as it is that Silent Hill 2 won't be launching on Xbox this month, Halloween is a time of reveling in ghoulish delights – and that's exactly what you'll find below. There's a wealth of terrifying experience for you to explore through your Game Pass subscription, from spooky platformers to grisly third-person action shooters and beyond. With this handy list, nothing will stop your Halloween from being a frightfully good time. Let's get to the tricks and treats.
10. Dead by Daylight (Halloween event)
Developer: Behaviour Interactive
Dead by Daylight is a compulsively fun asymmetrical horror game all year round, but it really comes into its own each October. The annual Haunted by Daylight seasonal event kicks off on October 17, and it's the place to be for any self-professed genre fanatic. Whether you're a Killer or Survivor decked out in one of DBD's many horror movie-licensed character skins, the seasonal event is a celebration of not only the game, but the genre itself. The Haunted by Daylight challenges have varied over the years, adding new tasks to complete in addition to the cat-and-mouse race to secure victory, but a recent livestream from the developer has confirmed that the Void Realm will be making a reappearance. Rewards for completing the free seasonal event track have previously included everything from in-game currency to limited time cosmetics, charms, and more, so there's no time like Halloween to get back into it – or discover the horrors for the first time.
9. Still Wakes the Deep
Developer: The Chinese Room
If a creeping, insidious horror experience is what you're after this Halloween, look no further than Still Wakes the Deep. Described by the developer as "The Thing on an oil rig" just off the coast of 1970s Scotland, you'll be stepping into the shoes of oil worker Caz McCleary on the worst day of his life. Not only has he been let go from his job, but the whole rig is slowly falling under the thrall of a horrific entity that seems to be spreading through the crew and manipulating them like a sentient parasite. If you class Amnesia: The Dark Descent or Outlast as some of the best horror games in your book, you'll devour this terrifying morsel.
8. The Quarry
Developer: Supermassive Games
Sometimes, you're just not in the mood for the action-heavy likes of survival horror and would prefer a more narrative-driven experience. Enter Supermassive's gloriously cinematic horror thriller, The Quarry. Every choice you make matters as you play through a revolving ensemble cast, either alone or with friends via couch co-op, and decide their fates one by one. In classic Supermassive fashion, you can expect plenty of nods to the horror greats – in this case, Friday the 13th and American Werewolf – to keep you and your fellow movie buff friends on your toes. What better way to usher in the Halloween spirit?
7. The Evil Within 2
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Resident Evil and Alan Wake fans are missing a trick if they've yet to experience The Evil Within 2. Not only is it a brilliantly crafted survival horror adventure, it's also sitting pretty on Xbox Game Pass as perfect October video game fodder. As tortured detective Sebastian Castellanos searches for his daughter in a simulated town called Union, expect an intoxicating blend of heart-pounding horror, stealth, and combat encounters to keep you on your toes. The first game is also available to play on Game Pass, making it a pretty unbeatable Halloween double bill if you're looking to clear that backlog.
6. Vampyr
Developer: Don't Nod
Taking to the gloomy streets of Victorian London as Dr Jonathan E. Reid, a newly-turned vampire who just so happens to have taken the hippocratic oath, Don't Nod sets up the perfect conundrum in Vampyr. Will you feed on those you once swore to heal, or find other ways to slake your unholy thirst? My favorite part of Vampyr is the story itself, as well as the experience of simply being a vampire in such a rich and responsive world. Strolling through the districts and drinking in the atmosphere, from the period-relevant musical score to the odd shriek or growl piercing the cold nighttime air, you need to get to know your neighbors to work out which of them mightn't be missed should they, uh, leave town unexpectedly. Aside from 2004's janky yet beloved Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, Vampyr is one of the only RPGs where you can live out a vampire fantasy. If you ask me, that's the ultimate Halloween treat – even if the gunplay leaves a lot to be desired.
5. Dead Space
Developer: Motive Studios
Whether or not you played the original, Motive Studios' Dead Space remake is a Halloween must for any horror superfan. The Ishimura, an abandoned ship in deep space where something cataclysmic has happened to the entire crew, is even more insidious this time around. Breaking from the tradition set in many classic survival horror games, protagonist Isaac has to employ a slightly different combat strategy here: do not shoot those necromorphs in the head with your trusty plasma cutter, because a fat lot of good it'll do you. Motive really went all-out in communicating the horrors aboard the Ishimura in excruciating detail, from the logs you find strewn across its labyrinthine chambers to the way Isaac's heartbeat races when he looks at something terrifying. Dead Space is a true labor of love, and it's available via EA Play to all Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. You know what to do.
4. Alice: Madness Returns
Developer: Spicy Horse
In the mood for something oozing the spooky vibes, but a little lighter on the jumpscares and gore? Action platformer Alice: Madness Returns is another EA Play offering that is crying out for you to play it this Halloween season, and despite being some 13 years old, it's still a belter. A distinctly steampunk gothic aesthetic drenches this twisted fairytale, though there are just enough touches of magic and whimsy to keep it from being an all-out horror game. I mean, Alice explodes into a flurry of blue butterflies when she dies – it's hardly the splatterfest your mother warned you about. Still, it's the kind of charming, charismatic creepy that Tim Burton fans will drink up greedily, and this list is all about diverse experiences.
3. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Developer: Ninja Theory
One of this year's quietest victories for the horror genre is Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2. Taking place some time after the events of the first game, Hellblade 2 sees Pict warrior Senua embracing the very thing that was once used against her. With the help of her inner voices, The Furies, Hellblade 2 starts off as a blistering, unforgiving quest for vengeance, but it ends with a surprising amount of heart. There's an unrelenting brutality spearing this cinematic action-adventure forward, but it's tempered by some of the most tender moments of storytelling I've ever seen in a video game. There's a reason I gave it a five star rating in my Hellblade 2 review, so if you're in the mood of a more serious and mature horror game on Game Pass this Halloween, I think you've found it.
2. Lies of P
Developer: Neowiz
Bloodborne fans, your time has come. Lies of P is not only one of the best games like Elden Ring for Souls fans, it's a stunning retelling of a popular children's tale. Part robot, part boy, Pinocchio has never been more of a badass than when he's tearing through the baroque France-inspired environs of the city of Krat, his mechanical steel arm sending sparks out in the night. With terrifying bosses hulking overhead and unnerving puppet-like enemies around every corner, Lies of P is a horror-tinged action RPG that proves a brilliant introduction to the genre as well as offering something new and compelling for Soulslike enthusiasts. Pairing these razor-sharp combat encounters with a 1800s gothic setting that oozes spooky season flair, Lies of P is the Halloween Game Pass pick for anyone looking for a challenge as well as vibes this October.
1. Resident Evil 2 Remake
Developer: Capcom
Ever since Resident Evil 2 Remake landed on Xbox Game Pass, I knew I'd be revisiting it to ring in Halloween 2024 – and so should you. Capcom set a new standard for the survival horror remake when it launched Leon and Claire's adventure in 2019, turning the fixed camera angles of the iconic PS1 original into a thrilling third-person shooter. The zombies are grislier, Mr X is even more terrifying as his thunderous footfall chases you through the RCPD, and with reworked puzzles, item mappings, and new content besides, there is a reason that Resident Evil 2 is perhaps the best survival horror game of all-time.
