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It is Halloween 2024, and I am once again asking you to play an indie survival horror game inspired by PS1 classics.
Look, I fully realize there's no shortage of low-poly indie horror games paying tribute to games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, but I'm a glass half-full person; what some might call an oversaturated market, I'd call a feast for sickos that grew up playing horror games at too young an age and are forever chasing that same adrenaline-fueled high. Crow Country, Roost, and Heartworm are just a few that have wowed me recently, and now that I've played a little bit of the demo for Labyrinth of the Demon King, I can add another to the long list of upcoming horror games firmly on my radar.
My immediate impressions playing the demo were, A) it's absolutely soaked in dread-inducing atmosphere, which reminded me of playing Silent Hill for the first time as a child, and B) it's actually, genuinely scary. It's tricky for me to suspend my disbelief sometimes when playing games that look like they're 30 years old, but in Labyrinth of the Demon King, the minimalist sound design, tough but fair combat, and grotesque creatures from Japanese folklore combine to create a tense, unnerving experience.
FromSoftware fans will also pick up on some heavy King's Field vibes, and indeed, the game's official website lists the dungeon crawler as one of its main inspirations alongside Resident Evil and Silent Hill.
The game is set in a war, disease, and famine-ravaged alternate version of feudal Japan, and you play as a footsoldier named Ashigaru who will need to trudge through the Labyrinth of the Demon King in order to track down the demon who betrayed your lord and kill it. On the way you'll encounter all sorts of yōkai - ghosts from Japanese folklore - that from my experience don't go down without a fight.
Usually, I'd say Halloween should be strictly reserved for watching the best horror movies and carving Jack-o'-lanterns, but I'll make an exception in this case and heartily recommend you take half an hour out of your day to play this seriously spooky demo.
I'll also accept you picking something from our list of the best horror games.
