Sometimes Halloween parties don't line up and people are stuck with nothing to do on the night itself. That's why co-op horror games are the best new way to experience some scary Halloween vibes while still partying with friends in a unique and fun way.
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Whether it's cutting down hordes of rabid zombies or scaring each other using local proximity chat, modern horror games are a cornucopia of good times and make for perfect Halloween fodder.
5 Left 4 Dead 2
Zombie Mayhem Incarnate
- ISSUED
- November 17, 2009
Sometimes players don't want to feel like the victim, but the monster. Fortunately, games like Left 4 Dead 2 they're perfect for that all-too-common fantasy of mowing down hordes of zombies that never seem to end. Although Left 4 Dead 2 is starting to show its age, it's still a world-class performance of zombie co-op action that few have come close to matching.
For a single night of action, playing through one of the relatively short campaigns is a good idea, or if on PC, there are hordes of custom maps and campaigns to try out alongside some very silly mods. For a good time of scares and chills in equal measure, Left 4 Dead 2 it's the place to go.
4 Labyrinthic
Find a way out before they find you
- ISSUED
- August 18, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Valko Game Studios
The past few years have seen a bit of a renaissance in indie gaming, based primarily on multiplayer experiences that take advantage of localized proximity chat to heighten the scares and the hilarity in equal measure. Labyrinthic is one of the standout entries in this burgeoning subgenre that deserves a lot more attention as players try to navigate a variety of mazes with a nasty monster always behind them.
Although the game does not have a lot of content, it is absolutely perfect for Halloween night. Each of its levels is extremely memorable and there are more than enough great scares to give players chills along with plenty of big laughs.
3 Sons of the Forest
Cannibals and mutants make a great party
- OpenCritic
- Top Critic Rating:78/100 Critics recommend:86%
- ISSUED
- February 23, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Endnight games
Sons of the Forest it did what few sequels could and actually managed to improve on its predecessor in almost every way imaginable, making it an ideal choice for co-op horror flicks with friends. Taking on the role of a survivor cast onto a desert island filled to the brim with mutants and cannibals, players must build a shelter and venture into the titular forest for some answers (though players should probably refer back to some beginner tips before jump into them). ).
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Because Sons of the Forest relies on procedurally generated scares from incredible AI behavior rather than scripted scares, creating an incredibly tense and fun experience with friends where scares can come from anywhere at any time. Then, once players are back on their feet, there are few feelings more cathartic than bringing the fight back to the beasts that caused so much trouble in the early hours.
2 Phasmophobia
Stay some ghosts together
- ISSUED
- September 18, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Kinetic games
As perhaps the most prominent example of the new subgenre of PC horror games that rely on proximity chat-based scares, Phasmophobia in many ways set the template for the many co-op horror games that were to follow. Players take on the role of ghost hunters who are sent to a variety of haunted locations to detect the presence of a gallery of creepy ghosts and document its particular characteristics.
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Of course, the ghost is none too pleased about being documented, which has led to some truly horrific cases guaranteed to elicit a high-pitched scream from a friend. There are some funnier and scarier moments at the same time when you hear a friend let out an involuntary scream from the other side of the virtual house and it absolutely sets the mood for Halloween night.
1 Dark Image Anthology
The mayhem of Halloween movies
- OpenCritic
- Top Critic Rating:71/100 Critics recommend:44%
A few years after the Supermassive Games project, Dark Image Anthology is a collection of short co-op horror experiences that tell individual stories with highly realistic motion capture and some great scares. With their relatively short durations, each entry in the series provides a perfect evening's entertainment, and the choices a player makes replaying each entry are also a lot of fun.
With an interconnected mythos full of hidden secrets and a host of creepy creatures to contend with, each “episode” has plenty of horror credentials that make for a scary Halloween movie.
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