The divide between horror games and films is vast. On one hand, many iconic villains have been made in the wake of horror cinema: Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface to name a few. In the medium of video games, player involvement adds a whole new dimension. By forcing the audience to solve the situation, a different kind of anxiety is reached. Laurie Strode hiding in a locker while Michael Myers passes by is scary, but one can always rest safely knowing they are not in the situation – at least, until now. So, consider these four games to provide some great scares for this Halloween weekend.

1. “Resident Evil 7”

One of the progenitors of scary games was “Resident Evil,” a slightly goofy game about shooting zombies in a mansion. As time has gone on, changes were made to update the gameplay with modern times, focusing more on action rather than scares. Thankfully, “Resident Evil 7” brings back the horror with intense cat-and-mouse gameplay. Players find themselves stranded in the Baker Mansion, home to a family of homicidal maniacs and mold monsters. Both of these creatures can easily take down an unaware player without warning.

2. “Alien: Isolation”

Many film-related games do not tend to reach past the realms of mediocre. That is why when Creative Assembly had announced its plans to make “Alien: Isolation,” a game based on the nostalgic “Alien” franchise, many people were fearful. Those fears were quickly replaced once the game was released. By carefully facing an alien stalker, players find themselves in a deadly game of wits against a monster that can learn their tactics and adapt to each new encounter. Knowing the alien is learning the player and getting inside their mind creates a new fear in and of itself for players.

3. “Dead By Daylight”

Sadly, many horror icons never make it past the screen. Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Jigsaw and LeatherFace will more than likely all find themselves being tied to their film franchises alone. However, cameo appearances are never out of the question. That is why when “Dead By Daylight” included the option to play as these horror icons, as well as a large cast of original characters, many people got reasonably hyped. “Dead By Daylight” pits four survivors against one killer, all controlled by other players. Some things will never be scarier than turning around and noticing that Michael Myers has been stalking the player (complete with the “Halloween” music), and it is up to the player to lose him or get a  game over. By mixing horror and competitive multiplayer, “Dead By Daylight” can bring the fear back to some of horror’s greatest icons. 

4. “Until Dawn”

Some games try their best to mimic television. A large amount of focus is being put toward graphics that verge on photo-realism and realistic gameplay. One game that almost certainly bridges this gap is “Until Dawn.” This game is different from many others on the market. There is no combat, no game over and no retry. The player is brought to the Washington Estate and given eight teenagers that will go through a night of horror. Each choice that is made will decide who dies and who survives until.sunrise.