The leaves are falling, the sun sets earlier, and spooky season is truly upon us. Above all other holidays, I feel as though Halloween is the only one to have much direct impact on my gaming habits. I can’t say that the Christmas season inspires me to dust off my copy of We Wish You a Merry Christmas for the Wii. However the Halloween season absolutely influences my gaming habits, and I would argue the majority of my time spent with horror gaming is in the month of October. 

How about you? Are there any Halloween gaming traditions you adhere to? Any specific games you revisit? Does the spooky season tend to cause you to indulge in a few spookier games than normal?

In particular, there are a few October traditions I adhere to every year, in celebration of my favourite holiday. Throughout the month, amongst monster movie marathons, I squeeze in a few playthroughs of Resident Evil, particularly the 2002 remake for the Nintendo Gamecube. This is a game I know like the back of my hand, and I have a playthrough whittled down to a handful of hours. Trapezing through the Spencer Mansion gives me the exact horror boost I need to feel festive, and the game itself is a pure joy. 

Early in October, I begin a playthrough of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, and I revisit it throughout the month, aiming to defeat Majora in the days leading up to Halloween. Of course, Majora’s Mask is certainly not a horror game, but there is no doubting that it perfect fits the Halloween vibe. It is a thoroughly uncomfortable surrealist experience throughout, and at times, Majora’s Mask genuinely flirts with Lynchian surrealist horror. Being such a fan of the Zelda series, it is also an excuse for a yearly revisit of one of the franchise’s best games. 

My last tradition is enacted on Halloween day, often leading into the morning of November 1st, depending on how late I am getting started, and that is an attempt at a playthrough of the classic Silent Hill 2. Despite a strong reverence for horror and Halloween, the truth is that I am actually a huge coward, and I struggle with scary games. I have never personally rolled credits on Silent Hill 2, though I try every year, and this is because I genuinely find the experience to be terrifying. The sound design is terrifying for me. The moment I make it into the Wood Side Apartments, and I start to hear the thumping and chain-dangling happening in the distance, knowing that a showdown with the fearsome Pyramid Head is on the horizon, I admit defeat. My blood runs cold and I turn off my PlayStation 2, the black void of my unpowered television providing me relief from the terror I just experienced.

Silent Hill 2 is simply too much for me, but I try again every Halloween. This year, I am determined to tough it out and at least get through the apartments.

How about yourself? Let us know about any and all spooky gaming traditions you might engage in, by leaving a comment below!

Featured Image: Nintendo