Summary
Halloweenis a magical time of the year. For many people, it’s just like Christmas, but with a more spooky touch and wonderful costume parties that promote creativity on all sorts of crazy snack and beverage ideas. While Halloween started out as a pagan Gaelic ceremony, in modern times, it’s become a time for pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating.
Given this celebration’s general thematic, it’s often used by developers to be the setting of varioushorror gamesthat will give nightmares to even the bravest of people. And while that’s great for people that love horror, some players might just want to enjoy a game with Halloween elements but without the scary part. Here are some of thebest Halloween games that aren’t horror.
WhenThe Nightmare Before Christmaswas released back in 1993, it immediately gained a devoted fanbase consisting of children who are now adults in their late 20s and early 30s.The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revengeis set one year after the successful film and follows Jack Skellington once again as he tries to defeat a resurrected Oogie Boogie who’s trying to take over Halloween Town.
The gameplay is similar to ahack and slash, with players having to focus on dodging obstacles and projectiles thrown at them by enemies. Jack has a green flexible weapon similar to those sticky hands from the 90s, which he can use to attack enemies. The game also features dance-off mechanics that can be used during a battle between Jack and Oogie Boogie.
This3D platformerembodies the spirit of Halloween in the best possible way. Players take control of Jack, a spirit that revives as a pumpkin-headed man during Halloween. WhilePumpkin Jackdoesn’t feature a plot as developed as other games on this list, it’s still really fun to play through its various levels that are always challenging and entertaining. Players will have no shortage of options for combat, as the game features melee weapons including a scythe, a shovel, and even a magic sword.
Pumpkin Jackfeatures a unique art style that fits very well with the whole Halloween theme thanks to the predominance of purple, green and blue colors throughout each level. While there are less than 10 boss fights, each one feels different and offers a welcome change of pace to the rest of the game.
3Haunt The House: Terrortown
A Wholesome Story About A Ghost Who Just Wants To Rest
Haunt the House: Terrortownis an innocent take on the classic haunting story, and it revolves around a friendly ghost who lives in an abandoned town without bothering anybody. However, as people start moving into the town, the ghost’s peace and quiet is disturbed, disrupting its sleep schedule and causing a major inconvenience to it and its lifestyle. While the ghost means no harm to the new tenants, it will have to try its best to scare the living in order to force them to move somewhere else, as that’s the only way to restore the ghost’s peace.
Players can possess furniture and other elements inside the house the ghost is in to try and scare the new tenants away. With every successful attempt, the ghost will gain more and moresupernatural powersthat it can later use to make emptying an area a lot easier. All in all, whileHaunt the House: Terrortowndoesn’t have a complicated plot, it certainly represents a wonderful opportunity for players who want to submerge themselves in a title with all the Halloween spirit, without the scary bits that often surround it.
Set in Halloween,Costume Questfollows the story of siblings Reynold and Wren, who are tasked by their mother to try and make friends in their new neighborhood. Players can choose to play as either Reynold or Wren, with the NPC dressing as a piece of candy corn that soon attracts the attention of a monster who decides to kidnap them. Once this happens, players will have to find a way to get their sibling back before curfew to avoid getting in trouble. Withparty-basedand RPG game mechanics,Costume Questoffers lots of fun for players who want a Halloween adventure without the fear of encountering a psychopathic killer or a murderous supernatural creature.
To progress through the game, players must collect items for their costume, items, and other children as companions. The more things they collect, the easier it will be to deal with the leader of the monsters and rescue their sibling. Players who want more of this universe will be happy to know that there’s a sequel calledCostume Quest 2and a DLC expansion for the first installment calledGrubbins on Ice.
Following the story of Mae, a young college dropout, as she returns to her hometown with defeat written on her forehead,Night in the Woodsfeatures a beautiful art style that fits very well with the game’s concept of simplicity and unbridled fun. During her hometown’s Autumn festival, often called “Harfest” (Halloween), Mae sees a mysterious figure kidnap a teenager and disappear in the middle of the night. As Mae and her friends investigate further, they come across a secretive cloaked group who chase them, unleashing an interesting turn of events that make the title’s plot a wonderful experience.
Night in the Woodspresents players with greatside-scrolling mechanicsthat are masterfully complemented by the game’s immersive and personal narrative, adding another layer of complexity to the title. Players who want a Halloween-esque experience without screaming at the top of their lungs in terror every five minutes, should giveNight in the Woodsa chance.
