Halloween is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with a horror gaming marathon? With so many creepy titles to choose from – many with completion times that require several days to beat – it can be hard to pick a handful of games you can play in a single night.
Fortunately, there are plenty of short horror experiences available that can be played back-to-back. If you plan to stream on Mixer, or simply want a challenge to complete on your own, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve put together a list of horror games to see how many you can beat before the clock strikes midnight on Halloween!
Can you survive this horror gaming marathon?
© Hideo Kojima
P. T.
- Length: 30 minutes
We couldn’t offer up a list of bite-size horror games without including one of the greatest examples ever made… P.T. If you were fortunate enough to get your hands on this demo before it was pulled, you know how challenging it is to get through the full 30 minutes of gameplay on offer.
The 3D-style audio alone of Lisa standing behind you is more than enough to send chills down your spine, almost like nightmare ASMR. If you missed out on grabbing P.T. and want to participate rather than watch gameplay videos, there are a few equally creepy alternatives out there to kick your horror gaming marathon off right.
Most notably, Eleanor’s Stairway is one of the best examples of an indie that manages to capture the feel (and brief length) of P.T. right down to its chilling antagonist.
- Alternatives: Eleanor’s Stairway
Tattletail
© Waygetter Electronics
- Length: 1 hour
If you grew up in the late 90s, you may remember the strange Furby toy that came out. You could teach it to mimic you, or let it carry on speaking its own gibberish language. On the surface, Furbies seem harmless despite being somewhat annoying. However, Furbies can also be downright terrifying, especially when they start talking in the middle of the night.
Tattletail is a game that plays upon this premise in a fun, clever way. In Tattletail, you play as a child who's received a Furby lookalike for Christmas called Baby Talking Tattletail. Similar to Furby, it's incapable of shutting up. You make the mistake of opening this "gift" early to play with it before putting it back in its box like nothing ever happened.
Except... it doesn't want to stay in its box. The following night, you find the obnoxious little creature in the dryer and have to complete a few chores for it before you can put it back. The next night? Same thing. While this doesn't seem scary, the game ramps up when Mama Tattletail starts stalking you through the house. Trust us when we say that you don't want to get caught by Mama Tattletail.
Tattletail can be completed in an hour or less and it's a great piece of survival horror in every sense of the word. How long can you evade Mama Tattletail, and how long can you put up with Tattletail's annoying chatter? Find out!
Slender: The Arrival
© Blue Isle Studios
- Length: 2 hours
The Slenderman craze has died down over the last few years, though some things are incapable of staying dead. For example, Slender: The Arrival, which is just as much fun to play today as it was when it first released back in 2013. While dated, Slender: The Arrival offers classic “cat and mouse” gameplay where you’re stalked by a mysterious figure with evil intentions.
Similar to P.T., the audio convinces you that Slenderman is always lurking in the area. Every time you turn around, you’re convinced he’s going to be standing there waiting to pounce, which offers a nice level of tension from start to finish. In Slender: The Arrival, you’re all alone. No one is coming to help you, so what do you do? Run, hide… whatever you can to survive.
Slender: The Arrival can be completed in 2 hours or less, and right now, it’s also on sale. If you buy the game on Steam before November 1, you can get it for $1.49 (USD). It’s not free, but it’s pretty close. If you missed out on the Slenderman fad or want a little bit of nostalgia, creep your way through the woods in Slender: The Arrival!
The Walking Dead - Episode 1: A New Day
© Telltale Games
- Length: 2 hours
Telltale’s The Walking Dead is another must-play horror classic, similar to Slender: The Arrival but offering a different sort of cadence. Unlike the well-known AMC show that drags and shuffles along, refusing to die like its zombie antagonists, Telltale’s The Walking Dead managed to breathe new life into the franchise when it debuted in 2012.
It offers new characters, intense consequence-based choices, and unforgettable moments that has carried it forward all the way to present day (despite the turbulent shutdown of Telltale Games). We concede that yes, it’s not as scary as other entries on this list, but that doesn’t mean you should skip out on the experience.
While it takes time to complete all of Season 1, the first episode is more than enough to showcase why Telltale’s The Walking Dead remains one of the greatest thematic horror entries ever made.
Stories Untold
© No Code
- Length: 2 hours
If you love ghost stories, you’ll love Stories Untold. The game is unique in that it offers 4 short stories that all seem to blend together into a single haunting experience. To help it stand out even more, gameplay in Stories Untold boasts a retro feel with point-and-click mechanics, text-based adventure, elements of mystery, and a stellar synth soundtrack to set the mood.
Seriously, the soundtrack alone is enough reason to buy Stories Untold.
In celebration of Halloween, Stories Untold is on sale with digital copies available for as little as $2.49 (USD). If you’re a fan of 80s horror, you’ll find it’s well worth the purchase. You don’t have to play Stories Untold all the way to the end, though once you start, it’s incredibly hard to stop. Fortunately, the game can be completed in around 2 hours, meaning it won’t trap you in your chair for too long.
Unless you decide to replay it over and over and over again.
Visage
© SadSquare Studio
- Length: 3 hours
Last, but certainly not least, we have Visage. As the longest title in our Halloween gaming marathon, Visage will pull you in and keep you occupied with its wealth of spooky concepts. Despite how it feels when you play it, Visage only takes around 3 hours to beat. Well, if you’re actually able to beat it, that is.
One reason for its slower feel is the gameplay which has you slinking around a haunted house intent on messing with your psychological state. In many ways, Visage is similar to both P.T. although we feel like Visage stands on its own in just how terrifying it is and how it builds upon each premise the farther into the game you get. Personally, we think it’s one of the scariest games on this list.
The house is full of hostile ghosts and if they catch you, that’s it, you’re dead. If you’ve ever played Outlast you’ll know the sort of tension this can cause. To avoid falling prey to these ghosts, you’ll need to pay attention to the audio and listen to what’s going on around you. You’ll also want to stay in the light and manage your sanity, similar to Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
If you’re brave enough, give Visage a try. If you’re able to make it out alive, consider yourself lucky!
- Estimated completion time for all games on this list: 10 to 12 hours
What do you think of our horror gaming marathon? Do you plan to try to beat all of these games before midnight on Halloween, or do you have other recommendations for us? Comment below!