Happy October! We’re officially entering the spooky season, and that naturally means it’s a perfect time for horror movies, games, and maybe even a book or two. (I recommend Carmilla, if you haven’t read it. It’s a classic vampire tale that doesn’t get enough attention and is filled with a ton of dark, lesbian subtext.)
This weekend, in the spirit of spooky season, we’ve got two horror games worth your time: one a recently released stunner of a trip into an eerie mountainside village in Japan, and the other, well, it ain’t for the faint of heart.
But if horror ain’t your thing, fear not! There’s also plenty of great stuff here if you’re just looking for good, clean, non-terrifying fun. Let’s get to it!
Another year, another Call of Duty. This time around it’s Black Ops 7. The beta started on October 2, and I got access and played a few matches. Yup, it’s another Call of Duty, all right. It also plays a lot like Black Ops 6, which isn’t a bad thing at all as that was a return to form for the franchise’s fast-paced multiplayer.
This time around, though, it does feel like I’m playing a Black Ops 6 expansion and not a new game. But, there is one big new feature: wall-hopping. You can now run up to a wall and hop off it to reach out-of-the-way areas or escape a fight. It feels really good and fits so perfectly into the CoD toolbox that it feels like a feature they added years ago.
Overall, I’m enjoying the BLOPS 7 beta, but I’ll need to play the whole game and a lot more multiplayer before I’m convinced this is a big new game and not just Black Ops 6.5. – Zack Zwiezen
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (“Playable”)
Current goal: Unlock another ending
Silent Hill f’s aesthetic was always going to rope me in. It’s my kinda thing. But would my fascination with its darkness last through multiple playthroughs? Last weekend, I was happy to find myself truly enjoying extended sessions with this wonderful horror game, and I’ll be spinning it up yet again this weekend.
In a year in which I’ve enjoyed many games but have struggled to manage my time well enough to roll credits on several of them (I’m really, really sorry Clair Obscur), Silent Hill f has pulled me into finishing it twice over. I just can’t resist sinking back into that fog to unravel more of this twisted story.
Last weekend I unlocked the “Fox wets its tail” ending. I won’t spoil it here, but wow, did it take the game to places I didn’t expect. And I especially enjoyed using the sacred sword you can unlock on a second playthrough. I happen to really enjoy the combat in SHf, and having this mystical weapon that almost feels like it moves of its own accord and ties in satisfyingly with f’s spooky mythological backdrop added yet another layer of cryptic narrative goodness on top of the existing themes of patriarchy and subjugation.
So this weekend I’m gunning for another ending, perhaps two more if I can make the time. I’m also playing it on the game’s hardest difficulty, “Lost in the Fog.” Lots of digital ink is being spilt over the game’s combat and difficulty, and facing down that top-tier challenge feels appropriate as I’m finalizing my own opinions on whether or not f indulges too much in making you fight monsters.
Also, it’s October, so how am I not gonna spend every weekend playing at least one horror game? – Claire Jackson
Play it on: Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Unknown”)
Current goal: Meditate on misery
Let’s get this out of the way: This game has like…all of the trigger warnings. The game’s Steam store page lists self-harm and animal cruelty as just two of the themes this short, surreal adventure explores. And it advises you to skip it if you have any doubts whatsoever about its subject matter.
In this game you play as a praying mantis visiting other animals who are caught in various states of extreme duress as you explore an endless realm of ennui. The game has two different endings, and only lasts around an hour or so. But it is a dark, bloody experience that’s less about trying to make you run for your life and instead asks you to meditate on absolutely dreadful, terrifying subjects with otherwise very casual, slow-paced gameplay.
Even thinking about playing this game again after not touching it for a few years, I’m wondering if I’m in the right emotional headspace for it–especially with the state of the world being what it is. But sometimes horror is most effective as an outlet when times are tough. Be sure to take care of yourself if you give this one a spin, because it can easily stir up some dark thoughts. – Claire Jackson
Play it on: PS5
Current goal: Finish the game
Is Ghost of Yotei another first-party open-world game with a skill tree and light crafting elements from Sony? Yes. Is it one of a number of recent games set in Japan’s past? Yup. Does it feel redundant and tedious? Somehow no. I’ve been finding it the perfect mix of map game checklist and cinematic adventure, sort of like if you turned Uncharted into an Ubisoft game. It’s also hitting at a good time of year. We’re far removed from Assassin’s Creed Shadows at this point, and there’s no other sandbox action game on this scale arriving this fall. The writing is very good, and 30 hours in the world still leaves me stunned. The more I play, the more Ghost of Yotei grows on me. If you pick it up, don’t rush. Take your time. It’s better that way. It also might have my favorite video game wolf ever. – Ethan Gach
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Playable”)
Current goal: Get the Platinum trophy
I’m on the verge of having played 100 hours of Final Fantasy Tactics this year. Have I lost my mind? Maybe. But the game really is that good, and The Ivalice Chronicles remaster rehabs it in almost all of the best ways. I’m frustrated Square Enix decided to cut the content from the War of the Lions port and not add any new battles or endgame content this time around, only because the rest of it is so excellent. We’ve never had a strategy RPG since that can hold a candle to it. I hope that eventually changes. For now there’s all the mods players are going to make for the PC version. – Ethan Gach
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Verified”)
Current goal: Try to make playing with Lego in real life just as fun
I recently finished Lego Voyagers and it’s a fantastic little co-op puzzler that not enough people are talking about. You play as Lego pieces who have to help one another build to overcome obstacles. Think Split Fiction but with zero words. It’s full of clever little interactions that kept surprising me while also tapping into all of those core Lego building habits I’ve honed over decades. The price is a bit steep for the three-to-five-hour runtime, but every moment hits. – Ethan Gach
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Verified”)
Current goal: Save the future
I write about Pokémon almost every other day here at Kotaku, but I don’t get to write about Digimon nearly as much. Legends: Z-A is two weeks away, but if you’re looking to get your monster-taming fix right now, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is out, and I really loved it. The story skews dark, the evolution mechanics are elaborate and experimental, and riding around on my favorite monster’s shoulders doesn’t get old. It’ll be most rewarding to longtime Digimon fans, but I think it’s got enough emotional stakes to even draw in people who haven’t visited the Digital World in years. Its turn-based combat isn’t that deep, but it makes up for it with complex and rewarding training mechanics. — Kenneth Shepard
That wraps our picks for the weekend. What are you playing? Any horror recs for the best month of the year?
