* (Halloween countdown post #9)

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Mouthwashing (Steam)
‘If you want a game that’s so disturbing, that lets horror stew inside of you instead of trying to jumpscare you every five minutes— might I recommend Mouthwashing.’

 

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Amnesia: The Bunker (Steam)
‘I just started Amnesia: The Bunker recently and I can’t. The tension is too much. I haven’t even seen the monster yet, but the way they build fear is crazy. The resource managing just adds to it, too. I’m terrified of my generator running out of gas. It did once and I started hearing extremely strange sounds and I felt like I was gonna pass out.’

 

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Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly (Playstation 3)
‘I was a fan of survival horror since I was 10 years old, but never got to play Fatal Frame until last week, when my dad’s cousin bought it on PSN. It was Fatal Frame 2 and it still is the scariest experience any work of art ever gave me.’

 

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The Mortuary Assistant (Playstation 5)
‘A lot of the scares in the game are very subtle with you just barely catching a glimpse of a shadowy silhouette or vaguely humanoid figure staring at you out of the corner of your eye. Moreover, the game is scary on a psychological level too with there being plenty of horrifying moments that involve the protagonist’s past and family members being distorted in truly unsettling ways. It is important to mention that the chance of many of these scares occurring is completely random which means that the game can consistently find new ways to scare you on repeat playthroughs as you try to unlock the many different endings.’

 

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At Dead Of Night (Steam)
‘Maya must escape a remote hotel run by a psychopath called Jimmy Hall by communicating with the ghosts of Jimmy’s victims, who materialise around the hotel and gradually reveal their story.’

 

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Visage (Xbox)
‘Visage drapes over you like some ghastly blanket, smothering you with unsettling ambiance and high-quality scares. Visage messed me up.’

 

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Solipsis (Steam)
‘I saw XXXXXXX appear for just a second, right after you XXXXXXX. I watched someone else’s playthrough and they didn’t encounter this. Also haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere else.’

 

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Imscared (Steam)
‘Imscared is an indie meta horror game created by Ivan Zanotti’s MyMadnessWorks. To complete the game, the player finds themself having to outwit “White Face” and “HER,” beings with the ability to manipulate the player’s computer, like creating files or even crashing the game.’

 

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Shipwrecked 64 (Nintendo 64/Steam)
‘It’s a bit of a slow burn, but Shipwrecked 64 is definitely the scariest game I’ve played. It really takes its time, hours of “something feels off,” and waiting for the shoe to drop, except it doesn’t. Over and over again, the tension keeps ratcheting up until said shoe finally does drop, and FUCK. I legit jumped out of the chair.’

 

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Faint Call (Steam)
‘This is one of the most intense jumpscare games ive ever watched…literally almost threw my phone like 3 times!’

 

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Rule of Rose (Playstation 2)
‘Rule of Rose is a game with a reputation that precedes it. After unfair slander in the media, the game caused a moral panic across Europe, even going so far as being discussed in the European Parliament – all for content that isn’t even in the game.’

 

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Outlast 2 (Playstation 4)
‘The fact that you’re stranded in the desert and everyone is culty and Marta scares the ever living fuck out of me. But her music is probably my all time favourite. It just makes my hair stand on end. There was also a part in this game that scared me so bad I had to pause it and take a breather because it was just so unexpected lol.’

 

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Those Who Remain (Steam)
‘Those Who Remain is the scariest horror game I’ve played. Super disturbing and also has giant spiders that are… EJEJDJDKDHCJDKDALSHELADBEL so…. Also has a bunch of chase scenes and creepy ladies that look like the girl from the ring with bones snapping.’

 

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MADiSON (Playstation 5)
‘What would you do if you woke up locked in a dark room, with your hands covered in blood? Play as Luca, and endure the brute torture of MADiSON, a demon that has forced him to continue a gory ritual started decades ago, making him commit abominable acts.’

 

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Phasmophobia (Playstation 5)
‘Creeping my way through a dark estate having light bulbs explode and things thrown at me was spooky. Spending too long in the dark decreases your sanity, making it more likely a ghost will materialise and try to kill you, but you can escape the encounter by finding a hiding place.’

 

 

*

p.s. Hey. A friend of mine’s son is very into horror-themed video games. As the post title suggests, I asked him if he would give me a list of the scariest games he’s ever played, and he did, and, with his permission, I’ve turned that into a Halloween post. Ta da. ** jay, Hi, Jay. ‘Practicing Dying’ is really, really good. ‘Lies of P’: I’m off to see if I can find it and take a gander. Thanks! A counteractive very happy belated birthday salute! ‘Very very good’: I’ll take that to the bank. Do you know any of the ‘scary’ games up there? Seems like you might? Love in total return, me. ** Dominik, Hi!!! Yeah, sorry to add to your tempting book skyscraper. You should see mine. I assume the designer is being kept away from us to protect his ego. But the poster is apparently finished for better or worse, and we’re going to be given a look at it today. Gulp. The teen experimental film screening was great. So exciting to see filmmakers that young who are very into experimenting wildly with film. Some really good ones, especially a crazy, sort of late Godardian film by a 16 year old boy that ended up deservedly winning the best film prize. It was very inspiring. Same weather here as of this moment. Love having found a film festival in Vienna and having submitted his film with hope in his heart, G. ** Sypha, I thought of you and your possible interest when I put that book in there. I quite liked it. Yes, finally a new book by you! It feels like it’s been many ages! Amazing! Everyone, the masterful fiction writer James Champagne, who goes by Sypha when he’s around here, has exciting news. Listen up and click where appropriate. James/Sypha: ‘my new (short) novel PULP FIN DE SIÈCLE has been published by the new Purple Bearded Uncle imprint as one of their launch titles. It might interest anyone who’s into the whole 19th-century French Decadence scene. This hardcover edition is limited to 75 copies, but is of high quality design’. Yay! ** Bill, The Doten is brilliant and hilarious. From what I saw on the news, it seems that SF did its part quite generously on Saturday. How was being inside it? ** Carsten, You’re a good man, sir. Hey, you never know about publishers’ willingness, but obviously good to feel cautious. The Coup: new to me. I’ll find them and also his film if that’s possible. I utterly agree with you re: where exciting films are most likely to spring from. I should do a post about poet/filmmakers. Instinct and memory tell me that there have been quite a number of them. ** Steeqhen, Oops, but hopefully you’re being uprighted as I type. I too have a great hunger to know as much as I can, and I guess this blog is a result. But I guess I’m pretty selective as a form of self-protection. Hence why I don’t watch television and quickly block out conspiracy theories, and so on. ** Steve, Hi. Weekend was good. Saw a great reading by Camille Roy, saw inspiring experimental films made by teenagers, did a couple of ‘RT’ interviews, ate Indian food. Not bad. Glad you had that great dinner. And you launched! Everyone, Steve’s awesome musical podcast/show has added its latest episode, and here he is with the scoop: ‘Shake the cockroaches off your hands with log xylophones, good songs from bad movies, and the noise of a recording studio! My new “Radio Not Radio” episode is up. This one features Cate Le Bon, Patti Smith, Simona, Infinite Coles, JADE, XG, Mula, PinkPantheress, Raissa, Romeo Poirier, Fieldwork, Tom Skinner, Webber/Morris Big Band, Charles Mingus, Rosa Ensemble, Cerys Hafana, Sirom, Nakibembe Embaire Group, Nala Sinephro, Deustche Wetarbeit, Arvin Dola, Kristin Pilon & Demdike Stare, Gridfailure, Hatis Noit, Nine Inch Nails and uncredited Vietnamese and Balinese musicians.’ A biker! Nice! I’m picturing that, and I’m liking what my mind’s eye creates. The only Williamsburg haunt I found just now with a quick search is The Haunted Mansion Williamsburg Hotel: ‘Step with caution into the house where madness takes place. This haunted house will leave you sleepless for days, but the night will be worth it!’ (Looks a little meh to me). ** darbz (¬ ´ཀ` )¬, And hello to you, my overseas buddy. That sounds so frustrating about the competency test. The wrong people are always in control. I join your friend in urging you to never inject Crack. There is literally no upside to that. The Drums … is that a band? I don’t know them/it obviously. Oh, wait, you hooked me up via YouTube. I’ll go listen it, etc. once I’m a post-p.s. free bird. Thanks, pal. ** _Black_Acrylic, It’s a good one: the Northall. I actually know Soft White Underbelly, but I haven’t looked at it in a while. Thanks for the nudge. ** Hugo, Sure, my pleasure, whatever you want to do. That is a very sad and disturbing story about the 13 yo. You’re right to be devastated by it, but try to learn something from it because, tragically, that’s all you can do now. So terrible. ** HaRpEr //, Phew, I’m glad he’s ok. I had a feeling he would be for some reason. Of course I know what you mean. Are you in a position or proximity to him that you could talk with him and give him support? It might make a real difference. Pilot Press is definitely up there among the best presses extant in my opinion too. I don’t know ‘The Cremator’, but it sounds like something I should be able to find. Thanks a bunch. ** Uday, Kevin had a very distinct voice. He said it was his Long Island accent, but there was much more going on than that. You probably have a quip that can reverse the guy’s possible misinterpretation? I would love a slightly odd post from you, you bet. Thank you for conceiving it. ** Right. You know what you’re in for already, so have at it in your inimitable styles, and I’ll see you tomorrow.