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- Flee from lovingly drawn horrors across two mysterious worlds in Bye Sweet Carole.
- Face off against 8-bit inspired monsters in a charmingly gothic world as Mina the Hollower.
- Oneway.exe: Module 1.0 lets you delve into a haunted game to find the ghosts in the machine.
- Old is new again with Flesh Made Fear, delivering modern scares with a retro feel.
- Descend into the House of Necrosis, where you’ll face off against deadly low-poly corpses.
Bye Sweet Carole boasts lovingly animated nightmares
Bye Sweet Carole is a dynamic adventure horror game from developer Little Sewing Machine, showcasing beautiful hand-drawn animation and painted background art reminiscent of old Disney animated classics.
You’ll play as Lana Benton, an orphan chasing after her missing friend and stumbling into another world full of nightmares and unsettling horrors. Set between the Dickensian Bunny Hall orphanage and the fantastical world of Corolla, you’ll face danger around every corner, whether it be abusive orphanage staff or Mr Kyn, the ‘devourer of worlds’. The game looks to contrast its more saccharine inspirations with an oppressive tone, where you can magically transform into a rabbit to run and hide from vicious tar creatures.
Mixing a dreamlike atmosphere with Clock Tower-inspired survival horror, Bye Sweet Carole brings a disturbing fairy tale to Switch, PS5, Xbox, and PC when it releases on October 9.
Mina the Hollower is gothic 8-bit gorgeousness
Yacht Club Games returns with their first new IP since capturing hearts with Shovel Knight, gifting us Mina the Hollower on October 31 on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
In Mina the Hollower, the titular Mina fights through monstrous enemies across the gothic-horror-inspired Tenebrous Isle. Gameplay-wise, we’re looking at slick and fast-paced combat inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, with the addition of mechanics that allow you not just to dodge in combat but also to burrow under the level.
Visually, Mina the Hollower is screaming classic Castlevania, and this isn’t just because of Mina’s signature whip. There are some varied and inspired monster designs on display, clearly inspired by the Game Boy Color but refined for modern gaming.
Oneway.exe: Module 1.0 will leave you [Hyperlink Blocked]
You’ll find yourself stuck in abandonware in oneway.exe: Module 1.0 as you explore a haunted video game, uncovering different unnerving narratives across multiple creepy art styles. This first-person horror puzzle game takes inspiration from classic creepypasta and wants to embed you in the scary stories that have been shared around the internet campfire.
The game is doing a lot with a little as you move between desktop screens. You’ll need to explore and keep moving forward as you try to uncover the hidden storyline, as the fictional UNTITLED.exe gives way under its own decay around you. Like many narrative-focused horror games, such as Doki Doki Literature Club, it’s less about outright scares and more about keeping you in unnerved rapture.
You can delve into games within games when oneway.exe: Module 1.0 releases on PC and macOS on October 7. However, there’s a demo longer than most free indie horror games to get into right now, should you be so inclined.
Flesh Made Fear brings back retro scares
Tainted Pact brings us back to survival horror’s roots with Flesh Made Fear, creating ample room for its unsettling atmosphere to weigh down on you. The world is dark, the mist is thick, you’re stuck with tank controls, and best of all, the fixed camera perspective only lets you see what the game wants you to see.
We’re looking at classic Resident Evil games as inspiration here, from gameplay through to voice direction. However, Flesh Made Fear isn’t going to let chasing that retro feel stop it from making improvements. Fixed-camera rooms are filled with darkness that you can only light up with your limited controls, restricting your vision in multiple ways. That fear of the unknown is paired with occult horror, urging you to fight or flee.
Flesh Made Fear is set to bring the scares on October 31, but if you want to get the feel, there’s a demo right now on Steam.
House of Necrosis delves into low-poly horrors
House of Necrosis is a turn-based horror RPG released by solo developer Warkus, wearing its original Resident Evil inspiration right on its sleeve. With its classic location of a mysterious monster-infested mansion (and the protagonist fulfilling the classic role of a special forces operative cut off from their team), you may be surprised to find out that the gameplay takes inspiration from unexpected sources.
Aside from its tank-controlled hub world, House of Necrosis plays closer to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon or Parasite Eve as you delve deeper into the floors of this accursed manor. When you move or act, the enemies around you do so as well, so you’ll need to take care not to find yourself surrounded, or else you’ll be out of ammo or healing faster than you can say ‘Jill Sandwich’.
House of Necrosis releases on PC on October 6, but if you think you might be interested, there’s a demo to try right now on Steam.
FAQs
For my money, that would be Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It’s one of the best indie horror games out there.
Yes, Phasmaphobia was developed and published by Kinetic Games, a British indie horror games studio. It’s currently in early access and is slated for a full release in 2026.
Yes, Outlast and its sequels were developed and published by Red Barrels, an independent games studio in Canada.
Horror games often work by hitting particular stress responses, either over time with atmospheric horror games like Silent Hill 2 or in rapid bursts of jump scares like Five Nights at Freddy’s. This can trigger heightened anxiety in those prone to it, but for some can give relief from real-world anxieties.
References
- oneway.exe Demo (Steam)
- Flesh Made Fear Demo on Steam (Steam)
- House of Necrosis Demo on Steam (Steam)
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