As we enter the middle of October, Halloween celebrations will only continue to ramp up. That makes this a perfect time to play horror games or games that elicit an eerie, autumn-like vibe despite all of the new releases like Metaphor: ReFantazio and Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. Thankfully, several new additions to Sony’s subscription service, from PlayStation Plus Essential to Extra, fit that bill. Those are the games I’m drawing from as I recommend three more PS Plus titles for you to check out this weekend.
Dead Space
One of October’s PS Plus Essential monthly games is EA Motive’s excellent Dead Space remake. It’s an utterly gorgeous, faithful recreation of Visceral Games’ iconic 2008 sci-fi horror game that’s still one of the best-looking games on PlayStation 5. It’s a must-play during this spooky season, even if one of the most frightening things about doing so is realizing EA doesn’t plan to follow excellent remake up anytime soon. The PS5 version of Dead Space is available to all PS Plus subscribers until November 5. It’s also on PC and Xbox Series X/S through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Night in the Woods
While it’s not a horror game, Night in the Woods oozes fall vibes with its black-cat protagonist, Mae, vibrant autumn-colored visuals, and some narrative and setting elements. It’s an intensely relatable story about a college dropout returning to their hometown, reuniting with old friends, and getting swept up in a supernatural mystery. If you’ve never played this charming indie before, October is the perfect time of year to do so. PS Plus Extra subscribers can now access the PS4 and PS5 versions of Night in the Woods as part of its game catalog. It’s also available on PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and iOS.
Chernobylite
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 might not be released in time for Halloween this year, but you can play Chernobylite at last. Chernobylite has much in common with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. as players fight against other humans and more supernatural obstacles and foes around the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. It specifically leans into the RPG aspects of such an experience, with player choices that interact with the narrative, permadeath for NPCs, and more. The PS4 and PS5 versions of Chernobylite are available via PS Plus Extra. It’s also on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.