Like film, the horror genre is a staple in video games. With Halloween just a few short days away, we've handpicked 10 just-released or soon-to-be-available titles that are guaranteed to make you jump out of your seat.
Jeff Bakalar
Jeff is CNET Editor at Large and a host for CNET video. He's regularly featured on CBS and CBSN. He founded the site's longest-running podcast, The 404 Show, which ran for 10 years. He's currently featured on Giant Bomb's Giant Beastcast podcast and has an unhealthy obsession with ice hockey and pinball.
The follow-up to last year's underrated thriller, Saw II has players scrambling in a race against time. The gritty environments, devilishly clever traps, and the Jigsaw killer all return.
2 of 10 GameSpot
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (360, PS3)
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (360, PS3)
The Castlevania series makes its return to consoles in the first-ever third-person action game to come out of the franchise. Breathtaking visuals and over-the-top villains will have you wishing for the days of classic 2D side-scrolling Castlevania.
3 of 10 GameSpot
Amnesia: The Dark Descent (PC, Mac)
Amnesia: The Dark Descent (PC, Mac)
Amnesia is one of the scariest games we've played in a very long time, with its disturbing visuals and mindblowing insanity effects. Available on either PC or Mac platforms, this is one game worth playing in the dark.
4 of 10 GameSpot
DeathSpank (XBLA, PSN)
DeathSpank (XBLA, PSN)
Not all Halloween games need to be terrifying. In the case of DeathSpank, the opposite is true. Though you'll be battling the ugliest of monsters and witches, DeathSpank's humor and appeal is closer to a Tim Burton film than anything else.
5 of 10 GameSpot
Splatterhouse (360, PS3) November 23
Splatterhouse (360, PS3) November 23
This classic action-horror series is back as players assume the role of Rick, who must fight demons and other spawns from hell to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend.
6 of 10 GameSpot
Dead Rising 2 (360, PS3)
Dead Rising 2 (360, PS3)
You wanted more zombies, you got 'em. Dead Rising 2 features more zombies onscreen at once than any other game we've played this year. With the Las Vegas-inspired Fortune City as your backdrop, there are even more ways to
rid the world of the undead.
7 of 10 GameSpot
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (XBLA, PSN)
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (XBLA, PSN)
One of 2010's best games of the year just got a little creepier. In Undead Nightmare, a plague has struck the land, creating zombies of all kinds. The expansion pack adds on hours of gameplay in both single-player and multiplayer modes.
8 of 10 GameSpot
Dead Nation (PSN) Coming soon
Dead Nation (PSN) Coming soon
This apocolyptic horror game has you armed to the teeth fighting off horde after horde of zombies. Try to survive Dead Nation alone or with a friend in this nightmare developed by the same studio responsible for Super Stardust HD.
9 of 10 GameSpot
Alan Wake DLC: The Writer (360)
Alan Wake DLC: The Writer (360)
Alan Wake surprised us this past May with its great story and unsettling atmosphere. The tale concludes with the second and final DLC pack for the game, titled "The Writer."
10 of 10 GameSpot
Limbo (XBLA)
Limbo (XBLA)
This summer brought us countless quality digital-only titles highlighted by the quiet break-out title Limbo. This dreary little adventure has a twisted side that had us jumping out of our chairs on numerous occasions.
