PORTLAND, Maine — With Halloween just a few days away, it’s time to go over your check list. Candy? Got it. Costume? Working on it. Halloween-themed games on your phone? Uhhhhh….
No worries about that last one. 207’s tech guy, Rich Brooks from Flyte New Media in Portland, is here to help. Here are the talking points he provided for his recommendations.
What are some truly scary games for our mobile devices?
There are so many horror and Halloween-themed games, you couldn’t possibly play them all in 31 days. So I tried to find a good cross-section of game types.
AR: 5 Nights at Freddy's: Special Delivery - takes the jump scares and creepiness of the FNAF franchise and puts them right in your own home!
You mentioned different styles of games...anything for people who don't want to allow deadly animatronic teddy bears into their home?
City builders: My favorite is called Rebuild 3. It takes place after a zombie apocalypse where you're trying to survive and build your community. You need to make tough decisions on who to save, who to trust and whether you should shore up your defenses or send out people on recon and supply gathering missions, all the while the zombie horde is hungry for brains. There's a constant feeling of foreboding in the game, but no real jump scares.
Cost: $5. 12+
If you're looking for something a little more kid-friendly, you can check out Goosebumps Horrortown, a city builder filled with monsters from RL Stine's Goosebump series. You can play as the monsters, trying to scare the populace, or the people, trying to scope out what the monsters are up to. The game is cute, but I found that unless you're willing to constantly pay to unlock things, the game moves pretty slowly. 9+
Cost: Free w/in-app purchases. 9+
What are some of the stranger games you found?
Speed Dating for Ghosts: if you like romance and dating games, this one’s for you. You get to interview 3 ghosts for possible dates and if you pick one who likes you, you can go on a date with them. I ended up going on a date where we went to a football game and took over players. So, I guess it was also like a football sim game.
Cost: $3. 12+
Simulacra 2: It's not exactly a horror or Halloween game, but it amps up the creepiness factor. You've been given the phone of a social media influencer who's been murdered. Using just her phone, you have to solve the mystery.
Cost: $5, 12+
Any games you think you'll be playing even after Halloween?
Bendy and the Ink Machine: You're the artist of an old-timey cartoon character who has seemingly come to life in some demonic fashion. Graphics are very stylized and cool (like an old cartoon), there's lots of puzzle solving, creepiness, monsters, and plenty of jump scares.
Cost: $7, 12+
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