5 Spooky, Scary, Creepy Games to Watch for from PAX Online
Part of the joy of PAX is getting an opportunity to check out a wide variety of upcoming indie games that otherwise might be overlooked. Often times these titles are creative, innovative, and just downright fun in new ways we hadn’t experienced yet. There are a ton of fascinating games on display this year at PAX Online and I would be remiss if I didn’t take an opportunity to highlight five games in particular that stood out for one particular shared trait: their ability to be surreal, creepy, and downright spooky. These are the games that have you holding your breath. These are the games which make even a gentle breeze cause you to jump. Yes, there are some truly captivating and moving experiences to be had this year at PAX, but these 5 spooky, scary, creepy games are definitely ones to watch for.
One of the more surreal entries on this list, Industria is set in Berlin on November 9th, 1989 after the fall of the Berlin Wall. As the German people are once again united, a scientist working on a secret project goes missing. His research destroyed and the building soon empty, you search the facility for answers. The game may be an FPS but it plays with an altered-history featuring surreal science and hoping into a parallel dimension. Every step of the way will keep you on edge as you search for the truth about the scientist and indeed reality itself. Industria is scheduled for release in Q1 2021 for PC.
With an incredibly unique aesthetic style, Shadows of Doubt casts you as a detective trying to hunt down a serial killer in a hyper-industrialized 1980s alternate reality. The games advanced pixel-style art and realistic lighting physics make for a captivating environment while you stealth through the city looking for clues. The game offers side missions for extra cash but sooner or later you will catch up to the killer. Can you figure out who the murderer is before they strike again? Shadows of Doubt is coming soon to PC.
A beautiful entry with watercolor landscapes and excellent mechanics reminiscent of Ori and the Will of the Wisps, The Darkest Tales sees you play as a stuffed bear named Teddy. Teddy has come to life to rescue his owner, Alicia, from the realm of dreams. Long since forgotten, Teddy must travel into these twisted childhood dreams and nightmares to bring her back from the brink. Touted as a complex adventure with thought provoking content and difficult questions about life, this game is beautiful to behold and dripping with emotional weight. Can Teddy protect the owner who has long since forgotten him? The Darkest Tales comes to PC in 2021.
Delve into the deepest recesses of your mind and your nightmares with In Sound Mind, a first person psychological horror experience. Players are tasked with traveling through their own painful memories and confronting their fears while locked in a seemingly endless nightmare. The game borrows from industry icons like Resident Evil and The Evil Within to create a nightmarish landscape or fragmented memories, rife with horrifying enemies and frenetic puzzles to solve. The game features original music by The Living Tombstone, a musical YouTube group known for their work creating a Five Nights at Freddys soundtrack. In Sound Mind will release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X next year.
White Shadows hits home on so many different layers while still being just an incredible new game. Ravengirl lives in a world of obedience and lies. Its a totalitarian state in the darkness, completely devoid of color. She learns of a rebellion brewing hidden somewhere in the last city on Earth and seeks it out to learn the truth of the world around her. Despite being entirely in shades of black and white, White Shadows is gorgeous to behold and every inch of its design is dripping with hidden narrative and brutal dictatorship. It’s 1984 turned into a visceral fable. White Shadows was unfortunately not quite ready to go hands-on at PAX this year but it is absolutely one of the titles I look forward to in the future, and hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long to see if Ravengirl can make a difference against White Wash Industries. White Shadows is set for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X in 2021.
Have you been checking out any games this year during PAX Online? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or the Comments section below and for all things PAX, keep it locked on COGconnected.