It’s that time of year again when that old familiar green Xbox logo on the console turns a bright shade of orange for Halloween. That has never happened before truthfully, but it would be cool if Microsoft and the other big console companies could update their systems for holiday themes. If PS4 controllers could light up with a rainbow of colors then why can’t a console?
Lighting aside, it is a fun time of the year for playing games. There are plenty of pure horror games to play on consoles right now like the remakes for Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space. However, let’s look instead at the RPG genre. There are fewer picks, but that makes them more interesting.
8 Bloodborne
Bloodborne is going to creep players out and give them a challenge. This one-off Soulslike from FromSoftware took the world by storm when it launched exclusively on PS4. It was like a gothic modern interpretation of what the Castlevania games felt like to those who grew up in the 80s and 90s.
Those games are bright and colorful compared to the bleak aesthetics of Bloodborne. Of all the FromSoftware games to play during Halloween, this is the one for many reasons. One of them is a spoiler, but it involves Cthulhu-like beings hanging around in plain sight.
7 Costume Quest 2
One of the great things about Double Fine is that they always like to experiment with the idea of gaming. They don’t have a lot of sequels under their belt as they instead like to invest their time into new ideas. Costume Quest 2 is one of the few exceptions that plays ultimately like the first game.
Players go around trick or treating during Halloween and eventually get sucked into another world filled with monsters and magic. The kids involved can use their imaginations to turn their costumes into wild beings like ninjas or mechs for turn-based battles.
6 Diablo 4
Diablo 4 is one of the must-play action RPGs from 2023. Players can choose a class, customize their character’s looks, and then embark on a bloody quest to stop the daughter of the underworld, Lilith. It’s fun going around the new open world alone, with AI companions, or with friends online.
Blizzard has always been good about Halloween content in their games like the Diablo series, so this game may even get a fun holiday update soon. It would make the recommendation more on point, but either way, Diablo 4 is one of the perfect RPGs to get into the spooky mood.
5 Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts may not sound like a good RPG to play during Halloween but there is a reason. This is one of the most colorful and kid-friendly RPG series around after all. However, in the first game, one of the Disney worlds that players can travel to is based on The Nightmare Before Christmas.
It’s one of the few worlds that changes the appearances of Sora, Donald, and Goofy to make them blend in better with the residents of Halloween Town. It can be a fun tradition to replay this world around Halloween and thanks to Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, it’s easier now than ever before to make an extra save at the start.
4 Okage: Shadow King
Speaking of The Nightmare Before Christmas, this next RPG has some Tim Burton vibes. Okage: Shadow King is one of the more obscure picks on this list, but it is not inaccessible thanks to the PS4’s port. It was released early on in the PS2’s lifecycle and it was developed internally as a Sony exclusive.
Players will embark on a quest to stop the world from getting engulfed in darkness with the help of a shadow that possesses a young boy. It’s a typical turn-based RPG that may be a bit slow at times, but those with patience will be rewarded with a bizarre adventure.
3 Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve is a bit of a mixed recommendation due to the content. It can be likened to a survival horror game akin to Resident Evil but with RPG elements. It stars Aya Brea, a detective in the NYPD, who gets thrown into a bizarre case while on a date.
Aya witnesses a monster emerge at a play and everyone in the audience except for her combusts into flames. With the action, gore, and haunted motifs, it’s a great pick for Halloween. But, the odd thing is that it takes place during Christmas, so it can be a good game to play during that holiday too.
2 Skul: The Hero Slayer
There has to be one video game on this list that features a skeleton warrior. After all, skeletons are all over Halloween like that song “Spooky Scary Skeletons” which is hard to get out of your head after you hear it once. Skul: The Hero Slayer is a fine 2D roguelike RPG with a skeletal warrior tasked with trying to stop a group of heroes from slaying his master of the underworld.
One of the unique traits that sets the game apart from other roguelikes is the head power-ups. Players can find and attach a new head to their character and get new abilities from turning into a genie to a ninja.
1 Sweet Home
Sweet Home is a bit more obscure than even Okage: Shadow King and that’s because this NES game was never released outside of Japan. It’s based on a horror film of the same name and the game, developed by Capcom, is often cited as the predecessor of Resident Evil. Multiple characters get stuck in a mansion which is filled with ghoulish creatures from ghosts to zombies.
The multiple characters can be swapped around to solve puzzles and battles are commenced in a setup similar to Dragon Quest. Thankfully, there is an English fan patch for those curious. Also, be sure to check out the movie for Halloween.