Another weekend is upon us, and you’re probably wondering which Xbox Game Pass games you should spend some time with over the next couple of days. Although Halloween is still several months away, the release of a new horror game this week means that I’m recommending some spooky titles from the Xbox Game Pass catalog this time around.
Of course, my first recommendation is that new game, which is developed byAmnesia: A Machine for Pigsdeveloper The Chinese Room and is set on an oil rig. Once you beat that, I recommend you check out EA Motive’s remake of a sci-fi horror game classic, as well as a newer title from Striking Distance Studio that was inspired by that same game.
Still Wakes the Deep
The Chinese Room is known for games likeEverybody’s Gone to the RaptureandAmnesia: A Machine for Pigs, and it finally returned to the horror genre this week with the release ofStill Wakes the Deep. It’s a Lovecraftian horror game set on a Scottish oil rig in the 1970s. The unique setting gives it a unique feel, makingStill Wakes the Deepa prime example of how a striking setting can help make or break a game.
For fans of first-person horror games, it offers plenty of tense moments and scares, too. Even if you tend to not enjoy scary video games,Still Wakes the Deephas a Story Mode mode that decreases the likelihood of players dying to make it a little more approachable. It only takes around six to eight hours to beat this game, so you should be able to fit a full playthrough in this weekend.
Still Wakes the Deepis available through Xbox Game Pass on PC and Xbox Series X/S, but is out on PlayStation 5 as well.
Dead Space
2008’sDead Spaceset a lot of standards for modern horror games with how it never took the camera off the player, featured gory fights against alien monsters, and found ways to make all the most necessary user interface elements diegetic within the game’s world. While you can play the Xbox 360 original through EA Play with an Xbox Game Pass subscription, I’m specifically recommending EA Motive’sDead Spaceremakewhich launched last January.
For the most part, it’s the same game as that 2008 classic; it just has the polished controls and generous visuals of a current-gen video game.Dead Space’sdeft balance of action and horror works just as well now as it did over 15 years ago, and EA Motive’s work is a masterclass in how to make a faithful remake. If you’re a horror game fan and somehow have never playedDead Space, give the remake a shot this weekend.
The Callisto Protocol
If you enjoyedDead Spaceand are looking for other games like it, I’d recommendThe Callisto Protocol. This game was made by some of the developers who worked on the originalDead Spaceat Striking Distance Studios. Although it’s not as refined a horror experience, I still findThe Callisto Protocolentertaining enough and love its setting: a high-security prison on one of the moons of Jupiter.
The Callisto Protocolis one of the best-looking games on this generation of consoles and features solid central performances from Josh Duhamel, Karen Fukuhara, and Sam Witwer. Controls for its melee combat take some getting used to, but it also leads to some grotesque battles against horrifying monsters. Now that it’s on a subscription service and not a full-priced new release, I thinkThe Callisto Protocolis worth the time of horror fans.
Like with the other games I’ve recommended, the PC and Xbox Series X/S versions ofThe Callisto Protocolare on Xbox Game Pass, while a PS5 version of the game is available for purchase separately on PS5.
