Even though the spooky season is over, the scares don’t have to end. Gamers will find plenty of horror in video games throughout the year. In fact, some of the best games this year were horror games. A quick look at the latest releases featuring murder, mayhem, and monsters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZexnXA4mMEk“Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” — After a disappointing launch last year, the best-selling franchise is returning to form this year, thanks to Treyarch and Raven Software. Set during the first Gulf War in the 1990s, the story campaign deftly sets up the final chapter amidst an intriguing era of espionage and has mission design details to support the narrative. Meanwhile, the multiplayer mode takes advantage of new omnidirectional movement mechanics that allow players to run, dive and slide in any direction. Now players will be able to perform more spectacular moves when they remember to use them.

The terror of “Black Ops 6” comes from the Zombies mode, which returns with the frenetic fun and fast-paced co-op action that fans love. Players can play two large maps named Terminus and Liberty Falls. Players will have to survive waves of undead and worse monsters while building their arsenal using essences from fallen undead hordes. It’s a classic formula that gets bigger and better with each iteration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyQ44BJSDEY“Fixed” — San Ramon-based video game developer Striking Distance Studios “Callisto Protocol” garnered praise when the sci-fi survival horror game launches in 2022. Now the developers have prepared a spin-off based on the same universe. “Redacted” is set in the same Black Iron Prison on the Jovian moon, but this time players take on the roles of multiple people trying to escape the compound during the emergence of a bug that turns people into monsters.

Essentially a rogue-lite game inspired by “Hades”. As a prison guard, players collect weapons and resources as they enter different rooms and slaughter enemies. They become stronger with the rewards collected from each room, and as players delve deeper into Black Iron Prison, the game becomes even more frustrating, as dying in the game means players have to start over without the firearms or perks they’ve acquired along the way.

Fortunately, players can gather resources to transfer to the next guard, so even players don’t have to start completely from scratch. They can use Smuggling, Security IDs, and other resources to gain permanent buffs that will help them survive. It gives players a sense of progress and hope as they face brutally difficult challenges.

“Emio – The Man Who Smiled: Famicom Detective Club” — this entry famous visual novel series First new episode since 1997. It is about the young hero named by the players, his partner Ayumi Tachibana and his boss Shunsuke Utsugi. The three investigate a mysterious murder in which the victim was found with a paper bag over his head.

Like the other entries, this is a slower-paced game that requires players to think and solve puzzles about where to look for clues about the case. For better or worse, “Emio” still retains the core gameplay elements that made the previous remake frustrating and worthwhile. Players can sometimes see which response will advance the plot, but sometimes what to do next gets lost in the game, and players must essentially test each interaction to move forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KQfsgjHUFg

One of the best parts of “Emio” is the art this time. It’s more spectacular and seems like there’s more animation in conversations and interactions. This makes the campaign feel more current than past experiences. Even though the genre is not action-oriented, it feels more lively.

The power of a visual novel like “Emio” is that it can draw players into its world with solid voice acting and an engaging story. With a few twists and turns, “Emio” is a fascinating experience, even if it doesn’t move at the pace of modern games.

First Publication Date: November 2, 2024 15:51 PDT