Think of an 80s movie-themed game and the odds are extremely high you’ll be playing an asymmetrical multiplayer title. We’ve seen plenty of iconic killers make the jump to gaming, but now it’s time for the granddaddy of the slasher genre to have its moment in the spotlight with Halloween: The Game.
Developed by IllFonic, who know a thing or two about this type of game, having worked on Friday the 13th and Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Halloween puts you in the shoes of the legendary killer Michael Myers or one of the unfortunate residents of Haddonfield who must try to survive the night.
Full Fright
On paper, the game plays how you might expect, with one player taking control of Michael Myers while four other players attempt to escape him.
But there is a twist to the usual formula here, as the survivors aren’t just looking to save their own bacon. They must also find and rescue innocent residents around town before Myers gets his hands on them.
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This adds an interesting layer to the now well-used formula, as you’re not simply looking for a way out while avoiding the killer. You need to search houses, gather useful items, convince residents to leave and find a way to alert the authorities, all while Myers is stalking the streets looking for his next victim.
But playing as Myers is where the game really comes to life, as is often the way in these games. You can stalk your prey, use the shadows to move around and unleash some rather brutal executions when you catch someone off guard.
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Though you can’t run, which means that if you are spotted, you’ll never catch your prey. Thankfully, you do have powers that can help a little.
The longer you spend hunting, the more dangerous you become, and there is something rather satisfying about slowly creeping up on someone before turning their evening into a scene straight out of John Carpenter’s classic.
Stab in the Front
The survivors, however, aren’t completely helpless. You can search houses for weapons and useful items, lock doors and use whatever you can find to slow Michael down. Working together is important, but splitting up to rescue residents can be risky, especially when you realise that the big man in the boiler suit is already on his way. And no, we’re not talking about the gas man.
A big draw for some will be the game’s single-player story mode which, on paper, recreates and expands upon the origins of Myers. Honestly, though, it’s little more than a glorified tutorial. Across six levels, you learn how to use Myers’ skill set and explore locations from the online side of the game, but this is honestly a rubbish mode and, in many ways, an utter let-down.
Night Full of Tension
That said, when the online side clicks, Halloween delivers some genuinely tense moments, especially when you’re trying to get a resident to safety and sense that familiar feeling of danger creeping up behind you. It does a decent job of capturing the atmosphere of the films.
However, the game feels rather rough around the edges. Some animations and mechanics lack polish, and the frequent quick-time events can become a drag. The balance between Michael and the survivors could also do with some work, while the AI of the residents is, at times, truly murder. Think pig-shite bad. Honestly, you’ll be tempted to just let them get killed.
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There is fun to be had here, but a lack of guidance for survivors means you’ll be learning a lot through trial and error. That’s fine once you get into the swing of things, but it can make those early matches a nightmare.
Halloween: The Game is a stab at bringing one of horror’s most iconic villains to gaming, with some new ideas that help it stand apart from its competition. It captures the spirit of the movies, and Michael Myers will always be a blast to play, but technical issues, balancing problems and a waste-of-time campaign stop it from being the killer experience it could have been.
- Halloween: The Game review – All Hollowed Out
- Tenebris Somnia review – Multi Media Scares
- Silver Pines review – Halloween Treat
