Well, Halloween is coming up this weekend (Friday, specifically), and for a lot of us, this provides the perfect time to break out some horror-based tabletop roleplaying games for some one-shot fun! But what sort of horror games should you pick, as there are so many on the market? Well, let me tell you about a few I would suggest, in no particular order.
Call of Cthulhu – CoC is pretty much the standard for Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror, being inspired by and based upon the writings of HP Lovecraft. While I’ve never found CoC particularly scary, it is extremely moody, and if played well, with a group that isn’t focused on being silly, you can have a great time playing this for Halloween.
Ten Candles – This game is almost the opposite of CoC, when it comes to spookiness. This game is dark and extremely evocative of the Halloween spirit. The fact that pretty much every character is doomed, slowly, one by one, just adds to the chilling nature of the game. It isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for Halloween frights… Look no further.
Dead of Night – This is my personal favorite for one-shot horror adventures. Designed to emulate a horror movie, with the characters thrust in as the protagonists fighting to survive against [Insert Horror Movie Villain Here]. Best played with a small group (effectively the main characters), surrounded by plenty of NPC victims, so the PCs aren’t dropping like flies.
Stories from the Grave! – Do you enjoy the old, pre-Comics Code horror comic books? Those that inspired movies like “Creepshow” and series’ like “Tales from the Dark Side”? Because that is precisely what you’ll find in this excellent TTRPG. Creepy, moody, and sometimes ridiculous, this is a sure-fire winner for Halloween play.
Happiest Apocalypse on Earth – What if your favorite theme park were infested with monsters? What if those running the park not only knew about it, but were actively covering up their crimes, if not actively assisting in those murders? What if your character were thrust into the park as a new employee, perhaps as a fresh-faced innocent, or someone investigating the disappearance of a missing loved one? Yeah, it’s a recipe for some awesome holiday roleplaying!
Dread – Do you have the board game “Jenga”? If so, you have everything you need to play this excellent horror TTRPG. While not my favorite game in the genre, it is very popular, easy to learn, with a very unique core mechanic that will add a lot of tension to your game.
Fear of the Unknown – Now this is a pretty generic horror TTRPG, in a very good way. Not tied down to any preset lore or subgenre, FotU gives you a lot of freedom in crafting your adventure. Couple in that it is a “Powered by the Apocalypse” TTRPG, with all of the simplicity and narrative-focused play that entails, and you’ve got the workings of a very good option for playing on Halloween.
Jinkies! – So, do you like the old “Scooby Do!” cartoons from the 1970’s and 80’s? Because that is exactly what this PbtA game is designed to emulate. So if your group is just looking for some silly, horror-themed fun on Halloween, this game is for you!
Kult: Divinity Lost – Okay, so your group isn’t into silly horror play, and want something that might really freak them out? Do you all prefer “Hellraiser” over “Friday the 13th” movies? Is your group all mature adults, or at least not going to be mentally scarred by some truly f*cked-up imagery? If all of this applies to you and your group, then you owe it to yourself to check this game out.
D13 RPG – Possibly the best horror game on this list, “D13 RPG” is not what you might think. From the mind of legendary game designer Lester Smith, this game employs a rather unique dice mechanic (the aforementioned D13, which is the sum of the roll of a d10 plus a d4, minus 1… it really is easier than it sounds). It is not very crunchy, but involves enough rules to keep your players engaged. I have played this game many times, and can assure you that it would be a great choice for Halloween fun.
Achtung Cthulhu! – Normally I wouldn’t include more than one “Cthulhu”-themed game in a list of this sort, with CoC effectively representing the entire subgenre, but I just had to mention this extremely fine game here. Why? Because not only is it different enough from CoC to warrant inclusion, being set in World War 2, but it also employs the amazing 2D20 system from Modiphius. It is so good, and really lends itself to some fine Halloween adventures.
Bedlam Hall – So here’s a game that doesn’t fit into the norm for Horror Games, but also fits right in on this list. You see, BH is a fun little game about a weird, corrupted old-money family, and the staff who serve them. The players are members of the household staff, who are not only tasked with tending to the estate and those who abide there, but also in covering up the various crimes the family commit. Meanwhile, the PCs will be trying to gain favor with the family, in order to improve their station, and if that means pinning the guilt for a crime on another PC, or maybe just accidentally pushing them down the main stairwell, well…
All Flesh Must Be Eaten – AFMBE is a rather unique horror TTRPG, in that it does one thing (Zombie Apocalypse), but does it very well, and with a multitude of styles. Everything from Deep Space Zombies to Sexually-Transmitted Zombie Plague, and so much more! The system is quick and easy to play, and the game is extremely engaging. This used to be my go-to game I ran for Halloween one-shots every year, and my group loved it. I suspect yours will, too.
