Steam free games include two of the best horror titles we've seen in years

October is upon us, as too is the stronger-than-normal urge to play every creepy, eerie, spooky game in sight. Fortunately for someone like myself – a lover of horror even if I wet myself whilst playing them – Steam Next Fest 2023 has a wide array of games that tick all the right macabre boxes.

I should point out that this Steam event isn’t only focused on horror games – there’s action, adventure, RPGs, puzzles, a whole array of subgenres to whet your appetite if you’re looking for something new to try. But, seeing as Halloween will soon be here, I’m focused on games that go bump in the night. And no, I’m not referring to games like GTA 6 that are giving us major nightmares after all the leaks that keep hounding the game before it’s even released…!

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The first game I’d like to point you in the direction of is Fall of Decay. Now, full disclaimer, English isn’t a supported language for this game, which I know will put many people off. However, just take a look that that pixel art style, atmospheric locations, and unnerving entities roaming about; it has all the hallmarks of a pixel-perfect horror.

Playing as a girl named Celica, you’ll need to explore the strange mansion you’ve awoken in, not sure what's going on or where you are, nor how to find your way out. You need to survive, but also regain your lost memory, two horror tropes we all know and love (or hate, depending on your preferences). This title appears to offer a lot of interaction with your environment, which I for one love, thus allowing you to go off the beaten track to investigate every nook and cranny.

Of course, if you prefer more mainstream frights, you could always opt for All in Your Head instead. Moving away from pixel art and to a more photorealistic finish, this first person horror follows the story of a group of teens who’ve messed with something they really shouldn’t have. You know, the usual horror fodder. Still, while not a completely original premise, the need to survive by avoiding a mysterious girl named Miley looks set to ramp up the tension. All you have are the items you find, and your trusty mobile torch, as is the way for everyone born into the era of the mobile phone (we worship, we obey).

As I’ve already hinted, All in Your Head is a lot more generic than Fall of Decay, however, both of these games look like great additions for anyone in search of goosebumps and thrills. Whatever your passions, though, you need to act quickly because Next Fest is in its final hours, which means you don’t have long to savour the sweet fear that comes with jumpscares. If you should miss the event, however, you can always check out the 10 best scary games to download for Halloween on the PlayStation.