Scary games to get you in the Halloween spirit
— -- Don't just watch a creepy movie to get into the Halloween spirit. You can star in one — virtually speaking — with a handful of video games designed to fright and delight. Here's a sampling of hair-raising adventures best played with the lights dimmed. (Because of graphic violence/gore, three of these games are rated M for mature and are not suitable for players under 17.)
Hellgate: London
EA/Namco, for PC, due Oct. 31, $50; rated M; www.hellgatelondon.com
From the team that created the mega-popular Diablo franchise comes this four-years-in-the-making thriller. Played from an immersive first-person perspective, Hellgate is an action-heavy role-playing game that challenges players to save Britain's capital city from demonic attacks. To extend replayability, all levels, enemies and events are dynamically generated, so no two adventures play out the same way. Many customized options and robust online modes add to the fun.
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
Capcom, for Nintendo Wii, out now, $30; rated M; www.residentevil.com
One of the best "survival horror" games in recent memory has slashed its way onto the Wii. In Resident Evil 4, your secret agent is dispatched to a European village to retrieve the president's kidnapped daughter. Problem is, the townsfolk don't want you there — and you'll soon find out why. There are better graphics and new chapters, but the biggest improvement over the PS2 version is using the Wii's wireless and motion-sensing controllers for the protagonist and his weapons.
Clive Barker's Jericho
Codemasters, for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, due Oct. 23, $60; rated M; codemasters.com/jericho
This cinematic first-person action game is not for the squeamish. Disturbingly graphic imagery featuring satanic creatures and hellish environments will give horror fans chills and thrills — especially as it's in high-definition — as you and your squadmates take on increasingly tough demons using both traditional weapons and supernatural powers, including telekinesis and pyrokinesis. Travel through interdimensional rifts to get to the true source of evil.
