As the season of spooks and scares rolls in, this year’s Halloween releases deliver a mix of retro charm, pulse-pounding action, and outright absurdity. From pixel-perfect platforming in Halloween 1985 to gothic vampire mayhem in Everdark: Undead Apocalypse, and the arcade shooting frenzy of Silver Bullet, these games embrace the holiday with a clear nod to nostalgia while offering modern twists. Each title stakes its own claim on the Halloween spotlight, whether through fast-paced reflex challenges, survival horror tension, or over-the-top monster-smashing antics, proving that the spirit of fright can be celebrated across platforms and genres alike.
Halloween 1985 review (PS5)
Halloween 1985, developed by Spoonbox Studio and published by Eastasiasoft, is a deliberate throwback to the era of single-screen platformers, serving up a short but spirited slice of 1980s arcade nostalgia. Players guide Pumpkman on a quest to reclaim stolen pumpkins across five themed levels, each ruled by a different Halloween monster. It’s a simple setup with no story embellishments, but the stripped-down premise suits its design goals. The game clearly aims to revive that fast-paced, pick-up-and-play energy rather than chase depth or narrative twists.
The gameplay leans into brisk precision and straightforward objectives. Each stage involves collecting pumpkins while dodging hazards and, optionally, confronting a boss for a score bonus. The result is a rhythm of quick, reflex-based progression that evokes classics like (arcade) Donkey Kong and Bomb Jack. The inclusion of Beginner, Expert, and Speedrun modes encourages replaying and score chasing, rewarding mastery rather than endurance. The game captures a sense of arcade authenticity well, being easy to learn, yet hard to master, while running perfectly on modern setups. Its simplicity, however, can work against it in longer sessions, where repetition begins to show and precision platforming demands can occasionally feel unforgiving.
Presentation-wise, Halloween 1985 nails its retro aspirations. The pixel art is sharp, colourful, and instantly evocative of mid-80s cabinets, with neatly themed environments ranging from Dracula’s castle to the witch’s forest. Animations are clean and expressive for a low-resolution style, and the chip-tune soundtrack completes the illusion of an authentic coin-op experience. The game’s light visual variety across its levels helps it stay fresh for its brief runtime, though the basic structure and looping sound cues underline that this is a focused homage rather than a reinvention.
In the end, Halloween 1985 succeeds by knowing exactly what it wants to be – a nostalgic, low-cost platformer designed for quick Halloween-night sessions. It’s accessible, replayable, and packed with charm for those raised on arcade reflex challenges, but limited in ambition beyond that. Players looking for depth or longevity may feel it’s over too quickly, yet for anyone craving a vintage-flavoured platforming fix, this is a modest but satisfying treat.
EVERDARK: Undead Apocalypse review (PS5)
Everdark: Undead Apocalypse marks the start of a new horror-action saga from ESDIP_GAMES and Everdark Labs, published by Dojo System. It combines the speed of a classic shooter with the dread of survival horror, evoking a clear fondness for the blood-drenched atmosphere of 1980s cinema. Dropped into a cursed town crawling with vampires, players are pushed to fight, scavenge, and survive long enough to uncover the reason this nightmare exists. The premise is familiar but confident, and its throwback tone lands well – gothic yet playful, grim yet laced with pulp energy.
The gameplay loop strikes a satisfying rhythm between high-octane shooting and careful resource management. Firearms feel heavy, melee attacks carry weight, and finishing enemies with a wooden stake gives encounters a gruesome punctuation. Ammunition scarcity, small puzzles, and narrow corridors bring genuine tension, though the checkpoint spacing and sudden deaths sometimes frustrate rather than thrill. Still, the mix of intense firefights and brief exploration keeps the pacing lively, and the straightforward objectives lend momentum without overcomplicating things.
Control responsiveness on PlayStation is sharp, supporting fast action without the sluggish aiming or stutter that can plague smaller-budget shooters. Visually, the game leans into grit and contrast – neon flickers against deep black shadows, monsters erupt from darkness, and every environment feels soaked in atmosphere. The occasional rough texture or uneven animation betrays its indie roots, but the mood survives these blemishes. Audio design is equally effective, layering eerie ambient tones and sudden bursts of violence, though the voice acting and mixing don’t always sustain the same tension.
Everdark: Undead Apocalypse doesn’t reinvent horror shooters, but it delivers a confident, blood-pumping entry in a niche that’s been quiet for years. The balance of action and dread works more often than not, and its dedication to the aesthetic of VHS-era monster movies gives it real identity. Occasional frustration from punishing checkpoints and brief lapses in polish can’t overshadow how satisfying its core combat and atmosphere can be. As an opening chapter, it’s a promising start – and for fans of fast, gothic survival shooters, Everdark is an easy one to sink your teeth into.
Silver Bullet review (Switch)
The latest release from 1CC Games, published by Flynn’s Arcade, brings an unmistakably retro flavor to the Switch with Silver Bullet, a horror-themed arcade shooter that channels the spirit of arcade classics like Cabal. Players step into the role of Van Helsing, teaming up with his bloodhound Silver to rescue a litter of kidnapped puppies from the vampire Reggie – a setup that’s both knowingly absurd and perfectly timed for Halloween. While the story is more humorous than haunting, the commitment to classic arcade challenge gives the game a strong backbone, and its brisk pacing keeps the focus squarely on skill, reaction and score chasing.
The action unfolds across six main stages, each structured like a single-screen shooting gallery filled with waves of monsters, flying projectiles and destructible scenery. Movement and firing are separate actions, forcing players to stop shooting before dodging and vice versa – an old-school mechanic that keeps tension high but can feel stiff to newcomers not familiar with classic arcade gameplay. The twin-stick setup provides the most responsive control, yet the steep learning curve and limited continues make Silver Bullet an experience that demands mastery through repetition rather than instant gratification. Between stages, players can visit shops to purchase extra lives or upgrades, and bonus challenges – including puzzle-style and homage stages – add variety without breaking the arcade rhythm.
That rhythm is supported by crisp pixel art and bold use of color, presenting haunted graveyards, gothic museums and monstrous bosses with authentic flair. The visual clarity can waver once the screen fills with projectiles, but the 16-bit aesthetic and smooth performance sustain the game’s appeal. The soundtrack’s synth-driven pulse fits the Halloween tone perfectly, and while it loops quickly, it reinforces the feeling of being in front of an old cabinet, determined to set one more high score. Presentation is where Silver Bullet excels – its monsters, bosses and references to other games all bursting with playful energy.
As an arcade throwback, Silver Bullet succeeds by staying true to its roots. Its demanding controls, dark palette and uncompromising difficulty won’t suit everyone, but for players who appreciate precision, perseverance and score-driven design, it’s an easy recommendation. Affordable, seasonal and endlessly replayable, it’s a small but sharply crafted slice of retro shooting that proves there’s still magic in the simplicity of dodging, shooting and striving for perfection.
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