If you’re unfamiliar with Universal’s annual Halloween Horror Nights, all you really need to know is it’s a must-see if you’re a haunted house enthusiast. I’m a bit of a freak for haunted houses, though I prefer connoisseur, and growing up in Kansas City I had some of the best haunts in the country just a short drive away. The Beast and The Edge of Hell are incredible, and I visited them every year (sometimes more than once) but they really can’t compare to Universal’s epic Halloween bash.

I haven’t experienced it yet, but it’s on my bucket list. When I imagine what it’s like — as I do, every day — I picture a horror fan’s paradise. Lately, the urge to see what’s going on has grown as Universal has introduced mazes inspired by some of my favorite horror games, including Resident Evil and Silent Hill. They’ve already featured two of gaming’s biggest horror franchises, but there’s still plenty left.

Read on for my list of six horror games that would make amazing haunts at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights!



FATAL FRAME

What’s the chance of us seeing a haunt inspired by Fatal Frame? Zero. But that won’t keep me from including it. There’s a new trend that’s picked up quite a bit of momentum recently in the horror genre, and that’s throwing players into a terrifying situation unarmed. You’ll see plenty of examples of this in this list, but in a way, Fatal Frame was one of the first.

Sure, you have a camera, and technically, it doubles as a weapon. But when most games were busy arming players with guns, crowbars, BFGs, or wacky head-exploding superpowers, this series gave us a camera and gently nudged us into a room brimming with malevolent spirits.

Wouldn’t this work brilliantly as a haunted house? It could be a Japanese style house, an ancient village, whatever you like. Before you enter, you’re given a Camera Obscura replica — a decent keepsake — which you can use to snap pics as you try and find your way through the maze.

OUTLAST

If you aren’t crazy familiar with Outlast then you must not follow us on YouTube, because I’ve been obsessed with this game since it released last month.

Outlast is a terrifying indie horror game set in an “abandoned” mental asylum, called Mount Massive, that’s infested with crazies — some dangerous, some not — and one or two creatures that are a wee bit more difficult to classify. That’s already a fantastic set-up for a haunted house if you ask me. You really wouldn’t need to change much for the haunt, though I do like the idea of having people collect blue files that would be scattered about the place and would contain confidential documents, pictures and such.

And, if possible, loan out night vision goggles. Also — chase sequences. If you’re going to stay true to the game, half of the maze needs to involve some form of cardio.