Retro horror spookfest EEK3 returns this Friday

A bleeding skull in a hat
(Image credit: Haunted PS1)

Geoff Keighley might control the slew of summer games showcases at this point. But October firmly belongs to indie horror developers, with a frightful stream of retro spooks set to surface this Friday as part of the Haunted PS1's EEK3 showcase.

Following last summer's horror-drenched alternative to E3, the organisers have this year chosen a more suitably spooky October show this time around. Haunted PS1, for those unfamiliar, is largely responsible for the recent flood of crunchy, lo-fi horror games on Itch and Steam, highlighting some of the best in a series of incredible throwback demo disks.

While the full lineup hasn't been revealed, some developers have already teased their inclusion. OKSoft will be showcasing Coffin Mall, a game about escaping a homicidal car in a dead shopping center, while surrealist RPG An Outcry will also be making an appearance. 

Last year's show was packed with bangers, and while horror is a visible theme, not every game needs to feature outright scares. Agony of a Dying MMO captured the unease of exploring an online world in its twilight hours, while Cellular Harvest was a gorgeous (and quietly grim) sci-fi take on Pokémon snap. I'm personally hoping for more pleasant surprises like Lorn's Lure, a dread-filled pit that secretly houses some of the best first-person platforming around.

EEK3 will be live on Twitch this Friday, October 8.

Natalie Clayton
Features Producer

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.

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