Halloween is the season for scares, and for many, the best scares come from survival horror games. There's a unique thrill in being the one who must open the door, investigate the noise, or step into the abandoned building. For fans of classics like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, that blend of dread and agency is what makes the genre so compelling.
The early entries in those franchises mastered the art of hiding terror in plain sight. Fixed camera angles could conceal a monster just off-screen, turning an ordinary corridor into a nerve-wracking gauntlet. That classic approach is alive and well in Heartworm, a psychological survival horror game that just made its console debut.
Developed by Vincent Adinolfi and published by DreadXP, Heartworm is now available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and the new Nintendo Switch 2. The console release landed on October 1, 2026, giving players a fresh nightmare to explore throughout the spooky season. Its inspirations are clear: Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and even Dino Crisis are name-checked, so fans of those franchises will feel right at home.
Originally released on PC in July 2025, Heartworm follows Sam, a woman grappling with grief who becomes obsessed with the possibility of contacting the dead. Her search leads her to a mysterious house in the mountains, a place rumored to swallow visitors whole. For someone desperate enough to seek answers, that warning is part of the allure.
Your Camera Is Your Weapon
In Heartworm, Sam's most vital tool is a camera, which doubles as her weapon against the horrors she encounters. The game blends fixed camera perspectives with over-the-shoulder aiming, offering a fresh twist on the classic survival horror formula. Players will solve puzzles, defend themselves, and unravel a mystery steeped in death and memory.
The retro aesthetic is a big part of the charm: low-resolution environments, cinematic camera angles, and a mix of pre-rendered and in-game cutscenes. For those who grew up with tank controls, there's an option to enable them, and multiple endings ensure that Sam's journey can conclude in different ways. This console release is a perfect fit for anyone who first discovered survival horror with a controller in hand.
What sets Heartworm apart is its emotional core. Sam isn't just a survivor; she's a woman driven by love and loss, willing to face the unknown for a chance to reconnect. That emotional weight makes the horror more resonant, as the true terror may not be the monsters, but the answers she uncovers.
If you're looking for more Halloween thrills, check out Five Nights at Freddy's free streaming or Paranormal Activity on Starz. And for a different kind of scare, Jeff Goldblum's The Fly is now on Peacock.
Heartworm is available now on PC and all major consoles, just in time for Halloween.
