Spooky Game Countdown

In lieu of my normal review routine I've decided to give you, my few but faithful readers, a staple of videogame journalism... The list. That's right, Folks! With Halloween right around the corner I'm bringing you my favorite horror games of all time to help get you in the candy-seeking, costume-wearing spirit. So, without further ado, let's begin!

10.) Splatterhouse (TG16-1990): The side-scrolling gorefest offered gallons of blood courtesy of the weapon-wielding, mask-wearing boyfriend of a kidnapped girl. Although the game is 18-years-old, it's still mentioned as a prime example of early horror and a reason to dust off your TurboGrafx-16.

9.) Maniac Mansion (NES-1987): A group of kids stumble upon a creepy mansion which leads to one of the most innovative adventure games of the late '80s. The use of multiple endings, creative scripting, and selectable characters with unique abilities made this the NES game to have if you were looking for a scare and a challenge.

8.) Manhunt (PS2, Xbox-2003): Sneaking in the shadows and finding creative and disgusting ways to execute crazy gang members is fun. Dispatching your victims while a creepy voice whispers words of homicidal encouragement in your ear makes this a memorable piece of horror history.

7.) Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES, Gen-1993): The game was cartoony and offered weapons like six-packs and squirt guns, but the screams of fallen victims and chainsaw wielding maniacs still send shivers up my spine. Scare factor aside, ZAMN offers solid gameplay that's still relevant in today's market.

6.) System Shock 2 (PC-1999): In the early days of first-person shooters, nothing stood out more than Electronic Arts' second installment of their "System Shock" series. Wandering around a starship inhabited by infected beings makes for one nail-biting adventure.

5.) BioShock (X360, PC-2007): Wandering through the underwater city of Rapture redefined the horror shooter. With scripted scenes, insane villains and the hulking Big Daddy, "BioShock" is a must play for those of you who enjoy not sleeping.

4.) F.E.A.R. (PC, X360, PS3-2005/2007): Alma, Alma, Alma ... you crafty kid. That creepy little girl springs up around every corner making sure that each action-packed gun battle is a relaxing funfest compared to the nervous tension she causes.

3.) Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GameCube-2002): The game can be summed up in one single word... "Insanity." This innovative action game continually messed with your mind by displaying controller error failures, memory card messages, or just having your character's head fall off. Pure genius!

2.) Dead Rising: (X360-2006): You're trapped in a shopping mall filled with zombies and anything in your sight can be used as a weapon to crush, shoot or decapitate them. The open world environment and classic zombie-esque moments made this Capcom title a rock-solid choice for undead lovers everywhere.

1.) Resident Evil 4 (GameCube-2005): It looks like Capcom tops the list, and with good reason. RE4 improved on everything that went wrong in the previous titles in the series and brought unprecedented graphics to a system that was only used for cartoon plumbers. As the release of RE5 draws ever closer, we can only wait in nervous anticipation to see what the evil Umbrella Corporation will do next.