Scream or Skip, that is the question. With so much horror out there to watch and play, our senior entertainment writer, Lucy Buglass, is here to help you decide what's worth your time (or worth a Scream) and what's not (and so worth a Skip). Her goal is to help you beat the endless scrolling and spend more time enjoying some great TV shows, movies, and games. Read the full series here.
August was lacking in new horror releases, but I still found three interesting titles to dive into — two of which will no doubt be familiar to you, as we have some returning franchises in the lineup.
The other is an indie game that popped up on my Steam Discovery Queue, and was indeed perfectly suited to what I enjoy best. This one was a free demo ahead of its release, but I played enough of it to come to a conclusion.
Without further delay, here's what horror media I tried out throughout August and what I thought of them. As always, I'm keen to hear your thoughts!
Movie: The X-Files: I Want to Believe — Vrach Frankenshteyn
Where to watch: Hulu (US); Disney+ (internationally)
Lucy's verdict: Scream
OK, yes, The X-Files is not strictly horror and is billed as a sci-fi series. But hear me out, the director's cut of The X-Files: I Want to Believe features all the body horror scenes that were removed to give it a PG-13 rating, meaning it's a worthwhile watch for horror fans this month.
Now, considering The X-Files: I Want to Believe performed poorly when it was released, don't expect Vrach Frankenshteyn to miraculously make you love it. If you weren't a fan of the original 2008 cut, you probably won't like this either. I, however, really enjoyed the movie and got a lot out of this version of it too.
Vrach Frankenshteyn tells the story how Chris Carter wanted, blood and gore included. It certainly packs a punch, adding a lot to the movie if you already happen to like the story. This one will likely be the most divisive of my three picks this month.
TV show: The Walking Dead: Dead City
Where to watch: AMC+ (US); Sky / NOW TV (UK); Stan (AU)
Lucy's verdict: Skip
I think I'm suffering from The Walking Dead fatigue, because I just can't get on with this show. I was hopeful it might get me back on board with the franchise because Negan is one of my favorite characters, but I was left feeling underwhelmed.
At the time of writing we're three episodes into season 3, with the season set to conclude on September 13. Seth Hoffman is the new showrunner after Eli Jorné, and we've started relying on recycled plotlines and the same tired dynamic between Negan and Maggie. It's started feeling a bit stale, and for me, this is one of the weaker Walking Dead spin-offs.
I recommend trying out The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live instead, as it has better pacing and stories.
Game: Something Strange Tonight — The Lurker
Where to play: PC
Lucy's verdict: Scream
Thank you to my Steam Discovery Queue for suggesting the demo of Something Strange Tonight — The Lurker, because I am now very excited to play the full game when it releases. We don't have a confirmed date for that yet, but I've got it wishlisted for when it does.
I love creepy, low-poly games (as evidenced by my Mouthwashing review), so the trailer for Something Strange Tonight — The Lurker immediately freaked me out. The game follows that stereotypical slasher movie trope of a babysitter who is terrorized at night, but it's full of creepy twists.
Your goal is to survive the night and keep both yourself and the kid you're looking after alive. You'll be approached by numerous visitors, but can any of them be trusted? It's up to you to figure that one out.
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