Publisher Aksys Games has revealed the release date for Death Mark, a survival horror/adventure game that is now set to creep its way onto the PlayStation 4, the PlayStation Vita, and the Nintendo Switch on October 31, 2018. Yes, it’s one of the rare occasions a horror game gets to actually drop on Halloween.
While technically it has been visible on retailers for a while, Aksys sent out a press release today confirming that date and officially unveiling the game’s Limited Edition, which is available for all three platforms. The Death Mark Limited Edition comes with a 96-page hardcover art book, soundtrack CD, two temporary tattoos of the titular Death Mark, and a special case.
Here are the game’s key features, per Aksys’ press release:
Search and Survive! – To avoid an almost certain gruesome death at the “hands” of angry spirits, you’ll need to search your surroundings for clues to increase your odds of survival.Ghost Busting – Sometimes the sword is more powerful than the pen. And when words fail it’s time to stand your ground. Remember the price of not holding your own is an untimely death.Riddle Me This – It’s not enough to defeat the spirit that cursed you, you need to do it in the right way. If you don’t you might survive, but end up wishing you hadn’t. Be sure to parse all the clues and information you discover correctly to make your life continue to be worth living.
PS4 Horror Games Buyer's Guide
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PS4 Horror Games - Buyer's Guide
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Alien Isolation
Alien Isolation is a terrifying experience. If you're looking to experience jump scares, then the game's Xenomorph will be happy to oblige. Creative Assembly has crafted one of the best horror games on PS4 and one that fans of the genre need to play.
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Amnesia: Collection
While it's not out until November 22, it'd be criminal not to mention Amnesia: Collection. Both games in the series are well regarded on PC, with Dark Descent being synonymous with let's plays. Get prepared to be scared!
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Among the Sleep
Among the Sleep has a great framing device of taking place from a toddlers' perspective. Players have to crawl their way through terrifying sequences while looking for their mother. The first-person horror game tells an interesting story and is definitely worth checking out.
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Asemblance
Nilo Studios' Asemblance has players waking up inside an experimental machine. With their memory wiped, players have to figure out what is going on. This psychological horror game is a weird one, and is worth giving a try.
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Daylight
There was a lot of hype behind Zombie Studios' Daylight, but sadly it couldn't live up to it. Even a semi-interesting story can't save this horror game from feeling like a stale retread. There are far better horror offerings on PS4. Skip it.
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Deadlight: Director's Cut
Sidescrolling platformers aren't typically associated with horror games, but Deadlight isn't most platformers. The survival horror game is highly cinematic and has some gorgeous setpieces. Sadly, it starts out pretty strong, but starts to really fall apart by the end. There's still some interesting ideas, though, so it's not a total waste of anyone's time.
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Dying Light
While Techland's Dead Island games never got overly spooky, Dying Light can be downright terrifying. That's due to the game's fantastic day-night cycle as venturing out at night becomes a dangerous proposition. If you don't mind action games, then definitely give this a look.
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Emily Wants to Play
Very few games get allow the player to be a pizza delivery guy, but that's the case with Emily Wants to Play. Sadly, it's a shift from Hell, as the deliveryman has to deal with a girl named Emily and her spooky dolls after being locked inside the house. Much like Slender, this is a whole lot of walking around and jump scares.
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Here They Lie
There aren't many PlayStation VR horror games yet, but the best one is Here They Lie. This narrative-heavy adventure game has the player exploring some hellish dreamscapes, and is really a crazy game to experience. Just be careful about playing it in long bursts, as players have run into motion sickness issues. Despite this, it's still better than the other PSVR horror game - Weeping Doll.
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Home
Benjamin Rivers' Home is one of the most unique horror games on this list. The murder mystery has players waking up in a strange house and has a gorgeous pixel art-style. The cheap game has some neat ideas, and the player gets to decide what happens in the game.
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Kholat
Based upon real events, Kholat explores the mysterious death of a group of Russian hikers. The game is narrated by Sean Bean, and the narrative is definitely the strong point here. Sadly, the gameplay isn't nearly as interesting and it feels like a lot of missed potential.
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Layers of Fear
Layers of Fear features an awesome concept which has gamers controlling a mentally-disturbed painter. In order to complete the painter's greatest piece of art, he must explore a spooky Victorian mansion. Despite all the cool artwork, the gameplay is pretty forgettable and there are a lot of sub-par puzzles that slow down the experience.
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Lone Survivor: Director's Cut
Jasper Byrne's Lone Survivor is one of the coolest psychological horror games to come out in years. It has a great 2D style, an awesome plot filled with interesting details, and multiple endings to check out. Definitely pick up this hidden gem if you're looking for a spooky evening.
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Neverending Nightmares
Not many games deal with the topic of depression, but that's the entire purpose of Neverending Nightmares. Sadly, that plot device is more interesting than actually playing the game, as it's a tedious affair that isn't satisfying from any perspective. There are some decent scares, but the plot will leave players going "that's it?"
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Outlast
Easily one of the creepiest games on PS4, Outlast is a title that all horror game fans should own. While it relies a bit too much on jump scares for my taste, it does have some interesting ideas where the player has to use a video camera. It's also worth noting that the Whistleblower DLC is also really good, so check that out if you enjoy the main game.
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Resident Evil Origins Collection
Resident Evil Origins Collection contains the remake of the original and Resident Evil 0. The latter has aged rather poorly, but the "REmake" has held up surprisingly well. Either way, fans of survival horror should check these games out for historical purposes at the very least. Plus, Capcom did a great job with the remasters here.
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Resident Evil Revelations 2
Resident Evil Revelations 2 is one of the few survival horror games that can be played cooperatively, so it might be worth checking out just because of that. While not overly scary, the PlayStation 4 version is a solid Resident Evil game. Plus, it's better than a lot of Capcom's recent zombie offerings.
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Slender: The Arrival
Slender: The Arrival is an alright game, but there's not much going on mechanically. Players are armed with only a flashlight and have to run away from the mysterious Slender Man. Sadly, it gets highly repetitive and the spooky setting can't make up for the boring gameplay. This is one players can safely pass up.
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SOMA
Frictional Games' SOMA is one of the best horror games on PS4. The gameplay is similar to their Amnesia titles, as players explore a mysterious underwater research facility and have to stealthily make their way through it. The real star is the story, and there are some amazing twists that unfold. It's a must-buy.
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The Evil Within
Directed by the legendary Shinji Mikami, The Evil Within shows that the director still can make interesting games. Sadly, it's far from his best work, and it begs for a sequel that could better explore its ideas. Plus, there's some gross story DLC if players want to see the game's actual ending. It's not terrible, but there's not much to be wowed by here either.
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The Park
Considering clowns are all the rage, The Park might be the scariest game players can experience right now. The horror title takes place at a theme park, and has the player looking for their lost son.Unfortunately, the game wastes a lot of its potential as it has terrible pacing and music cues that happen too early and ruin any potential scares. It is only a little over an hour long, so at least it's not a huge time sink.
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Until Dawn
Supermassive Games' Until Dawn was one of the best surprises of 2015, and is well worth playing. It's basically an interactive horror film, and it carries over a lot of the tropes from the genre. Cheesy in all the right ways, and still scary when it needs to be, Until Dawn is one of the PS4's best horror games.
PSVR owners will also want to check out its spin-off Rush of Blood, which is an on-rails shooter.
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White Night
Sporting a gorgeous aesthetic, White Night has players exploring a 1930s mansion and solving puzzles that deal with lights and shadows. While the story isn't anything great, the rest of the package makes up for it. Check it out, as it doesn't get nearly get the attention it deserves.
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Zombi
Originally released on Wii U, Zombi does lose some of its charm losing its GamePad functionality, but it's still worth checking out on PlayStation 4. The melee-focused combat is highly satisfying, as enemies get knocked with big bows.
