PRODEUS: one of those "boomer shooters," turns a dial labeled "Doom" and looks at you for approval like a contestant on The Price Is Right. Well, I approve. I'm not made of stone. Ridiculously over the top cartoonish gore, enemy blood coats the floor and drips from the ceiling after fights

next up, the most tenuous of all, yet the one I spent most time on: BLOODTHIEF! Dark fantasy parkour speedrunner, addictive as hell to play, and your character is a spooky vampire- your combined health and stamina meter is "blood" you get from enemies and collectibles. Hearty recommend

SPOOKTOBER GAMES: the spooky games I played over the course of the spooky month. these are usually somewhat tenuously connected to the Halloween season. for example, HYPER DEMON. It has skulls in it!