Hidden Gem: Costume Quest

Being a big fan of Halloween and very passionate about writing, it's no surprise this being my first October as a journalist sent me into a frenzy. It's really not an exaggeration to say that I've been piling up ideas for articles and games to play for my favourite month since June.

So imagine my surprise when, whilst scouring the web for cute Halloween games, I find this beautiful gem with only 2K reviews on Steam! Allow me to introduce all the spooky-season fans to Costume Quest — a delightful turn-based adventure about collecting costumes, fighting Grubbins, and amassing so much candy you'll worry about second-hand cavities. 

The biggest charm of Costume Quest comes from the clever mechanic of the Halloween outfits giving you abilities, both in the overworld and during combat. For example, the costume you start with is a robot, which provides you with a sprinting ability in the overworld and a missile shot in combat. Additionally, I really appreciated that aside from giving abilities, they also worked to reach new areas and complete missions.

Costume Quest's charm doesn't end there, however, as I found the combat system fantastic! Aside from the ability each costume provides, you're able to purchase Battle Stamps through candy, which can give you a benefit. These advantages can range from a simple stat boost to a whole new ability to use, such as a stun. Additionally, each time you attack or defend, you have to ace a quick-time event that increases the efficacy of your turn. Whilst they're not difficult, they did take a bit of practice and added more challenge to every fight! 

As for the quests you can complete, although they're a bit on the simple side, I found them very charming. From looking for a certain fruit to make a pie to playing hide-and-seek with other kids in the neighbourhood — there was charisma and comedy in all of them. It's worth completing every mission, not just for the candy you're rewarded with but just also to roam around the gorgeous Halloween settings. Every area is exquisitely decorated for the spooky season, and children walking in costumes really set up the mood!

Costume Quest might be simple in most of its mechanics, as you'll find nothing particularly complex, but I was completely smitten by the creative usage of costumes and play pretend. Don't let this phenomenal Halloween title go under your radar!