Michael Myers immediately creates the kind of lumbering slasher fantasy Jev wanted from an asymmetrical horror game, but understanding what he is actually supposed to be doing proves considerably harder. The first match becomes an improvised rampage through civilians, player-controlled survivors and responding deputies, with Jev stalking targets, experimenting with executions and absorbing gunfire while trying to decipher the interface. That confusion is entertaining because his reactions are spontaneous, yet it also establishes the central limitation of the showcase: much of the game is being learned through guesswork rather than explained with confidence.
The comparison with Friday the 13th gives that experimentation a useful frame. Jev openly describes that earlier game as janky but fun and argues that asymmetrical horror works best for him as goofy multiplayer chaos rather than a tightly balanced competitive experience. Halloween appears to scratch some of that same itch, particularly through Michael’s imposing presence, brutal executions and the absurdity of survivors riding bicycles or repeatedly firing at an apparently unstoppable killer. At the same time, Jev quickly notices meaningful differences, especially that Michael cannot simply teleport directly onto fleeing targets in the manner he remembers from playing Jason.
Those differences become a source of frustration when survivors keep their distance. One player repeatedly runs along the street while shooting, another rides around on a bicycle, and Jev struggles to determine how Michael is meant to close the gap. He speculates that stalking a target to a higher level may change the pursuit mechanics, but he never gets far enough to verify exactly what happens. The result is a useful first impression of how unintuitive the killer can initially feel, though it cannot establish whether the difficulty comes from the design itself, unfamiliarity with the mechanics, or simply Jev missing an available counter.
The mixture of AI characters and human players makes the matches look unusually busy. Jev gradually works out that the interface separates priority targets, general NPCs and player-controlled civilians, while police can arrive and attack Michael. That produces a larger sense of mayhem than a simple killer-versus-survivor setup, particularly around the ambulance area where bodies accumulate and deputies keep firing. Yet it also contributes to the disorientation: Jev spends portions of the first match unsure who remains, where surviving targets are located and whether particular characters are human-controlled.
A tour through the customization menus reveals considerably more structure than the chaotic match initially suggests. Michael has multiple outfits, weapon appearances, executions, special abilities and traits, with additional options tied to progression and prestige. Jev is particularly interested in abilities such as Reality Tear, Blackout and the locked Shadow Strike, while the civilian roster introduces differing ratings for capability, athleticism, personality and resourcefulness. His attempts to interpret those statistics provide a reasonable overview of the apparent character-building possibilities, although several explanations are explicitly speculative because he has not yet had enough playtime to test them.
Presentation is strongest when Jev simply reacts to unexpected details. The ragdoll physics, executions, survivor behavior and Michael’s visual design generate genuine amusement, and his enthusiasm for the license is clear without turning into automatic praise. He readily admits that he is overwhelmed, criticizes his inability to catch people and acknowledges that a respectable killer rating does not mean he understood the match. Unfortunately, the session ends just as a second attempt might have clarified the mechanics: a connection failure forces a restart, apparently disrupts the lobby, and leaves him unable to meaningfully test what he had begun figuring out. As an entertaining launch-day first encounter, the uncertainty fits the format; as an assessment of how Halloween actually plays once understood, it is necessarily incomplete.
Pros
- Jev’s genuine enthusiasm for Michael Myers and asymmetrical horror gives the gameplay energetic, engaged commentary.
- The first match captures plenty of unpredictable slasher-game comedy through executions, ragdolls, deputies, bicycles and chaotic pursuits.
- Comparisons with Friday the 13th help explain both Jev’s expectations and the mechanical differences he immediately notices.
- The customization tour reveals substantial apparent variety in outfits, weapons, executions, abilities, traits and civilian statistics.
- Jev consistently acknowledges when he does not understand a mechanic instead of presenting speculation as certainty.
Cons
- Much of the gameplay is spent trying to decipher basic mechanics, limiting how much can be concluded about Michael’s actual strengths and weaknesses.
- Explanations of stalking, civilian attributes and several abilities remain speculative because they are not tested sufficiently.
- The combination of NPCs, human players and multiple objectives creates confusion that the commentary only gradually untangles.
- Server and connection problems abruptly end the session before a more informed second match can develop.
- The heavy focus on Michael means the civilian side of the game is discussed through menus rather than demonstrated in actual play.
Jev’s first encounter with Halloween works better as an enthusiastic record of launch-day chaos than as a thorough evaluation of the game. Michael already provides the goofy slasher energy Jev values, and the progression systems suggest plenty left to explore, but mechanical uncertainty and server trouble prevent the session from developing beyond a promising first impression.
