I tried out a virtual Halloween festival – and got more than I bargained for

"Spooky Spectacle: A Virtual Halloween Bash with Surprises"

In a bid to ditch the local park's underwhelming spooky decorations and avoid another year of Scottish farm visits, one family turned to an unlikely alternative: a virtual Halloween festival. The brainchild of game developer Adam Robinson-Yu, Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival was born out of the 2020 pandemic, when his own neighbourhood pumpkin fest was cancelled.

Fast forward to today, and this autumnal online extravaganza has evolved into a delightful micro-world that invites players to don adorable ghostly avatars and explore a creepy landscape replete with player-created pumpkins. Each year, the festival improves, introducing new attractions like haunted house escape rooms – which proved a fiendishly tricky puzzle for the author's kids and him – and a movie theatre screening eerie silent films.

Upon entering this digital realm, players are greeted by an onslaught of otherworldly spectres, some sporting fetching hats, while others proudly display gaming-themed tributes. A hollow knight helmet, Majora's Mask-inspired designs – and even a cat on the moon – all make appearances amidst the sea of jack-o'-lanterns.

But beneath the obvious attractions lies a treasure trove of hidden secrets and collectible pin badges waiting to be unearthed by intrepid explorers like the author. From the movie theatre's "access restricted" door, which led to an excellent bite-sized horror game – albeit one too scary for the author's young ones – to the ingenious puzzle-solving required to unlock special rewards, this virtual festival proves a masterclass in immersive storytelling.

With its pay-what-you-want model and downloadable format on itch.io, Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival is an inviting proposition for families, gamers, and horror fans alike. So why not stick around after the pumpkin-carving's done and uncover more of this spooky spectacle?

I'm so glad some parents are taking control of their kid's Halloween experience by creating a virtual fest instead of dragging them on a long farm tour . This game sounds like an absolute blast for kids (and let's be honest, adults too!) and it's awesome that it's pay-what-you-want so we can all try it out without breaking the bank . My kid was totally obsessed with those collectible pin badges - I loved watching them get excited about exploring new things and collecting rewards . It's great to see developers creating experiences like this that are both fun and engaging for kids, not just some boring old Halloween decorations

I'm so glad I got to experience a whole Halloween vibe without having to leave my house ️... said no one ever! Just kidding (kinda). Seriously though, it's awesome how game developers are finding creative ways to bring people together during the spookiest time of the year. And can we talk about how great it is that this festival is pay-what-you-want? Like, who needs an excuse to spend a little extra cash on some digital fun . Also, I love the idea of hidden secrets and collectible pin badges – adulting never had to be so much fun .

‍ I'm so over virtual Halloween bashes. Like, what's next? Virtual Christmas parties? Can't we just have a good ol' fashioned scary movie night or haunted house visit like normal people? This whole online thing just feels like an excuse to avoid getting dressed up and feeling silly in the first place And don't even get me started on the "pay-what-you-want" model... what's the point of that? Is it supposed to be some kind of sick joke?

I gotta say, I'm kinda surprised people would ditch a real-life Halloween bash for a virtual one . Don't get me wrong, it sounds like a blast, but what about all that fresh air and exercise... or is that just an excuse to stay home and play games with the kids ?

just spent a good chunk of yesterday exploring the virtual festival with my mini-mes and OMG I love how it keeps getting better each year! The puzzle escape room was so much fun but I totally agree with you about the horror game being too intense for our little ones . But yeah, the pay-what-you-want model is genius and the itch.io format makes it super easy to jump in whenever we want . And the community aspect is really cool - my kids found some great designs from other players that made them giggle

I'm loving the attention to detail in this virtual Halloween festival! The way they've woven together different elements like haunted house escape rooms and silent films is pure genius . And can we talk about the collectible pin badges – I've been searching for every single one of them! But what really gets me excited is how they're using their pay-what-you-want model to make it accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford a pricey ticket . It's all about creating that immersive experience without breaking the bank . The only thing I'd suggest is maybe having more ways for people to customize their ghostly avatars – I mean, who says you have to stick with a simple white sheet and some creepy eyes?

I'm tellin' ya, this virtual Halloween festival is like a whole 'nother level of mind control ! I mean, think about it, you're just browsin' through some creepy digital landscape, don't know what to expect, and BAM! You're sucked into this immersive world with all these secrets and collectibles. It's like they're tryin' to get you hooked on somethin', ya know? And that pay-what-you-want model? Sounds like a trap to me...

omg u guys i just stumbled upon dis virtual halloween festival & its literally the best thing since sliced bread ! adam robinson-yu did an amazing job creating a whole new world with player-created pumpkins & haunted house escape rooms... my kids were hooked from the get go! and the collectible pin badges? mind blown u can even pay what u want on itch.io which is super nice of them. i think its defo a great alternative to the local park's decorations & who needs scottish farms lol cant wait 2 stick around after its all done & see whats new

I gotta say, this virtual Halloween festival is the real deal ! Who needs a soggy Scottish farm when you can hang out in a creepy digital realm ? The attention to detail is insane - from the avatars to the haunted house escape rooms... it's like they raided a gaming convention and made it their own spooky playground . And the fact that it's pay-what-you-want on itch.io makes it accessible to anyone, regardless of what kind of hardware you're rocking . I've spent hours exploring this digital realm with my kids, and we still haven't found all the secrets ... can't wait to come back next year!

I gotta say, I'm loving how they've taken a virtual Halloween bash to the next level with this whole game developer thingy . I mean, who wouldn't want to explore a creepy digital landscape, solve some spook-tacular puzzles, and collect pin badges like they're going out of style? And the fact that it's pay-what-you-want is super cool - just think of all the families and gamers who'd be stoked to give it a try . The hidden secrets and rewards add this whole other layer of excitement, you know? I was actually on the edge of my seat trying to figure out those haunted house escape rooms . It's amazing how something that started as a pandemic-related cancellation could turn into this incredible online experience .

I'm telling ya, this virtual Halloween festival is straight fire! I mean, who needs to traipse through a Scottish farm when you can hang out with some digital ghouls and have a blast? The creator's done an amazing job of building this whole world from scratch. And let me tell you, the little details are what make it shine – like those pin badges and collectibles. It's like they're hiding Easter eggs just waiting for you to find 'em!

And I love how they've got these hidden secrets and puzzles that'll keep you engaged. My kids were determined to crack this one escape room, but... let's just say we're all still working on it . But seriously, it's a great way for families to spend some quality time together, and gamers will appreciate the immersive storytelling. Plus, the pay-what-you-want model is super reasonable.

I'm actually thinking of downloading this myself – my cat would love the moon one . If you haven't checked it out yet, I'd give it a solid 10/10. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!