Are you ready to discover the horrors that have been let loose in Clover Hill? Upcoming survival horror Pneumata will escort us to this haunted town in Milton, Missouri when it releases this summer (you can add the game now though to your wishlist on Steam, Playstation, and Xbox).
Inspired by beloved survival horror games such as Condemned, Resident Evil, and Outlast, in Pneumata you play as a detective investigating a gruesome series of murders and the case of your missing wife, but of course, things aren’t that straightforward. Your detective has a fractured mind meaning every terrible noise that echoes from the woods, every drop of blood that seeps through the walls, and every shadow that lurks in the corner has you questioning your reality. What is real? The only way to find out, saving both yourself and the town, is to solve the mystery, recovering your memories to help piece together what is really going on.
Expect a blend of survival, cosmic, and psychological horror then, with the journey you go on becoming more twisted with every lead, obstacle, and clue you uncover along the way. That’s because Pneumata is just as inspired by the likes of Lovecraftian horror as it is iconic games such as Resident Evil. It’s not just the grotesque creatures and unpredictable monsters you are facing - you are up against your mind too.
Heightening that fear factor is the fact that this is a first-person game which aims to really absorb players in its chilling atmosphere. That tension ratchets up the further you explore the grimy apartment building that lies in the heart of Clover Hill. Inside you will discover brutal crime scenes, puzzling evidence, creepy hidden areas, and weapons that are so scarce you will jump at any chance to grab one - at the end of the day, it’s survival by any means necessary.
This unique story is the brainchild of solo developer Antonio at studio Deadbold Interactive, who has been wanting to make a survival horror game for as long as he can remember, first falling in love with the genre at the age of seven after playing the 2005 classic Cold Fear. That game as well as other favorites of his including Dead Space and F.E.A.R all play a part in inspiring him to pursue this passion project.
However, tackling a big idea like Pneumata alone is a daunting task, which is something Antonio acknowledges, pointing to a 2010 fan-favorite as the game which finally got the wheels in motion after a decade of trying. As he revealed in a statement: “It wasn’t until I first played Amnesia: The Dark Descent that my interest in game development really caught on fire. My mind was blown to find out that a team of about five people pulled off such an incredible game that oozed atmosphere.”
With Pneumata, Antonio hopes to pay homage to games such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent, experiences that have had an impact on him over the years. His hope is that Pneumata will have a similar effect, blending stealth, combat, and storytelling in a thrilling way, sending chills down the spines of even the most seasoned survival horror players.
Pneumata releases in summer 2024. Add to your wishlist on Steam, Playstation, and Xbox right now.
