I never knew that I needed a mashup of Metal Gear Solid, BioShock, and Resident Evil, but after playing the demo for indie horror gem Endless Blue I can't wait to see more.
Originally developed by mr div for a 2021 game jam in association with the organizers of the extremely cool Haunted PS1 Demo Disc series, Endless Blue is still just a demo, albeit one that just got a massive update with a load of new content two years after its original release. You can download it from Itch.io at a price of 'whatever you want to pay.'
Endless Blue is a survival horror game in the classic Resident Evil sense, with fixed cameras, pre-rendered backgrounds, and proper tank controls. I'm comparing it to BioShock because it's an easy shorthand for the game's dilapidated undersea setting, but the explicit inspirations are all PS1-era. While survival horror is the big touchstone, there's a fair bit of Metal Gear Solid in here, too, between the opening dive infiltration sequence, the codec call, and the surprisingly compelling cutscenes focused on uber-blocky faces.
This is honestly the most gorgeous take on PS1 aesthetics I've ever seen. It obviously would be impossible on an old console - there's far too many nice lighting effects and the textures are way too detailed for that - but the combo of old-school design ethos and modern effects looks absolutely stunning, especially when combined with genuinely breathtaking art design, particularly in the recently-added later stages of the demo.
The limited scope of the Endless Blue demo means it doesn't yet have the intricate level design and strict resource management that makes the survival horror classics as great as they are. But after playing through the 45 minute demo I desperately want it to become a full game and expand the pantheon in its own way.
The best PS1 games are inspiring more and more indie devs.
