Video Games
Surreal Pixel-Based Survival Horror Found in ‘PARANOIHELL’
If you’re hankering for some 2D Survival Horror gaming, indie developer lum’s PARANOIHELL might satisfy that craving. Recently released on Steam (and on itch.io), PARANOIHELL “takes inspiration from the gameplay of PSX-style survival horror games”, while putting an overhead 2D pixel-art twist on it.
The story for PARANOIHELL has a woman named Erica Yu, who after encountering a strange man after a late night shift at the bar, finds herself in the midst of a surreal nightmare. Borrowing heavily from PSX-era survival horror resource management and exploration, knowing whether to run or fight is a key aspect to your survival. If that doesn’t grab you, then the chaotic atmosphere inspired by the likes of David Lynch and of Japanese artist Daisuke Ichiba might.
Supermassive Games CEO Robert Henrysson took to LinkedIn to announce that he was stepping down from his post at the Directive 8020 and Little Nightmares 3 developer, and was leaving its parent company, Nordisk Games.
Henrysson’s announcement comes after the latest entry in The Dark Pictures franchise was released back in May.
“It’s been a fantastic time,” wrote Henrysson. “During my years as Chairman – and later as interim CEO – for Avalanche Studios Group – we saw the studio’s revenue and profit triple. As the CEO of Supermassive Games, I was honoured to guide the studio through intense industry change, broadening its client base and establishing a culture of consistent quality across all aspects of the game development process.
Leading a studio is never a one-man job — it is the entire team’s effort. Our commitment to continuous improvement was, and continues to be, central to everything we do. To everyone at Supermassive Games, I am so grateful for everything I’ve learnt and experienced with all of you. You are the greatest storytelling game studio on earth, you rock! And I wish you all the best in the future.”
Henrysson’s departure comes after Directive 8020 received mixed reviews from fans and reviewers alike (though we enjoyed it, and even included it on our list of best games so far this year). Little Nightmares 3, which was released last October, also experienced mixed reviews.
Supermassive experienced a rough time during the development of Directive 8020, with the game being delayed from its original release window, as well as a “reorganization” in 2024 that saw the studio lay off 30 percent of its staff.
Directive 8020 is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and Steam.