Developer DDDistortion is looking to inject some variety into the shooter genre with its upcoming action horror title, NIGHTMARE OPERATOR. The game combines aspects of classic survival horror with the “skill-based mechanics and execution of fighting games and spectacle fighters.”

NIGHTMARE OPERATOR takes place in the year 2036, where humanity has been decimated. You play as Misha (designed by Takeshi Oga), a Public Safety Operator for the Provisional Government. You’re tasked with hunting Youkai and protecting the quarantined city of Shin-Chiba. As Misha makes her way to the haunted ruins of Tokyo, she uncovers something that could “unmake what remains of civilization.”

One of the main mechanics of NIGHTMARE OPERATOR is the Clutch System. The system allows Misha to rapidly switch out Weapon Modules from her gun using command inputs inspired by fighting games. These Weapon Modules allow for various elemental damage effects such as freezing, stunning or cause bleeding when used on Youkai. You’ll come across several Weapon Modules as you explore, which can be slotted into different “Command Slots” in Misha’s gun, allowing you to choose which command inputs to assign to what modules.

You’ll have plenty of opportunity to try out your weapon combos, as the monsters you’ll face are all drawn from Japanese urban legends and folklore. However, they don’t appear exactly as depicted in the stories, so expect some surprises. This is all set against the game’s “low-rez” low-poly aesthetic, which are all based on the real-world districts and neighborhoods of Tokyo.

Currently, NIGHTMARE OPERATOR is in development for release on Steam.