Video Games
“Abrasive” Psychological Horror Game ‘The Well Is Not Empty’ Announced [Trailer]
Solo indie developer tweakEra has some subterranean horror going on with their first title, The Well Is Not Empty. Launching on Steam later this year, the game sees players descend into a well after it has mysteriously run dry, only to happen upon a seemingly-abandoned underground structure. Well, almost abandoned.
In other to discover the origins of this structure, you’ll need to dig your way through the rubble with your trusty spoon (seriously). Is it getting dark? Is whatever it is lurking in the darkness closing in on you? Not to worry, as you can use the backup hand-crank generator to bring light into these rooms. The light also keeps whatever is down here with you at bay, buying you enough time to run past these creatures before they get you.
However, you won’t have these generators at your disposal all the time. Meaning, you’ll need to hide and sneak past these creatures. If they see you, you’ll need to run for it, as you cannot fight back.
“I want players to feel like they’re embarking on an adventure but still carrying a constant sense of dread and despair throughout the journey,” explains tweakEra. “I want players to feel truly trapped down in the well. Constantly peeking over their shoulders in the game and eventually over their desk chair in real life. It’s like an insane asylum down there.”
Video Games
Bloober Returns to ‘Star Trek’ With Psychological Thriller ‘Star Trek: Shadow Frontier’ [Trailer]
Bloober Team weren’t done dropping news this week. After surprising everyone with SAW: Genesis at Summer Game Fest yesterday, they’ve now announced a new horror-slanted Star Trek title with Paramount Games Studio in Star Trek: Shadow Frontier. This is the second Star Trek title Bloober has developed, having released the VR body horror title Star Trek: Infection earlier this year.
“We’ve long admired the way Bloober Team crafts deeply immersive, atmospheric experiences that keep players on the edge of their seats,” said Paramount Games Studio senior vice president and head of creative and production Shawn Kittelsen. “For Star Trek: Shadow Frontier, it was essential to partner with a studio that could both honor that legacy and push it forward. We have full confidence in Bloober’s ability to deliver a game that does justice to the ‘Star Trek’ name while bringing something bold and new to the beloved franchise.”
Launching for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, the Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam in 2027, Star Trek: Shadow Frontier is a story-driven action-adventure that sees players step into the role of former Lieutenant Ro Laren (voiced by Michelle Forbes). After crashing onto a distant planet overtaken by a strange consciousness, Ro Laren must survive in an environment that is as breathtaking as it is lethal. Ro’s mission is driven by duty and purpose. But here, discovery comes at a terrible cost. The more she uncovers, the deeper she is pulled into a corrupted labyrinth where her memories twist and the planet threatens to sever her connection to reality.
The hostile ecosystem of the planet poses a constant threat to Ro’s existence. It seeks to absorb Ro’s consciousness, burrowing deep into her mind and plaguing her with haunting visions. Environmental hazards and obstacles lurk around every corner. Exploration is both your only path to salvation and your potential undoing. Players will be able to use their Tricorder to scan and analyze items, and of course rely on their Phaser to solve puzzles and fend off enemies.