There’s no shortage of mystery games on Steam, but developer Talha & Jack Co is aiming to put a handcrafted–and gruesome–feel on that genre with its next title, Abide. The duo behind games like Judero and Mashina has revealed its grisly new mystery game, which uses traditionally animated dolls and prosthetic gore effects to tell a stomach-churning narrative that looks heavily inspired by Italian Giallo thrillers. You can check out the reveal trailer below.
Set in the secluded, supposedly idyllic St Boniface Retreat, Abide will see players explore a community experimenting with new therapeutic techniques for its residents. At night, monsters and other horrors lurk outside the walls of the rehabilitation center, and players can push their luck by venturing out from relative safety to encounter these threats. That day/night cycle will create two distinct experiences: Investigations and relationship-building exercises will unfold during daylight hours, while the night brings mystery, intrigue, and psychological horror.
Players will choose who to spend their time with as they build trust with several eccentric characters, and choices made during the adventure will have tangible effects on the world around them. That sense of realism is reflected in the design of the characters, as each one has been meticulously handcrafted using ball-jointed art doll-techniques, painted with modelling acrylics, and brought to life by a talented voice actor.
Like several of its previous games, Talha & Jack Co will be looking to crowdfund the project through a Kickstarter campaign. The team aims to raise around $34,000, and it says reaching this goal will allow an uncompromised horror game to be produced.
One of the dolls created for Abide
“We can’t make this without your support. Horror seems to be under pressure from censorship, some subtle and some blatant. Sites are delisting mature-rated games, and recently, a horror game was taken off some of the biggest marketplaces. Having a game like this funded by a community means that it can be made without compromise,” said developer Talha Kaya.
“All the dolls are made. All the models are scanned in. The stories are written, the voice actors have been contacted and the first lines have even been recorded. We have a detailed and robust design document outlining the structure and its twists and turns. We need time to pull it all together and we need time to dream and explore and make the best possible game we can.” Jack King-Spooner added.