Stilbruch's 'In Hope Voiden': PS1 Horror Gets Trench Warfare Real (And Gruesome)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
*In Hope Voiden* is a grim-dark survival horror game that throws you into a nightmarish WW1 trench as 12 perma-killable characters, promising a brutal experience where every mistake counts. It's like someone mashed up Amnesia, a PS1 game, and a history lesson, and I'm strangely here for it.
Right, so imagine Amnesia went to the trenches of World War One, got really depressed, and decided to dress like it was a PS1 game. Sounds bonkers, doesn't it? That's pretty much the vibe I'm getting from *In Hope Voiden*, the upcoming horror game from Stilbruch Games.
Now, I know what you're thinking: "Another PS1-style horror game?" Fair enough, the market's practically flooded with 'em. But this one…this one's got something about it. Maybe it's the sheer density of the setting, a festering, rusty hellscape that mashes together WW1 squalor with low-poly graphics. Or maybe it's the whole '12 perma-killable characters' schtick. Yep, you heard right, twelve souls, each with their own backstory, their own mission, and exactly *one* life to live (and probably lose horribly).
Here's the rub: when one of your poor sods kicks the bucket (and they *will* kick the bucket), another one takes their place. But the world remembers your failures. The horror deepens. It's like Groundhog Day, but instead of learning to play the piano and win Andie MacDowell, you're just dying in increasingly creative ways in a digital trench. Sounds like my kind of holiday.
And the mini-games? Don't even *think* they're a respite from the gloom. Lighting a flare, bandaging a wound, forcing a door… these aren't just quick-time events, mate. They cost you precious time, and time, as they say, costs lives. Every mistake matters.
The combat looks pretty sparse but as the original article mentioned, don't go thinking this is some kind of shooter. Think desperate, think survival, think running away and hiding behind a pile of corpses and hoping the mutant trench rats don't find you first.
I am cautiously optimistic about this one. The retro aesthetic *could* be a tired trope, but the density and peculiarity of the world, coupled with the ensemble cast and permadeath mechanic, has me intrigued. It's giving me a real 'Amnesia: The Bunker' meets 'Saturnalia' kind of vibe, but with its own distinct, horrifying flavour. No release date yet, only the ominously vague "coming soon". I reckon that means we should all prepare for a slow descent into digital madness. I, for one, am ready. Check out the trailer for a taster.
In Hope Voiden - Reveal Teaser Trailer
Tags: horror, indie games, survival horror, retro games, WW1
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun