[GDC 2023]”Unholy” by a famous Polish artist is a psychological horror that feels like a maniac

Psychological horror published by 505 Games’ sister brand HOOK during GDC 2023“Unholy”(PC/PS5/Xbox Series X|S)Latest playable demoI’ve been checking it out, so I’d like to introduce it.

“Unholy”, whose interface and text correspond to Japanese and has been announced to be released within 2023, is set in a place in Eastern Europe immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. said to have been ruled“modern world”becomes the stage.the player is a young sonGabrielbecomes a woman who has disappeared, and as she searches for her son’s whereabouts, she encounters bizarre phenomena. It is said that it is an adventure game with the idea of ​​gradually increasing psychological fear without monsters appearing.

The demo was introduced in the early part of the game, about 15 minutes after the start of the game, and while no one was helping about the disappearance of his son, he went to see his father to find clues. It’s becoming In the game screen, there are rows of dull apartments that were mass-produced in Eastern Europe in the 1970s, but behind them, a priest lives.“Half-Life 2”It is a world with a strange atmosphere, with tall towers reminiscent of the Citadel. Scenes such as trees, exterior walls of apartment buildings, and slightly damaged sidewalks are depicted very realistically, as if time had stopped.

Duality Games Creative Director Michal Sheverniak

In advance information,“Two Worlds”It was announced that “Unholy” would come and go, but the creative director who introduced the demoMr. Michal SzewerniakAccording to“reality”and“Unholy World”Between“In-Between”There is a world that connects the two, in other words, it is said that the game will progress while going back and forth between the three worlds. The intermediate world is depicted as a dark place that has the same scene as the real world but has lost its color. It’s an atmosphere where consciousness and reality intersect.

The artwork of the game world is amazing, how much time did it take to draw the embroidery of the curtains that would have been used about 50 years ago, the books lined up on the bookshelves, and the texture of the furniture and accessories. It’s so detailed that it makes you wonder. Although some of them use photogrammetry technology, most of them are drawn by hand by artists, from worn-out brushes lined up on the table of his father, who is a painter, to paints splattered on the table and palette. So far, it’s been amazing.

That should be it, I started Duality GamesMr. Tomasz Strzałkowskiis known as a tool with high ability to express details.“ZBrush”A master of HR Giger style digital art. Mr. Scheverniak laughed that the development members were so uncompromising that they raised their voices. Even places that you would normally pass by are filled with objects that are surprisingly rich in texture, creating a sense of reality in the game world.

There are various features in terms of the game system, and players can use metal items that can be obtained in the game.“mask”It is like traveling to the unclean world by wearing it and falling asleep.“Sister Mask”or“Servant Mask”There are four types of masks called , etc., and the sister mask is said to be able to read the emotions of the other party. Because the name is similar to that of an occupation within a cult, it is an item that can be used without being suspected by the enemy.

The player wears this mask and goes to the unclean world,“Emotional Crystal”By collecting these substances, you can use things like magic.“Anger” “Fear” “Sorrow” “Desire”There are 4 types of crystals, but in this demo, you can use the shock of “anger” to disable electronic devices or shoot enemies like bullets.
Emotions are exposed in the impure world, so everyone who comes here wears a mask to keep their emotions from overflowing, Scheverniak explained. Characters who lose their lives seem to release such emotional energy, which can also be collected by the player.

I was not able to get a detailed explanation of what this unclean world actually looks like, but like the xenomorph nests depicted in “Alien”, organic tentacles cover the walls and floors. In a strange atmosphere, there are large soldiers who look around with guns in their hands and bizarre creatures.
It is also a highly action-oriented world where you move by stealth, solve puzzles, and fight.

Led by Mr. Straukowski, who has a long career as an artist, the three worlds of “Unholy” are different, but have a sense of unity. It seems that the player will uncover the darkness of the cult and the journey to find his son while feeling psychological fear between reality and unreality.