Even though all, or most, of us know or have even played one or another title in the survival horror genre, I think we all have a clear idea of who the undeniable ancestors that gave birth to this unique formula are, right? Well, if you’re too young, maybe you don’t, but games like the very first Alone in The Dark from 1992 or the first Resident Evil from 1996, among others, are the ones that gave rise to this magical genre that has been terrifying entire generations.
In this case, SPINA Studio and SUPERHOT PRESENTS are aiming to bring us a respectful homage to the golden era of survival horror, or more precisely, its early days in the ‘90s. PHASE ZERO places us in 1994, in a remote port town called Flint Peak, literally in the middle of nowhere. There, we must face the outbreak of a grotesque disease that has unleashed a myriad of nightmare creatures now roaming freely through the city… Want to dive deeper into the story? We invite you to check out the Official Reveal Trailer of PHASE ZERO, presented by GameTrailers:
The Best of an Era That Made History
Perhaps one of the things that immediately stands out when watching the PHASE ZERO trailer is its retro pixel-art aesthetic, which instantly transports us back to the days when we literally jumped out of our seats at the horrors discovered by Edward Carnby, or Chris and Jill on our old consoles or computers. The art direction has undoubtedly lived up to expectations in evoking the tension created by pre-rendered environments and the dim lighting in each setting. We could almost say that the inclusion of modern techniques is barely noticeable, unless you look closely at how masterfully everything is implemented, resulting in something truly unique.
The year is 1994. A snowstorm looms dangerously over Flint Peak, a post-industrial port town in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, the town is struck by the outbreak of a relentless disease that spreads rapidly, turning most of its inhabitants into grotesque creatures. Caught in the middle of this unfolding disaster are the two unlikely protagonists of this story: Guy, a wounded engineer resting in the hospital, and Mary, a reporter newly arrived in Flint Peak. Their struggle for survival is about to begin… are you ready?
In the city, the empty husks of what were once humans wander freely. Grotesque monsters crawl through the alleys, and that disgusting, pulsing organic growth spreads unchecked across the walls of buildings everywhere. Many times, Mary and Guy will discover that avoiding direct confrontation is much smarter and safer than charging head-on against them.
According to its developers, PHASE ZERO is a modern reinvention of the classic survival horrors from the golden age. The story unfolds like a series, with each chapter featuring one of the two heroes as the protagonist. The deliberately retro graphical style simply shines: pre-rendered backgrounds, fixed cameras, and the unmistakable DNA of PSX-era masterpieces, blended into a nostalgic design with modern enhancements that still pay a respectful tribute to their iconic roots.
- Hair-raising tension offered only by the 90s survival horrors.
- Face mutated, grotesque monsters and fight for your life, or escape with it.
- Totally immersive 3d pre-rendered environment for you to explore.
- Gripping sound effects and music that will send shivers down your spine.
- Designed camera angles with curated, cinematic frames (even better than the classics!).
Here, at SPINA Studio, we are deeply passionate about the games we create. As a small indie studio made up by seasoned developers, our goal with PHASE ZERO was to craft a unique, modern take on the horrors we grew up playing.
Thank you for playing PHASE ZERO! We hope you enjoy the game as much as we enjoy bringing it to life!
SPINA Studio, PHASE ZERO Steam page
We believe we’ve already told you more than enough for you to decide that, of course, this proposal interests you! Obviously, you’ll say yes, so you’ll head over to its Steam page, which, of course, you can find at the bottom of this article, add it to your Wishlist, and, of course, keep an eye out, because according to its official page, a demo will be available soon! Its official release date has yet to be announced, but while we wait, how about dropping by the comments and sharing your thoughts on this impressive game? You know gamer, we’ll be reading you! 😉
Images Source: GameTrailers Official YouTube Channel, PHASE ZERO on Steam, PHASE ZERO Official Website
