Still Wakes the Deep

A shoo-in for scariest game of 2024 so far, Still Wakes the Deep duties you as electrician Caz aboard a bleak, ocean-rusting North Sea oil rig before an accident occurs and situations go awry. It’s best not to know too much before stepping aboard, but safe to say The Chinese Room have delivered an atmospheric horror for the ages, replete in equal measure dread and mystery.

]]> 601622 https://gamingbolt.com/madison-vr-announced-for-ps-vr2-and-pc-vr Sat, 10 Jun 2023 17:48:11 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=555468 Fans of the horror genre have been treated to a litany of excellent games in recent years, with plenty more still to come, but there’s a special something about playing a horror game in VR that you can’t find anywhere else. Happily enough, one particularly noteworthy recent release has been confirmed for VR platforms.

Recently at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase, Bloodious Games announced MADiSON VR. The first person horror title launch for PC and consoles in July last year, and though it wasn’t the most high profile release, it has received its fair share of praise from critics and players alike.

In our review of MADiSON, we awarded it a score of 8/10, saying, “MADiSON is a must-play psychological horror game that’ll have you on the edge of your seat from the first second right until the credits roll.” Read the full review through here.

MADiSON VR is in development for PS VR2 and PC VR platforms. A release date for the title hasn’t yet been announced.

TORMENTED SOULS

For fans of classic survival horror games, Tormented Souls is almost a must-play experience. While the genre is thriving right now, Tormented Souls is one of few games that delivers that classic fixed camera experience that old-school Resident Evil and Silent Hill games used to be known for, and it does it to great effect. It’s a little rough around the edges, admittedly, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons here.

MADiSON has now launched for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, and Bloodious Games has released a launch trailer to commemorate its release. Check it out below. As 16 year-old Luca, you’ll be exploring the decrepit house of your dead grandfather while being tormented by the horrific spirit of an old serial killer. From demonic possessions to rituals gone wrong and more, there’s plenty of scares on offer here, with the gameplay focusing primarily on exploration, solving puzzles, and using your instant camera.

In our review of MADiSON, we awarded it a score of 8/10, saying, “MADiSON is a must-play psychological horror game that’ll have you on the edge of your seat from the first second right until the credits roll.” Read the full review through here.

MADiSON is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PC. A Nintendo Switch version will launch later in the Summer. You can learn more about the game in our interview with Bloodious Games’ founder and MADiSON creator Alexis Di Stefano through here.

That’s classic psychological horror, and it’s something that MADiSON excels at. Bloodious Games’ first person horror title exhibits an excellent understanding of fear, pacing, and tension from the moment it kicks off, and from that moment until its last, it ramps things up expertly, constantly making you feel like that looming shadow behind you is expanding and getting closer. If you’re a fan of horror and are looking to be genuinely scared, this is the game for you. MADiSON, in spite of some gameplay-related issues, knows exactly when and how to scare you.

"If you’re a fan of horror and are looking to be genuinely scared, this is the game for you. MADiSON, in spite of some gameplay-related issues, knows exactly when and how to scare you."

The story here ropes in a lot of very familiar horror tropes – demon possession, family trauma, rituals gone wrong, an old serial killer – but MADiSON proves that tropes aren’t necessarily a bad thing by default. It’s the execution that counts, and this game makes use of those tropes for its story very well. You’re thrown into the deep end right off the bat, and slowly but surely, you peel back the layers to get a deeper understanding of what’s going on. It’s constantly unnerving, and the things that you discover are sure to make you deeply uncomfortable at best and downright terrified at worst.

Pacing is crucial in any horror story, and MADiSON knows that. It reveals just the right amount at just the right time, so that you never feel like you’re stalling or simply don’t know enough to be scared, but also never have to sit through overly long exposition dumps that end up explaining things so deeply that there’s nothing left to be afraid of anymore. That’s a difficult balance to strike, as horror games (and horror stories in general) have proven time and again over the years, so to see it struck so well here is heartening for genre fans, to say the very least.

How MADiSON chooses to scare you also deserves props. Being constantly terrifying and in-your-face is a mistake that horror stories make often, but the team at Bloodious Games clearly understood that that can just desensitize the player. Sure, there are some loud, scary moments in here, and some good old-fashioned jump scares as well, but MADiSON knows that something that can be just as effective, if not more so, is that constant tension, that constant palpable dread, that slow build-up of knowing that something horrific is coming for you- you just don’t know when and from where. The game plays with your mind in excellent ways and ends up being genuinely unnerving- which, after all, is the true hallmark of good psychological horror.

"The story here ropes in a lot of very familiar horror tropes – demon possession, family trauma, rituals gone wrong, an old serial killer – but MADiSON proves that tropes aren’t necessarily a bad thing by default. It’s the execution that counts, and this game makes use of those tropes for its story very well."

The atmosphere that the game builds up also has a huge role to play in that. Dark rooms and hallways, shifting sceneries and environments, ambient noises to make you jump out of your skin and wonder what’s around the next corner- these are all classic ways to build up a constant atmospheric dread in a horror game, and MADiSON uses them very well. It helps that the game is a visually solid one, with greatly detailed environments that look sharp and decrepit and run-down in all the ways they’re supposed to. Add to that the excellent implementation of the PS5’s 3D audio engine, and what you get is a game that uses audio-visual cues to ramp up the tension to great effect.

Things are slightly less consistent from a gameplay perspective. There is no combat in MADiSON, with the bulk of the experience focusing on exploring, paying attention to your surroundings, finding items and objects, and solving puzzles. For the most part, that’s a solid gameplay loop. Combined with the constant ambient tension and background dread, exploration can be quite engaging, and the puzzles are designed rather well most of the times. Using your camera is, of course, a core component for a lot of the puzzles, and the smart execution of that particular mechanic elevates the game to new heights on multiple occasions.

The issue, however, is with consistency. MADiSON is designed around the “show, don’t tell” ethos, which is great for the most part, and personally, my preferred style of game design and puzzle design. Sometimes, however, it takes things too far, and puzzles end up feeling too obscure. A very particular object might need to be used at a very specific spot, and you could end up wasting long minutes scouring through everything in your surroundings, backtracking, and looking through your inventory as you try and understand how to move forward, only to eventually blindly stumble upon the solution through sheer dumb luck. It happens often enough for it to be an issue, especially in a game that’s as focused on puzzles as MADiSON is.

"MADiSON is designed around the “show, don’t tell” ethos, which is great for the most part, and personally, my preferred style of game design and puzzle design. Sometimes, however, it takes things too far, and puzzles end up feeling too obscure."

There are some technical issues to speak of as well. The frame rate, for instance, can be a little choppy at times, with the game slowing down significantly and noticeably for no apparent reason every once in a while. In my time with the game, I’ve experience a couple of crashes as well, which have kicked me out of the game altogether, which is made worse by the fact that autosaves in MADiSON aren’t too generous, which, in turn, leads to a healthy chunk of lost progress. And though this might not be a technical issue per se, the constant swaying of the camera is also a bit of a nuisance. Sure, it’s a stylistic choice, but it can be more than a little distracting at times.

Even with the few issues it does have though, MADiSON is a great game. 2014’s P.T. was a watershed moment for survival horror games, and in the years since then, we’ve had countless games that have tried to replicate its first person psychological horror mastery. Not many have succeeded, but MADiSON surely comes closer than most. It has a great understanding of the key tenets of any good horror experience – pacing, atmosphere, tension, knowing when to be restrained and when to let loose – which more than makes up for some of its more frustrating gameplay and technical issues. If you’re a fan of psychological horror, or of horror in general, this is a game that you definitely need to check out.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

At IGN Expo 2022, a new trailer of the game debuted, showing off more of its tense horror, some of the monstrosities you’ll be crossing paths with, the photography mechanics that’ll form a core of the gameplay, and more. It’s very much in the style of first person psychological horror games that we’ve seen quite a few of in recent years. Check out the trailer below.

MADiSON is due out PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PC on July 8, with a Switch version following sometime later this Summer.

Diablo Immortal

After tons of “don’t you have phones” memes and outrage, Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo Immortal is out soon on iOS, Android and PC (albeit in “beta” form). Developed with NetEase and set between Diablo 2 and 3, it sees players battling the forces of evil to prevent yet another resurrection of Diablo. Six classes, each with 12 skills; end-game activities like Elder Rifts, raids, and the Legacy of Horadrim; and extensive monetization for true min-maxing via Awakening and Resonance – it’s all here. Whether it’s a trainwreck, a worthy successor or somewhere in between, Diablo Immortal releases on June 2^nd.

The Quarry

Nine teenage counsellors. Summer break. Bloodthirsty locals on the hunt. David Arquette. Supermassive Games’ next game certainly has everything that a horror fan could want. Playing as each counsellor, one must make decisions to eventually survive the ordeal. Be careful though – choices have consequences, either immediately or in the future. With tons of different outcomes, a Movie Mode for directing your own series of events, and accessibility options, The Quarry promises plenty of content when it releases on June 10^th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Sonic Origins

Relive the classic adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog when Sonic Origins releases on June 23^rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 and Knuckles and Sonic CD are all included, remade on Sonic Mania’s Retro Engine. Missions for each game, Mirror Mode for each level, Boss Rush, and in-game museum to unlock additional content like music tracks are all included. You can experience the games in Classic Mode or Anniversary Mode with the latter having widescreen support, unlimited continues and Sonic’s drop dash from Sonic Mania. DLC practices aside, it’s looking like a good time.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Monster Hunter Rise’s Sunbreak features a brand new region where players must battle powerful, horror movie-inspired monsters that hold dominion. A new base in Elgado Outpost offers new NPCs and facilities while Master Rank is introduced, adding new armor and weapons (along with new moves for previous monsters). New monsters include Magma Almudron, Lunagaron, Aurora Somnacanth, and Elder Dragon Malzeno in addition to returning foes like Sergios. There are also new Silkbind Attacks and Switch Skills, the Switch Skill Swap function for even more combo potential, Followers that can accompany you on certain quests and much more. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak releases on June 30^th for Nintendo Switch and PC.

Silt

As blissful as deep-sea diving may seem, Spiral Circus’s Silt exposes the sheer range of horrors that can lay in wait. Presented in stark monochrome, you play as a diver seeking to uncover ancient mysteries. You can possess nearby creatures to solve puzzles but beware the massive goliaths and other terrors that traverse the ocean. Silt is out on June 1^st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Metal Max Xeno Reborn

Action RPG Metal Max Xeno: Reborn is getting a Western release for PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC. Set in the ruins of Dystokio where machines rule, players use combat vehicles to fight back in a mix of real-time and turn-based combat. Venture through the wasteland and lay waste to the machines, salvage materials and upgrade vehicles while embracing true freedom of exploration. Support for up to four players, multiple skill trees and tons of customization await when it releases on June 10^th.

Outriders Worldslayer

Outriders’ first paid expansion Worldslayer features a brand new campaign and a new antagonist named Ereshkigal to go with its world-ending scenario. New environments, new weapons and armor (including Legendary Armor sets for each class), and a separate PAX tree to further diversify play-styles are just some of the new additions. Pair this with the Paragon-esque Ascension Levels, new Apocalypse gear, more Apocalypse Tiers, and brand new endgame content, and Worldslayer will keep you busy for a good long while. It’s out on June 30^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia.

MX vs. ATV Legends

Bikes, ATVs and UTVs collide on a new generation of consoles in MX vs. ATV Legends. Releasing on June 26^th for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, it includes a new Career Mode, wide-open environments to go with traditional tracks, and 16-player online multiplayer along with split-screen support. The new Trails Mode also encourages a different style of racing with branching paths and dangerous obstacles to traverse.

Deliver Us The Moon [PS5, Xbox Series X/S]

Previously scheduled for release on May 19^th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, KeokeN Interactive’s Deliver Us The Moon is now out on June 23^rd. Set in the future where Earth’s natural resources have dwindled, players must explore a Lunar base after it goes dark for its energy supply. Tensions abound though and it’s not clear whether they’re real or imaginary. On current-gen consoles, Deliver Us The Moon will support 4K gameplay, ray traced shadows and reflections, fast loading times and the DualSense’s adaptive triggers and speakers. PS4 and Xbox One can even upgrade to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S respectively for free.

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course DLC

Cuphead is almost five years old with The Delicious Last Course DLC first revealed way back in 2018, which is crazy in retrospect. It’s now finally – barring any sudden last minute delays – releasing on June 30th for PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC and Xbox One. Promising new weapons, charms, a new playable character with Ms. Chalice, and several new bosses in the new Inkwell Isle region, the DLC could be Cuphead’s craziest and most challenging adventure yet.

MADiSON

What’s better than two horror games in the Summer? Three, of course. Bloodious Games’ MADiSON is a first person psychological horror game where you play as Luca, who wakes suddenly in a locked dark room. Forced to partake in a terrifying ritual by a demon named MADiSON, you’ll be taking pictures to reveal secrets, and ideally survive the ordeal with random events and changing puzzles keeping you on your toes. MADiSON releases on June 24^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5.

DNF Duel

Based on Nexon’s online action RPG Dungeon Fighter, DNF Duel is a 2.5D fighting game from Neople, Eighting and Arc System Works. As such, flashy combos and gorgeous visuals are to be expected with 16 characters to choose from. Slice and dice as the Ghostblade, combo enemies at range with the Gunslinger or rely on ninjutsu as the Kunoichi among other combatants. In addition to online play with rollback netcode, there’s Story Mode, Arcade Mode, Survival and Free Battle. A gallery for viewing cinematics and music along with a Glossary for learning more about the series’ setting and organizations is also included. DNF Duel is out on June 10^th for PS4, PS5 and PC.

Redout 2

WipEout and F-Zero fans take note – 34BigThings’ Redout 2 is out on June 16th for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. Master the controls and partake in a new Career Mode with tons of events across 36 tracks (each with a reversed variant). There are 12 fully customizable chassis to choose from; competitive multiplayer for up to 12 players (six on the Switch); and custom content and seasons with even more rewards to look forward to.

Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles [Nintendo Switch]

Break out the Gurenge cover playlist – Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles is coming to Nintendo Switch on June 10^th. Based on the first season and the Mugen Train movie arc, the 3D fighter includes an extensive story mode with exploration, boss battles and cutscenes as Tanjiro attempts to save his sister Nezuko. Versus Mode with 2v2 battles supports local and online play with 18 characters to choose from, including Academy versions of existing characters.

Disgaea 6 Complete [PS4, PS5, PC]

Nippon Ichi Software’s Disgaea 6 Complete is finally coming to PC, PS5 and PS4 worldwide on June 28^th. With a max level cap of 99,999,999, quadrillions of damage and fully 3D visuals, this entry is perhaps the most divisive yet. Nevertheless, a wacky adventure with zombie Zed embarking on a journey to defeat an overwhelming force, resurrecting after each death to become a little stronger, awaits. All previously released DLC, from cosmetics to additional playable characters, is also included for free.

Until now, we haven’t seen much of what the game will look like on the Nintendo Switch, but its latest trailer has changed that. Showing the game in action on the hybrid console, the trailer definitely looks promising, and continues to show more of the creepy, unsettling vibe of MADiSON. From photography to fumbling about in the darkness to bizarre environments, there’s plenty going on here. Take a look at the trailer below.

MADiSON is due out PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PC on July 8, with a Switch launch following sometime later this Summer. You can learn more about the game in our recent interview with director and Bloodious Games founder Alexis Di Stefano through here.

"MADiSON is a great mix between psychological and survival horror, so the game will be going from one subgenre to the other a few times, creating a varied and terrifying gameplay experience."

MADiSON seems laser-focused on psychological horror, a subgenre of horror that many would argue is the most challenging to properly implement. What’s been your approach to its implementation in the game? What would you say makes for good psychological horror, and what spin for MADiSON you’ve put on that?

I totally agree, creating the perfect climax in terms of horror is not just playing a creepy song in the background or having a disturbing enemy.

I do think that the atmosphere is more important than the direct depiction, and that is something I really paid attention to while designing the game.  It takes a lot of hard work to achieve a good and scary atmosphere, and it’s even more difficult to make the tension rise and decrease as desired.

We won’t be scaring the players with random jumpscares or generic scares. Instead, the game has a strong storytelling that will be driving players to different directions depending on the events of the game. So I can assure that MADiSON shakes the formula, and creates a great balance between the story events and the horror atmosphere players will be immersed in. MADiSON is a great mix between psychological and survival horror, so the game will be going from one subgenre to the other a few times, creating a varied and terrifying gameplay experience.

MADiSON is, of course, placing plenty of emphasis on storytelling, which tends to go hand-in-hand with psychological horror. What can you tell us about the game on that front? How crucial is the story to the experience?

The story plays a vital role. Before even starting the development, I worked on the script for several months in order to make sure of what direction to follow, as well as in how to narrate the multiple stories.

MADiSON is about a 16-year-old boy called Luca, who wakes up locked in a dark room, covered in blood, his family’s blood. That’s how the story starts. Without spoiling too much, he manages to escape that room through his grandpa’s house, and as soon as he gets there, Luca realizes that the present he received for his birthday belonged to a serial killer 30 years ago.

The game features three different stories that blend seamlessly into the main narrative, Luca’s storyline. Sometimes I get the question “How important is the camera to the game?”, and I like to say that MADiSON is not a horror game with an instant camera, MADiSON is an instant camera horror game.

What’s the nature of the entities players will have to contend with in MADiSON, both in terms of storytelling and how they’ll affect the way the game is played?

The entities the player will encounter during the game are all dead. We should start from that point. As they are no longer alive, they don’t follow human world’s rules, and this is key for understanding the game’s gameplay.

In each section of the game, the player will have to adapt the way he/she is playing, because as there are no rules to follow, each entity will have their own ones. As you progress in the game, the gameplay mechanics will change and you’ll end up in different situations, environments and surrounded by different entities. This allows us to create a unique gameplay experience that will keep changing as the story progresses so it keeps fresh and scary even after playing for a couple of hours.

"The game features three different stories that blend seamlessly into the main narrative, Luca’s storyline. Sometimes I get the question “How important is the camera to the game?”, and I like to say that MADiSON is not a horror game with an instant camera, MADiSON is an instant camera horror game."

Something that horror games quite often put a lot of emphasis on is exploration, which tends to go hand-in-hand with interconnected level design that encourages backtracking. Is that something players can expect from MADiSON as well, or is it a more directed and forward-moving experience?

MADiSON mostly takes place in Luca’s grandparents house. It’s not a mansion, but the house is quite big. At the very beginning of the game, most of the doors are locked so the rooms you can enter are limited. However, as you start making progress, you’ll be able to access new areas of the house. This is something that happens from the start to the very end.

That being said, the level design focuses on getting to know the house as if it was yours, slowly unveiling its secrets and unlocking every door. MADiSON is not the type of game in which you go from one place to another without being able to go back, so expect exploring from head to toe the main house, because most of the experience will take place there.

Taking photos and manually developing them seems to be the central mechanic in MADiSON. Can you talk to us a bit more about that and how it will factor into things such as puzzles or encounters against enemies?

As I previously said, the gameplay 100% focuses on the usage of the instant camera. It will allow the players to connect the human world with the beyond, so as it sounds, the camera is used for a lot of different situations during the game.

The camera triggers paranormal events with each picture that is taken with it. Some examples of these are to alter  reality by bringing elements from the afterlife into the world of the living or to open a path by breaking walls and/or objects. I could make a list but I don’t want to spoil that much!

Thanks to the pictures players are able to take with it, they will also get clues and answers to be able to solve puzzles.

In terms of the entities, every one of them behaves differently, so again, without spoiling too much, I’d say that the gameplay will change from one encounter to another, but yes, the question everyone wants me to answer, you’ll need the camera to stay alive.

As players progress further in MADiSON, what should they expect from it in terms of how varied it keeps the experience? What sort of a mix between stealth, exploration, and perhaps combat should be expected?

MADiSON mixes both subgenres survival and psychological in such a way the 6h+ gameplay keeps fresh, unique and terrifying from one section to another.

I wouldn’t say it has a lot of stealth moments, because it’s not a hide and seek type of game, but for sure you’ll try not to attract unwanted attention in other ways.

The game has different survival and psychological sections that focus on different types of gameplay, such as puzzle solving, pure survival, or more story driven.

What can I say is that the mix of both subgenres feels strong enough to make players feel invested in the overall experience, because they’ll never be able to predict what type of gameplay comes next.

"MADiSON mixes both subgenres survival and psychological in such a way the 6h+ gameplay keeps fresh, unique and terrifying from one section to another."

What can you tell us about MADiSON’s random events and puzzles? How much will they vary from instance to instance? What was the process like of implementing them in the game and ensuring that they worked well within its framework?

This is such a good question! We really wanted to make sure that players would not get fully spoiled if they watch other streamers playing the game on the internet. So, in order to be able to achieve this, I designed some strategies that would help us avoid that.

Every puzzle in the game will have different solutions from one run to another, so players won’t be able to look for the solutions on YouTube, for example. The game chooses your puzzle solutions when you hit play. Same happens with the randomized events, the games chooses when and where to place them, so it’s almost impossible even for us to know when and where they are happening.

Roughly how long will an average playthrough of MADiSON be?

It really depends on the player, but for a first run, I’d say it can take something between 6-8 hours. For sure it can take a little longer if you want to find every collectible, unveil every secret of the house and unlock the 30+ achievements.

The trailer begins in a poorly lit church, but it definitely goes to some interesting places, showing various environments, creepy sights, and some terrifying enemies. It certainly seems to be headed in the right direction as far as atmosphere and horror are concerned. Meanwhile, there’s also a mechanic that will require you to use your camera to be able to see demons around you, which puts an interesting Fatal Frame-esque twist on the proceedings. It’s looking interesting, that’s for sure.

Madison will launch for PC some time in 2021. Console versions will be following some time in 2022, though there’s no word yet on when exactly that’ll happen.