Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Between the B.T. Kaijus duking it out, whatever Higgs has going on and all the deliveries, it’s easy to forget that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach features a robust stealth system. It’s somewhat hard to notice between the increased gunplay, but you’ll still have to carefully walk about areas infested with B.T.s and avoid getting caught. We’re also hoping for more non-lethal options and witnessing how dynamic weather impacts strategies (like a sandstorm obscuring enemy detection radius).

And regardless if the story makes as much sense as the original or not, you just know it’s going to be a journey unlike any other when it launches on June 26th for PS5.

Project TH

Invariably these ‘Project X’ dubbed games get announced, generate hype, never materialise, then evaporate into thin air. Project TH appears to have strong chance it’ll release though, with well-known Korean actors involved in its production plus developer EVR Studio already an established company with Hollywood VFX credits to its name. If Project TH does release then, oh boy, we’re in for a treat. With stealth-action straight out of the Ubisoft playbook ala Splinter Cell and The Division, Project TH also demonstrates photorealistic visuals, lifelike character animation, and strikingly cinematic set pieces. Of course, there’s no official release date or platforms announced, but expect it to be current-gen and PC only.

Crimson Desert 

Currently in development at Pearl Abyss, Crimson Desert is an open-world game brimming with unrivaled ambition and vast swaths of potential. The game puts you in the shoes of a warrior who must battle insurmountable odds to save his kingdom from peril, and that journey is characterized by varied missions and complex game systems that are closely knit with one another to create something that looks truly mesmerizing and fresh. 

Death Stranding 2 

Death Stranding was not everyone’s cup of tea when it was released, but many fans eventually warmed up to this peculiar kind of cargo-hauling experience and came to appreciate its design and the meaning behind its world. Kojima is hard at work on Death Stranding 2, a sequel that will most likely showcase the true potential of a Strand game with its gameplay innovations and narrative developments. The teaser is chock full of questions waiting to be answered, and we are definitely excited to see what’s in store.

War of the Worlds 

Developed by FlipSwitch Games, War of the Worlds is a game that tells a story of humans trying to survive against an alien onslaught. It features shades of both action and horror as you slowly tiptoe around urban neighborhoods in search of a safe haven from all the commotion happening outside. It looks like a pretty open-ended game that allows different forms of gameplay ranging from driving to exploration and much more, and the multiplayer aspect also allows you to assume the role of aliens and experience the narrative from a new angle.

inZOI 

inZOI is a new life simulator that lets you live out a virtual life to the fullest as you try to keep tabs on hunger, happiness, and other meters of each individual that you control. It boasts incredible levels of fidelity thanks to the power of Unreal Engine 5. inZOI has definitely managed to impress us with its vast array of gameplay options and the sheer breadth of choices you get within its sandbox elements.

Mouse 

Mouse’s concept of creating a violent first-person shooter with the jovial art style of cartoons might sound like something straight out of a fever dream, but it all surprisingly works while looking absolutely bonkers. The animation work is immaculate, and the gunplay seems really fun. Add to that a noir-inspired story that would most likely have morally gray characters and twists and turns galore, and Mouse becomes a really interesting game that’s worth keeping an eye out for.

Zoochosis 

Clapperheads is hard at work on the upcoming Zoochosis, a game that puts you in the shoes of a zookeeper of a very peculiar zoo. As the only person with the responsibility of keeping the animals safe and sound, you must keep inspecting these creatures for signs of mutation or infection – and deliver rapid response vaccines to keep things in check. Zoochosis also manages to throw in shades of horror with its dark and dreary aesthetic, and fierce mutations that can lead to scary outcomes. 

Screenbound 

Screenbound is one of the most creative ideas we have seen in recent memory, combining a 3D world with a 2D world in a very interesting fashion. Certain elements of the game world are only visible in the 3D realm, while others like the enemies are only visible on a 2D screen glued to the hands of the protagonist. There’s definitely some inherent jankiness or frustrations that might come from such a gameplay mechanic, but it would be interesting to see how the developers tackle those challenges and create something that’s as fun as it is unique.

Unrecord 

It’s easy to mistake Unrecord’s trailer for actual real-life footage, and that statement alone speaks volumes about its spectacular attention to detail. Everything from the texture work to the lighting and the animations has been created with extremely high levels of fidelity, and it makes great use of Unreal Engine 5’s graphical feature set to deliver something that genuinely feels like a step up from current-gen games. In addition to the visuals, Unrecord also provides an interesting gameplay loop that combines action elements with tactics to create something that’s both thrilling and engaging.

Light No Fire 

From the developer behind No Man’s Sky, Light No Fire feels like the natural evolution of the formula found in Hello Games’ debut title. Light No Fire is set against a massive open world that’s about the size of the Earth built to scale, and that vast space is filled with procedurally generated map geometry and a diverse cast of flora and fauna spread across multiple biomes. It truly feels like a world ripe for exploration, and it would be interesting to see Hello Games’ morphing its past learnings into an entirely new universe. 

Project TH

Heavily inspired by the likes of Splinter Cell or Hitman, Project TH is an upcoming action-adventure stealth game that puts you in the shoes of a covert operative who must make his way through enemy-infested mazes and complete objectives without raising alarms or commotion. Project TH impresses with its photorealistic visuals and smooth-flowing animations, making it a perfect showcase for the power of current-gen gaming systems.

Europa 

Set against the backdrop of an alien world, Europa is a tale about the last human alive trying to survive in a world that plays by its own rules. It features a cartoony aesthetic that has a distinct charm to it, and that also lends a really relaxing vibe to the overall experience. The gameplay entails exploring the many biomes spread throughout its world, solving puzzles, and taking part in missions that will test your survival skills to the fullest. 

Exekiller

Exekiller is a game that presents an interesting dichotomy of the past and the future. It takes the familiar setting of the American Wild West that is usually associated with horses and cowboys, and meshes those elements into a futuristic dystopia ruled by capitalism and technology. Apart from the more aesthetic elements, Exekiller also features a complex gameplay that prioritizes player freedom with the ability to craft your own narrative in a world brimming with choices and an open-ended combat loop. 

Paranormal Tales 

Built using Unreal Engine 5, Paranormal Tales does a great job of actually seating you into the horror. It showcases multiple horror vignettes from different perspectives like a bodycam or a VHS tape, but the more impressive part of the game is how it plays on the fear of the unknown with a stunning atmosphere and appropriately ominous sound design. 

Black Myth Wukong 

Game Science’s upcoming Black Myth Wukong remains one of the more interesting takes on the Souls formula, and that largely boils down to how the developer meshes those ideas with its own and in doing so creates something that’s just as recognizable as it is fresh. With a beautiful art design and compelling fast-paced gameplay, Black Myth Wukong has no shortage of impressive elements to its presentation. 

Pragmata

Currently in development, Pragmata looks like a wonderfully eccentric experience that raises more questions than it answers. The short teaser trailer showcases lunar travel, otherworldly beings, and an astronaut who apparently has to save Diana. While it’s difficult to make sense out of such visuals, they are definitely enchanting to say the least. While details about the gameplay remain shrouded in mystery for now, it is apparently inspired by modern action games so that’s something to look forward to as well.

Welcome To Pine Harbor

Welcome To Pine Harbor is an upcoming survival game from a small group of developers by the name of Vision Forge Team, and it looks to be packing some punch. Set against the backdrop of the ominous town of Pine Harbor, the game is set to present a story that’s equal parts scary and immersive. While not a lot of information is available at the moment, the developers have stated that the game is inspired by the likes of Silent Hill and Resident Evil which has us excited to see what’s in store. Of course, it’s incredibly atmospheric and makes good use of Unreal Engine 5’s detailed shadows and realistic lighting tech – and we will be checking it out when it releases sometime next year.

Thing is, without official release dates or even proper gameplay footage that isn’t pre-rendered cinematics, there exists a growing cynicism amongst gamers; whilst visually arresting and seemingly well along the development pipeline, it’s widely believed games of Project TH’s ilk rarely get released. Just recently, Russian developed The Day Before has suffered lengthy delays owing to nebulous copyright issues, leading to accusations that the game doesn’t exist at all. Whilst developer Fntastic vehemently refutes these accusations, it’s hard not to empathise with gamers who haven’t had a real look at the game except for a heavily scripted demo a couple of years ago. At the time of writing, it looks as though fresh gameplay footage is coming for The Day Before, and if so, that’ll hopefully stem the tidal wave of scepticism surrounding games such as Project TH.

For their part, EVR Studio aren’t a faceless organisation, or indeed a new company, they’re a well-established studio helmed by an industry veteran with 24 years’ experience crafting innovative digital content. Since 2016, EVR Studio has worked on Hollywood VFX and high-calibre video content for global industries such as fashion and architecture, plus built bespoke systems capable of procedurally generating digital worlds – the latter of which, software dubbed CitiGen, is being used in Project TH’s development to generate the ultra-realistic Seoul cityscapes seen in the game’s footage revealed so far. If there’s ever a video game project capable of making it outside of South Korea and onto Western shores, it’s a game such as this.

So, what is Project TH all about then? Well, EVR Studio tout it as a story-driven, action stealth title in a similar vein to Splinter Cell titles and maybe Tom Clancy’s The Division, with a hyper focus on realistic character models and believably destructive environments. Gameplay will encompass a blend of close combat and ranged attacks, with sneaky infiltration missions presented with cinematic aplomb befitting of Western AAA titles. There’ll be 3 playable characters who’ll not only provide their own unique skills and playstyles but offer distinct perspectives on the game’s narrative and thematic elements.

Taking place in a future Korean peninsula, one on the verge of North-South unification, there exists an anti-unionist, anti-government terrorist organisation who’re hellbent on acting against Korean unity, instead utilising their violent influence to incite Korean citizens to revolution and protest. A North Korean soldier defected and exchanged to the South Korean Army becomes embroiled in the political and territorial miasma, venturing forth on a dangerous escapade to discover the truth. What this ‘truth’ is, well, we don’t know, but it’s this central mystery EVR Studio hopes will drive players forth as they unravel the narrative from a trio of character perspectives.

Alongside being paraded publicly as a symbol of Korean unity, this former North Korean now South Korean soldier Ji Jeong Tae fights against the terrorists under the Defence Security Support Command – the DSSC’s – directive. After failing a mission Ji Jeong Tae is demoted to manager of K-pop group Ordo. Now, this isn’t as strange a career change as it first seems; Ordo are actually instruments of the DSSC, with their main purpose being to spread pollical propaganda through their music across the Korean peninsula. A member of this K-pop all girl group is Gavi, and she’ll be another player character.

Conversely, the third player character is firmly on the other side of the spectrum. Daubed mysteriously as ID Ghost – and portrayed by Squid Games actor Heo Sung-tae – this villainous person is a former South Korean military veteran who after blowing up the Korean Houses of Parliament becomes the most wanted criminal in the peninsula, building up to a confrontation with the DSSC from his life in the shadows.

Thematically, Project TH is looking to explore storylines that depict Korean culture in an earnest yet challenging way. Therefore, globally notorious Korean cultural powerhouses such as K-pop artists and Squid Games actors are featuring alongside devastating themes of societal anger and hatred. EVR Studio are crafting a bleak world in which negativity and violence are inherent, unavoidable traits of society.

World building is all well and good, but for these powerful themes to land the game’s appearance must exhibit a believability too. Thankfully, owing to EVR Studio’s extensive experience crafting high-end VR games and art-driven digital media, Project TH’s interiors, city streets, and character models look spellbinding. The team are utilising Unreal Engine 5 to construct the game, but they’re also relying on their in-house 3D scanning technology to create the game’s digital humans. In a system dubbed Light Sphere, for instance, EVR Studio say their reflectance capturing methods can provide data information that’ll translate to micro-details on player character and NPC faces. For instance, surface wrinkle movement and skin colour shifting in line with blood pressure are some of the innovations we’ll purportedly be treated to whenever a character changes facial expression.

To be honest, microscopic detail changes on the skin of a player character’s face might seem a little overkill. What’s more important is how the game plays. Well, mechanically, as already mentioned, the game is a third-person action stealth title, but additionally players will be required to apply wise thinking throughout in order to execute the most optimum strategy. In what will be music to the ears of Splinter Cell fans hungry for a fresh Sam Fisher escapade, Project TH will require players pay careful consideration to light, shadows, and noise levels. These sensory elements will be tools in the player’s arsenal, with supreme control of their surroundings necessary to stealthily wipe out opponents and avoid capture.

The gamedev scene in Korea – one traditionally focused on online-based platforms and mobile – is shifting slowly to consoles thanks to Korea’s growing global cultural influence. K-pop, Oscar winning movies such as Parasite, and the aforementioned Squid Games, have boosted the confidence of Korean video game developers who’re now targeting global audiences with their games instead of focusing on the domestic market. Most importantly, investment is starting to trickle in for video games to be released on platforms other than mobile too. As such, for Project TH EVR Studio are targeting release on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, plus PC.

Here’s hoping this game doesn’t disappear into a developmental abyss because from what we’ve seen so far of the game’s cinematics it looks to be a very polished, narratively interesting, and thoroughly immersive take on the third-person stealth genre. In lieu of Splinter Cell’s upcoming re-emergence, Project TH might be dropping at the perfect time to re-invigorate a genre that has gone cold in favour of all out action and adventure titles.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.