“At the time of the trailer in 2023, we were just 2 bedroom programmers with no experience in the industry,” wrote the studio in its social media post. “The game was just 6 months old and exceeded all our expectations. With limited finances, we started from scratch, working sleepless nights and handling everything from business to creation. Two years later, we are 10 developers and we are still hiring.”

“Today, we’re proud to announce that we finally have the budget to make Unrecord and build the best game possible. Many thanks to our investors, who enjoyed playing the game and placed their trust in us.”

Thanks to this investment, the studio has noted that it is now fully focused on production and will start sharing more updates about how development is going throughout 2026. These updates, said DRAMA, will “reflect our true final vision.”

The investment comes from Tencent, which has also bought a minority stake in DRAMA. Celebrating this deal, studio CEO and founder Theo Hiribarne spoke about having found “a team genuinely passionate about our game and vision,” as well as how the developers have been working hard “to build a game that meets the expectations of our community.”

“Since the surge of attention after our initial trailer, we’ve worked relentlessly to build a game that meets the expectations of our community,” he said, according to GamesIndustry.biz.

“In Tencent, we found not just a world-class partner, but a team genuinely passionate about our game and vision. Despite its scale, Tencent has approached this partnership with humility, respect, and a real appreciation for our creative identity. It believed in Unrecord early and has supported us at every stage of our growth. We’re confident this collaboration will help us reach our full potential.”

Mark Maslowicz, the VP of partnerships at Tencent Games Europe, also provided his own statement, noting that the company wants to invest in creative talent, as well as how impressed it has been with the development progress that has been made on Unrecord since it was first unveiled back in 2023.

“Tencent believes deeply in creative talent,” he said. “We’ve been consistently impressed by the drive and dynamism of Drama Studios, and the remarkable progress it has made on Unrecord, especially with such a small team and limited resources. This investment will help the studio unlock their full potential and deliver the first of many outstanding games. We’re excited to be part of Drama Studios journey.”

The first trailer for Unrecord from 2023 had become incredibly popular owing to the title’s focus on visual fidelity. This focus also came with some controversy, however, with some alleging that DRAMA has been faking the trailer by using real-world footage. The studio had released its own statement in response, with co-director Alexandre Spindler showing off the trailer being worked on in Unreal Engine 5.

Unrecord doesn’t yet have a release date. However, since it is now fully funded, we will likely start seeing more details about the title soon.

Doom: The Dark Ages

Id Software has brought DOOM back into the limelight with its modern reimagining, and DOOM: The Dark Ages is looking like a bigger, badder, and better version of DOOM 2016 and DOOM Eternal in so many different ways. The combat loop has been reworked in new and clever ways, making it feel more grounded yet nimble. Add to that new tools like the shield, companion mech, and dragon – and DOOM: The Dark Ages becomes a game that you don’t want to miss at any cost. It comes out for PC, Xbox Series X/S on 13 May, 2025.

The initial thing that struck me about Fractured Mind was its realistic bodycam graphics. Fractured Mind’s bodycam perspective is likely inspired by Unrecord, another yet-to-be-released first-person bodycam game made in Unreal Engine 5. Unrecord‘s March 2023 trailer led the UE5 community to make tutorials outlining how to recreate Unrecord’s realistic bodycam perspective using Unreal Engine 5. It’s not too surprising to see games like Fractured Mind take advantage of this bodycam trend. Like Unrecord, Fractured Mind utilizes a fisheye lens distortion effect with a wobbly camera simulating realistic body movement, though I must admit that playing it in a more or less finished state like the Fractured Mind demo is more impressive than any mere trailer. But enough about Fractured Mind’s inspiration, what does it actually consist of?

Those familiar with Hideo Kojima’s PT will get the gist of Fractured Mind’s premise and gameplay. Like PT, you walk through a continually looping environment that changes oh so slightly every couple of loops, giving you new story hints and stuff to figure out along the way. Instead of a mansion hallway, Fractured Mind takes place inside train compartments. The demo has you walking from one train compartment to the next, essentially looping every time you open the door to the next compartment. The demo only comprises a single chapter of the game, so there are likely other locales aside from just the looping train within Fractured Mind‘s full release. We’ve already seen other environments within the demo itself, such as the rainy outdoor train entrance located somewhere in a Romanian suburb. It’ll be interesting to see other locations around Romania as the player follows the distressed protagonist, Michael, along his psychological journey. Speaking of distressed protagonists, as with PT, Fractured Mind goes all in on its psychological horror elements.

The 30-minute demo provided plenty of moments that made me question what I saw in front of me. The slow progression through the looping train is nicely paced, with very slight changes in each loop giving you little hints as to what is going on in the story and characters. Fractured Mind has a similar slow burn that PT does, with some truly insane stuff occurring just before the end of the demo. This slow drip-feed of info quickly accelerates as soon as you notice something particularly … off. The moment you see that one bizarre element is the point at which the game enters into a surrealist nightmare. Some of the oddities I saw consisted of train chairs stacked on top of passengers, radio broadcasts yelling at me, and the occasional weird demon creature scurrying off the corner of the screen, just to name a few.

If this 30-minute demo is anything to go by, the full game will provide a constant stream of surprises and ‘glitches’, as it were, in the protagonist’s perception. The protagonist already has a pretty in-depth backstory, hinting that we’ll get a character arc or a more complete characterization with the full release. For example, check out the Steam description for this game; it lists the protagonist’s full mental health assessment. There’s a granular level of detail here, complete with believable information such as DSM-5 descriptions of his PTSD diagnosis. This character backstory is shown inside the game as well, through fourth-wall-breaking posters within the train and radio broadcasts fluctuating between local events and voices inside Michael’s head.

Speaking of radio broadcasts, the radio voices are the only element of the game that uses AI tools. It’s too bad real actors couldn’t have been employed for this game, as it could further enhance its worldbuilding and tone, but at least the developer is being transparent about AI usage. The sound in general is appropriately atmospheric with a low-fi train ambiance accompanying the journey. The times when it’s completely silent don’t work as well since all the sound is cut out, though it’s difficult to tell if that kind of thing is intentional or not considering the game’s penchant for messing with your mind. Regardless, it’s a very atmospherically immersive game with the bells and whistles of Unreal Engine 5 to make everything pop.

Oh yeah, there’s gunplay in Fractured Minds too; it’s not merely a walking simulator after all. Of course, the game doesn’t focus heavily on shooting mechanics, as the numerous train posters remind us. The demo doesn’t require you to shoot your gun at all, as far as I know. But if the demon alien thing I saw scurrying away was anything to go by, I assume you’ll be shooting some weird stuff at some point in the full game. Then again, I’ve only seen one of two possible endings in the demo, so maybe there is shooting involved. Regardless, shooting works how you’d expect for a first-person shooter.

You have a pistol with limited ammo and can aim down the sights for added accuracy. There’s no HUD except for crosshairs when viewing an interactable element of the environment. Aiming down the sights while turning your character has some weight and momentum to it that I appreciate, but there’s no run button to speak of and no mobility other than a small jump. Another gameplay element Fractured Mind consists of is puzzles. I didn’t encounter any puzzles during the demo, but there are documents that you can pick up which contain clues and numbers. Even the posters on the windows say to pay attention to numbers so you can get through the ‘lock’, whatever that is. So, expect some hidden object puzzles with the full release of the game.

Fractured Mind currently has a release date of September 2024 on Steam, though I wouldn’t be too surprised if it got delayed considering it’s a one-person team. We don’t know what price the full game will get or how long it’ll be. If the demo is anything to go by, Fractured Mind will provide a deep psychological horror story with constantly evolving revelations concerning the main protagonist. The gameplay has room to flesh out the shooting mechanics and puzzles, providing something a little more involved than PT and traditional walking sim games. There’s even potential for multiple forking routes similar to Stanely Parable, though this might require some kind of dialogue choice feedback, which hasn’t been present in the game yet. If you’re a fan of psychological horror games, walking sims, or PT-style experiences, Fractured Mind is a game worth keeping an eye on.

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.

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.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

GSC Game World is bringing the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series back with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, and the sequel is looking like an excellent modernization of this highly revered post-apocalyptic franchise. The team is using Unreal Engine 5 to bring the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone to life, and the textures and cutting-edge lighting techniques help create a really convincing look to this desolate landscape which in turn, should make for some really immersive gameplay.

Black Myth Wukong

The Soulslike genre is brimming with plenty of new and exciting releases looming over the horizon, but few are as popular and highly anticipated as Black Myth Wukong. While a lot of what makes the game such a looker is the fast and frenetic combat, equal praise needs to be attributed to the astounding world design. Black Myth Wukong’s fantasy world is highly imaginative and is peppered with fierce beasts to fight and wondrous realms to explore. Developer Game Science has made great use of Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 with its project, and it serves as a great example of how UE5 enables small teams to craft experiences that are capable of competing neck to neck against AAA blockbusters.

The First Descendant

Currently in development at NEXON, The First Descendant is an upcoming looter shooter that puts you in the shoes of a Descendant – warriors that are the last hope of humanity against the invading forces. Players can either jump in solo or with friends, and the gameplay revolves around fending against enemy waves all while juggling between your weapons and special abilities. Suffice it to say, The First Descendant looks absolutely gorgeous with high-quality textures and creative creature designs among a slew of other impressive graphical features.

Unrecord

One might be forgiven to think of Unrecord’s gameplay as real-life footage, and that alone speaks volumes about its amazing visual presentation. Everything from the subtle camera shakes to realistic movement mechanics and photogrammetry-based textures come together to create a very convincing illusion of real life, and we can’t wait to step into the shoes of these covert operatives and take on high-stakes missions when Unrecord releases for PC sometime in the near future.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 was one of the first UE5 games to be publicly showcased, and developer Ninja Theory has done a fabulous job of utilizing the engine’s toolset in a wise manner, which can be easily seen in every aspect of the game right from how the cloth physics work to how accurately the actors’ emotions have been mapped to the models and how realistic the lighting is. And that’s just scratching the surface of Hellblade 2’s amazing visual quality, which easily stands tall as one of the best-looking Xbox games to be released in the near future.

Post Trauma

Developed by RED SOUL Games, Post Trauma is as much a glorious throwback to the past as it is a technical achievement in modern game rendering. It borrows gameplay ideas and an isometric perspective from survival horror classics like Resident Evil 2 but presents it all with high levels of fidelity which should make for a great time. Post Trauma will be released for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime in the near future.

Phantom Blade Zero

Phantom Blade Zero thrusts players into a dark and twisted world brimming with masked warriors and demonic abominations waiting to slaughter you on the path of revenge. The game features some slick combat with fast-moving animations along with great environment design, which has been brought to life through smart usage of Unreal Engine 5’s assortment of visual features. It sounds pretty exciting, and we will be checking it out when it comes out for PS5 sometime in the near future.

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater

After a long line of rumors and speculations, we finally have confirmation that Metal Gear Solid is indeed coming back albeit in the form of a remake. But thankfully, Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is a complete reimagination of the original with updated gameplay mechanics and visuals recreated with Unreal Engine 5 – and it looks absolutely amazing. The gameplay also looks promising with just the right modern touch, and we can’t wait to experience this remake when it comes out for current-gen consoles and PCs sometime this year.

ILL

Clout Games’ ILL is an upcoming hardcore survival horror game where players will be facing all sorts of gnarly undead monsters as they explore desolated mansions and abandoned countryside settlements all while trying to get to the bottom of an overarching mystery. Like any promising survival horror game, ILL features some thick atmosphere that’s wonderfully brought to life through the use of Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 with quality indirect lighting and high poly textures evident in every frame of the action.

Paranormal Tales

Paranormal Tales will tell mini stories of different survivors as they experience all kinds of paranormal activities from varying perspectives like a VHS camera or a fish eye lens or even a digital smartphone camera. Much like ILL that we discussed previously, one of the game’s biggest strengths are the visuals which are amazingly detailed and that coupled with a minimalist soundtrack should make it a bone-chilling horror experience.

Tekken 8

After a long and arduous wait spanning almost 9 years, fans have finally got a new entry in the beloved fighting franchise – and we are happy to report that it’s a significant step up from what came before in almost every conceivable way. Tekken 8 not only makes big changes to its brawling gameplay but also bumps up the game engine to Unreal Engine 5 and delivers some truly stunning visuals. While it doesn’t utilize the complete breadth of the engine’s features to prioritize performance, the stages and character models do look breathtaking nevertheless.

Silent Hill 2 Remake

Bloober Team is hard at work on a full-fledged remake of Silent Hill 2, and it is looking like a very competent modernization of this excellent survival horror classic. Animation issues aside, the team seems to have nailed the ominous atmosphere of Silent Hill, and Unreal Engine 5’s suite of visual features like dense volumetric fog and reactive lighting do a lot of heavy lifting in bringing that creative vision to life. It comes out for PS5 sometime this year.

Kingdom Hearts 4

The adventures of Sora and friends are primed to continue with Kingdom Hearts 4, which sees our protagonist trapped in the real-life world of Quadratum as his friends try to save him from dark monsters hellbent on destroying anything and everything in their path. Kingdom Hearts 4 flaunts a weird but beautiful mixture of realistic and cartoony visuals, and Unreal Engine 5’s impressive feature set of realistic lighting models and a wide array of texture assets help in accurately mapping that mishmash of contrasting art styles into a cohesive visual presentation.

Hell Is Us

Hell Is Us describes itself as a third-person action-adventure game in its description, but it’s pretty hard to decipher just by looking at the cryptic visuals showcased in the teaser trailer. There are giant swords, companion drones, a post-apocalyptic world, and whatnot – and while that does make it hard to keep track of what’s going on, it’s also what makes it so intriguing in the first place. Of course, the visuals are also a big factor in nailing that ominous presentation, and suffice to say – Hell is Us uses UE 5’s toolkit to great effect for its purposes.

Ark 2

The original Ark turned out to be a big hit thanks to an addictive gameplay loop and its community-driven nature, and developer Studio Wildcard seems to be doubling down on these elements with Ark 2 along with a greater focus on the narrative side of things. Much like the original, Ark 2 flaunts some impressive visuals and realistic textures on the many creatures that populate the world.

Clockwork Revolution

inXile Entertainment, the developer behind the Wasteland series is entering uncharted territory with its next project Clockwork Revolution. It’s an upcoming first-person shooter that thrusts you into the steampunk realm of Avalon where you have to travel back in time through the use of special abilities to reshape reality through your decisions. Clockwork Revolution features some impressive art direction, and the gameplay is all about juggling between your weapons and special abilities to take on different challenges. It’s heavily inspired by Prey, and might just end up being a great time if it stands true to its promises. It comes out for PC and Xbox Series X/S sometime in the near future.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

Rocksteady has been hard at work on Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, and it will be released for current-gen consoles and PCs on February 2. It tells the story of how Brainiac has hijacked the minds of the members of the Justice League, and how the ragtag group of anti-heroes i.e. Suicide Squad rises up to the occasion to save the day. The gameplay is pretty simplistic with players having to shoot down waves upon waves of enemies all while jumping around the open-world of Metropolis. There is quite a bit of skepticism with regard to its seemingly repetitive gameplay, but it just might be a fun time with friends through the co-op mode.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Destiny 2 has been growing strong with each passing expansion, and Bungie is set to bring the Light and Darkness saga to an end with The Final Shape expansion. Set in an entirely new region, The Final Shape expansion will pit players against a new evil force namely the Subjugators. Of course, there’s going to be plenty of new loot to look forward to – and the developers have also confirmed that all classes will receive a new Super Ability with this pack. It comes out on 4 June 2024 for PC and consoles.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Set against the backdrop of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is primed to bring the classic open-world survival sandbox gameplay to a brand new set audience. The trailers have showcased a well-realized post-apocalyptic world brimming with all sorts of human and inhuman threats alongside some great use of Unreal Engine 5, so S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has plenty of great stuff to look forward to. GSC Game World has been working on this sequel for a long time, and it releases for PC and Xbox Series X/S consoles on 5 September 2024.

Exe Killer

Paradark Studio’s upcoming Exe Killer might just have one of the most unique settings for a first-person shooter. It thrusts players into an alternate post-apocalyptic reality that combines a futuristic dystopia with the Wild West, and the story revolves around the bounty-hunting adventures of our protagonist. There’s quite a bit of shooting involved in the gameplay, but Exe Killer also infuses open-world mechanics and driving to craft a compelling experience. Exe Killer releases for PC sometime in 2025.

SCP: EVENT CLASSIFIED

Set against the backdrop of a mysterious facility, SCP: Event Classified lets you choose between the role of a soldier, a prisoner, a scientist, or a monster with differing goals for each of these characters. SCP: Event Classified is a horror shooter with some interesting atmosphere and gameplay variety, and it also claims to be highly replayable thanks to procedural map generation and varied objectives. It comes out for PC sometime in Q2 2024.

IGI Origins

The I.G.I. series is making a grand return with I.G.I. Origins which looks like everything that fans would want out of such a sequel right from a military conflict setting to espionage-styled missions and a gameplay loop that mixes stealth and action in just the right proportions. It’s being built using Unreal Engine 5, and suffice it to say it looks really beautiful with realistic lighting and quality textures. It will come out on PC sometime in the near future.

Ripout (console release)

Pet Project Games has made its grand debut with Ripout, a first-person shooter set in outer space. It looks pretty standard affair at first glance, but it has quite a few tricks up its sleeve ranging from procedurally generated levels to a pet gun companion and regenerating monsters that help it stand out from the crowd. It was released last year for PC to some great reviews, and is en route for a console port that will come out in the near future.

Mouse

Yet another beautifully unconventional-looking game, Mouse combines a noir story with an art style that’s heavily inspired by hand-drawn cartoons, and it looks amazing to say the least. The gameplay revolves around shooting down your enemies to the tune of jazz music, and the immaculate art direction that we see in the trailer is what makes it all so compelling in the first place. Mouse will be released for PC, Xbox consoles, and Nintendo Switch.

Outpost: Infinity Siege

Outpost: Infinity Siege is a really interesting game because it combines two very contrasting genres into a single gameplay loop, and that too in a way that it all feels weirdly natural. Outpost Infinity Siege is all about taking part in large-scale conflicts that start out with placing your units and defenses on the battlefield. And once war commences, you take control of those very units in first-person and try to hold your defenses. The game thrives on this element of juggling between different roles and responsibilities, and that sounds really fun and unique. It comes out for PC sometime in the near future.

Helldivers 2

In Helldivers 2, players are tasked to take on the role of warriors who are the last hope for the salvation of humanity. It’s a co-op shooter where you take part in large-scale conflicts, and the gameplay is looking pretty slick with explosions happening everywhere and characters getting embroiled in crossfire among others. It’s a game that’s meant to be experienced with a group of friends, and we will be doing that when Helldivers 2 comes out for PC and PS5 on 8 February, 2024.

Star Wars Outlaws

Star Wars Outlaws will thrust players into a fictional setting as they take control of Kay Vess, an outlaw trying to find a fresh start in an era overrun by crime syndicates. In development at Massive Entertainment, Star Wars Outlaws is being built using the Snowdrop Engine and will see players taking on high-stakes missions where they are free to choose between stealth and action however they see fit. It comes out sometime this year for PC and current-gen consoles.

Unrecord

Unrecord is one of those games that you can easily mistake for real life, and a lot of that praise could be attributed to the ultra-realistic visual presentation on offer. It’s built using Unreal Engine 5, and this first-person shooter flaunts almost every tool of the game engine to great effect – right from Nanite geometry to Lumen lighting and much more. The subtle camera shake and realistic shooting mechanics also help in selling the illusion of real-life footage, and Unrecord definitely has quite a lot of potential both as a tactical FPS and a visual showcase. It comes out for PC sometime in the near future.

Killing Floor 3

The Killing Floor series is characterized by large waves of zombies and a fast and frenetic gunplay loop, and those merits seem to be shining brightly in the upcoming entry. Killing Floor 3 not only iterates on what came before but also makes some new changes like a futuristic setting complete with a whole host of bioengineered zombies. You can team up with a group of friends for some good old-fashioned zombie slaughtering, so Killing Floor 3 could really end up being a great time. It comes out for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 sometime in the near future.

The Division 3

Despite the first game suffering from a rather tepid critical reception, The Division series has managed to make a name for itself in a sea of live-service experiences. With support for The Division 2 rounding up, the developer is gearing up for the next entry in the franchise which is currently in the works at Massive Entertainment. Not much is known about what it will entail, but there’s a great chance that it will also be a similarly fun game that’s worth sinking your teeth into. It will be released for current-gen consoles and PC at an unconfirmed date.

Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland

Talking about all things The Division, we have The Division Heartland – the developer’s free-to-play offerings within the massively successful live-service franchise. It’s essentially the same experience in a new format, so you can expect some significant changes to how the content is spread out and how the progression will work. The Division Heartland will be released on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S sometime in the near future.

Beneath

Camel 101’s upcoming Beneath is a first-person shooter that takes place in a mysterious underwater world brimming with undead creatures and all forms of hideous nightmares. Beneath takes cues from contemporaries like Resident Evil and Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, and tries to nail the right balance between horror and action with scarce availability of resources and a sanity meter that has the ability to significantly impact the gameplay. Beneath sounds like an interesting idea, and we will be checking it out when it releases on PC sometime this year.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

The Last of Us Part 2 is already a stellar-looking game, and the Remastered version further improves that. Launching on January 19th for PS5, it adds Performance and Fidelity modes like 1440p and native 4K on PS5 while improving the sampling rate of animations, shadow quality and level-of-detail distance. We’ll need detailed comparisons, but it still looks great on its own.

Tekken 8

Built from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5 for current-gen platforms, Tekken 8 is drop-dead gorgeous. From the environments with extensive details and destruction to the clothing physics on characters, it’s superb, which is saying something, given how well it performs on consoles and PC. Tekken 8 is out on January 26th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Complaints against the writing, combat and live-service elements are justified, but Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League does showcase Rockstar’s visual prowess. Metropolis looks fairly meticulous, whether it’s the superhero references or draw distance. The characters also look good, particularly the facial animations, and the chaotic combat showcases some nice effects. Whether it defies expectations or not, Suicide Squad should at least be a pretty journey.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons wasn’t exactly on top of anyone’s list of desired remakes, despite being a great game. Nevertheless, Avantgarden SRL’s remake, launching February 28th on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, is stunning. The abject detail on each brother with their revamped models, the meticulous environmental textures, and the incredible use of lighting confer a fantasy mood to the adventure without taking away the soul of the original.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Perhaps the biggest jump in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the scale of its environments. The world beyond Midgar is dotted with details, with improved levels of detail, textures, draw distances and stunning skyboxes. All of that fidelity doesn’t detract from the characters, which look better than ever, and it’s simply a feast for the eyes. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth arrives on February 29th for PS5.

Rise of the Ronin

Team Ninja’s Nioh series and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty look good but didn’t quite take that next-gen graphics leap. Cue Rise of the Ronin, exclusive to PS5 and launching March 22nd, with its realistic environments, character models and intricate effects. The detail and draw distance are also impressive, and we can’t wait to see more.

Black Myth: Wukong

While its reveal was impressive enough, Black Myth: Wukong shifted to Unreal Engine 5 several years ago. The support of 4K at 60 FPS and ray tracing is great, but its near photo-realistic environments, lighting, and effects make it a force to reckon with. It’s out on August 20th for PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S.

The Alters

This War of Mine and Frostpunk showcased 11 bit Studios as a stickler for details. While Frostpunk 2 is going for a larger, more vibrant city, The Alters opts for a more personal connection when it launches this year for PC. With protagonist Jan Dolski interacting with alternate versions of himself, the presentation with the character models, facial animations and cutscenes looks exceptional. That’s not to discount everything else, whether it’s the atmospherics of the hostile planet that Jan must escape or the sheer goings-on of the base.

Ark 2

Even after going from ARK: Survival Evolved to Survival Ascended, Ark 2 looks like a bigger step forward. Developed on Unreal Engine 5, it promises more realistic foliage, weather systems and real-time ambient lighting with its expanded sandbox and massive environment. Extensive gameplay has yet to be showcased, but Ark 2 will launch in late 2024 for Xbox Series X/S and PC. An extensive reveal could very well be around the corner.

The First Descendant

Nexon is known for various titles, from Dungeon Fighter Online to Dave the Diver. With The First Ascendant, it jumps into the world of looters, using Unreal Engine 5 to deliver a sci-fi third-person shooter. It has looked good thus far, from the models and the lighting to the scale of its levels, with a plan to launch this Summer for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Little Nightmares 3

If you played the previous games, you know what to expect with Little Nightmares 3, even with Supermassive Games now in charge of development. Moody lighting, intricate shadows, dilapidated levels – it’s all here and looks better than ever. There are even some impressive particle and weather effects, as seen in the Necropolis. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long to play it, as Little Nightmares 3 launches this year for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has received extensive acclaim, partly due to its status as an independent studio and mostly due to its presentation. Under Microsoft, it’s stepping up in every department that matters, from its cloud-generation tech for more atmospheric scenes to its impeccable facial animations. It’s billed as the studio’s biggest project yet and launches for Xbox Series X/S and PC this year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

It’s astounding that GSC Game World is offering the kind of scope and scale of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl despite the ongoing issues. It’s even more incredible when you consider how good the game looks, leveraging Unreal Engine 5 to deliver exceptional effects, animations, lighting and shadows. The fact that it’s targeting 60 FPS in Performance Mode on Xbox Series X with this level of fidelity is just the cherry on top. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is planned to launch in Q1 2024 for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Star Wars Outlaws

The Snowdrop Engine has provided great success for Massive Entertainment, from its introduction in Tom Clancy’s The Division to its recent use in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Star Wars Outlaws is the latest title to leverage its lighting, rendering system and fidelity to deliver its visuals. Thus far, it’s looking good, with seamless planet-to-space transitions and impressive draw distances, en route to its launch for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

It may not beat out Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo 7, but Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown sports detailed vehicles (with their chassis offering realistic reflections), weather effects and environments. Offering a 1:1 recreation of Hong Kong Island, from extensive foliage to sharp skylines, the sensation of racing is also on point. Launching in early 2024 for PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown should be a worthwhile resurgence for the franchise.

The Chinese Room’s next big horror, Still Wakes the Deep, launches in 2024 for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Inspired by Suspiria and The Thing, it’s set on an oil rig amid a storm, with a hostile presence hunting the player. Its claustrophobic environments and pathways offer plenty of opportunity for the lighting and textures to shine, to say nothing of the realistic water. As harrowing as it looks, Still Wakes the Deep could be one of the better-looking first-person horror titles this year.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

You can’t count out Ichiban Kasuga, and his adventure to Honolulu City is shaping up to be the series’ biggest yet when Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth launches on January 26th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Visuals and presentation have never been an issue for the Like a Dragon franchise, but the new locales allow for all kinds of flexing, from the aquatic life to the realistically rendered ocean. Everything else looks fantastic, from the characters and facial expressions to the towns, cities and over-the-top summons.

Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 maintains the first game’s four-player co-op and unforgiving shooting, right down to the friendly fire. The visual fidelity is something else, especially from the new third-person perspective. The environments feel like proper alien worlds with unique vegetation and realistic textures, while the bugs are downright terrifying. It’s out on February 8th for PS5 and PC.

Skull and Bones

To say that Skull and Bones is cursed would be an understatement, simply due to the sheer number of delays and rumored reboots. It’s launching on February 16th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, and say what you will, but at least the graphics look nice. The gorgeous ocean, lighting and material details sell the pirate fantasy. Now, the rest of the game has to measure up.

Pacific Drive

Part supernatural adventure, part rogue-lite driving title, Pacific Drive launches on February 22nd for PS5 and PC. The usage of lighting and atmospherics is impressive, alternating between moody and over-the-top, as players navigate the Olympic Exclusion Zone, avoiding anomalies and diving into its surreal lore.

Nivalis

ION LANDS’ Nivalis may not win the award for most realistic-looking humans, but that doesn’t matter. The slice-of-life sim uses voxels to excellent effect, mixing ambient neon lighting and weather effects (including snow blanketing the city). There is a lot to love, whether managing a restaurant or fishing on the docks, and it’s out this year for PC.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is reportedly coming out this year if we can believe PlayStation’s trailer. Based on the in-engine look from last October, it’s coming along nicely, capturing the essence of the original while updating the visuals. Realistically drying and dripping mud, intricate vegetation and wildlife – it’s all here, and coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Silent Hill 2

You can say plenty about Bloober Team’s approach to horror games (I know I have), but there’s no denying its visual prowess. Silent Hill 2 is built from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5 and features Lumen and Nanite with dynamic global illumination that realistically interacts with the environment. Of course, there’s more to Silent Hill than lights and shadows, and that’s where motion capture comes in, offering the “best facial expressions” in the series per creative director Mateusz Lenar. PlayStation hyped a release window for this year. If true, Silent Hill 2 could be one of the best-looking games on PS5 and PC.

Death Stranding 2

Kojima Productions is again using Decima Engine for Death Stranding 2, which is perfect given how the first game delivered on every front. If anything, the sequel will look even better since it’s a current-gen exclusive. However, it also utilizes Unreal Engine 5’s MetaHuman, meaning the character models will look even more realistic than before. A release window is still up in the air, but 2024 could be the year when we see more.

Unrecord

One of the most intriguing and controversial games revealed last year was DRAMA’s Unrecord, a tactical FPS using the perspective of a police officer’s bodycam. Its photo-realistic visuals (courtesy of Unreal Engine 5) gained significant attention, though there’s also been scrutiny over its legitimacy and unsettling realism. Time will tell if the game delivers this level of fidelity, but thus far, it’s impressive, if nothing else.

Honor of Kings World

Also developed in Unreal Engine is Honor of Kings World, which has improved significantly since its initial reveal trailer years ago. The fantasy aesthetic looks great, and the environments are almost surreal. There’s a realistic vibe to the overall flow and combat but backed by more realistic characters and effects. It doesn’t have a release window, but given how clean the latest gameplay trailer looked, it could receive more details this year.

Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss is no stranger to exceptional visuals – see Black Desert Online – and with Crimson Desert, it’s focusing its efforts on a single-player experience. Based on the latest gameplay trailer, there’s much to love, from the impressive destruction to the effects and foliage. Even the sheer scale of the fantasy countryside is something to behold, complete with realistic lighting and fantastic character models. Crimson Desert doesn’t have a release window – it’s reportedly delayed to Q2 2025 – but it’s coming to consoles and PC.

Phantom Blade Zero

From an art perspective, Phantom Blade Zero is intriguing, utilizing greyer tones and darker atmospherics. There’s a subtlety to the lighting while environments, characters and weather effects are painstakingly rendered. It’s almost tough to believe that it’s targetting 2K/60 FPS and 4K/30 FPS on PS5 (with a PC release confirmed), but still exciting.

Grand Theft Auto 6

While it’s only received one barely two-minute-long trailer, Grand Theft Auto 6 has already proven itself in the graphics department. Character models are a massive leap over Grand Theft Auto 5, realistically interacting with lighting effects and shadows. The draw distance and level of detail in environments are also eye-watering. It’s out in 2025 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, and while there’s a way to go, Grand Theft Auto 6’s graphics are already looking great.

Light No Fire

Hello Games finally revealed its next big title, set on an Earth-sized planet. Light No Fire promises a fantasy adventure with no boundaries, packed with survival mechanics and RPG elements, but we’re already impressed by its various biomes, creatures and aesthetics. The shrubbery, dynamic lighting, shadows – everything comes together. With no release window and only a PC version announced it may be a while before it launches.

LOST FRAGMENT

Currently in development at NIHIL INANE Studio, LOST FRAGMENT is one of the most realistic looking games on the market. Created using Unreal Engine 5, LOST FRAGMENT presents a striking rendition of its world with photorealistic textures and impressive lighting. It’s a survival horror game, and you will be slowly and steadily inching your way through these carefully curated environments as you anticipate the next jumpscare or the encounter. The first-person bodycam-style camera is perfect for immersing you in this world, and the subtle camera shake and slow movement speed really escalate the tension to another level. The game is currently slated to release sometime next year, so do keep an eye out for it.

It’s still early days for the technology too; as this console generation develops, expect more studios to release games that realise the UE5’s full potential.

Unrecord

Causing quite the stir when it’s first gameplay reveal trailer dropped recently, Unrecord is an upcoming tactical FPS that distinguishes itself from other shooters by way of its unique bodycam perspective. Blurring the line between video game and real-life police footage has proven too close to the bone for some, but it must be said that as a technical showpiece Unrecord looks fantastic, with tense gunplay intimately viewable through fish-eye lens distortion providing unprecedented grisly detail. Unrecord is still in pre-production, so no release window for this one yet.

Silent Hill 2  

Exhumed after a decade dead and buried is Silent Hill. Three new games are in the works: new mainline entry Silent Hill F, mysterious spin-off Silent Hill: Townfall, and a remake of arguably the most iconic of the franchise Silent Hill 2. Layers of Fear developer Bloober Team are in charge, with the isolating, dread-soaked atmosphere of the original top of the list of priorities to recapture. Fog will play a big part, of course, but original composer Akira Yamaoka – whose soundtrack arguably characterises the pervading dread as much as the fog – is also on board. Coming to PS5 and Windows some time in 2023, with rumours surfacing that a release window is announcing soon.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

The continuation of Senua’s Saga in Hellblade II has been a long time coming. It feels an age since the jaw-dropping gameplay trailer, you know… the one where Senua comes face to face with a harrowing crawling giant inside a beachhead cave. At the recent State of Unreal 2023 showcase Senua actor Melina Juergens appeared demonstrating the power of Unreal Engine 5’s MetaHuman. This innovation is a complex system capable of capturing human faces, with believable features, emotions, and skin complexions selling the realism of actor performance. Expect to see plenty of this when Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II eventually comes out, with rumours pointing to a 2023 release.

I.G.I. Origins

Think your way in and shoot your way out is the name of the game in upcoming tactical espionage FPS I.G.I. Origins, and for a game which challenges players to exist mostly in the shadows there’s an awful lot of complex graphical detail in weaponry and clothing on display. I.G.I. Origins’ graphics harness every shard of light to demonstrate Unreal Engine 5’s prowess for film-quality surface textures. No release window yet, but here’s hoping gameplay is as good as the graphics when I.G.I. Origins does come out.

Fort Solis

First revealed summer 2022, last month Fort Solis developer Fallen Leaf shared a first official look at gameplay, and whilst actual gameplay is unquestionably scant in the trailer it does solidify Fort Solis’ potential as a deeply unsettling, desolate experience. Taking place over one long night within the confines of a Martian base, this upcoming third-person thriller was allegedly pitched to voice actor Troy Baker as ‘Moon meets Dead Space’, and it’s easy to see why – tentatively treading through dark, creepy, neon-lit corridors make the up the bulk of Fort Solis’ action. Set to release Q3 2023.

Unawake

In Unawake, players will decide the fate of humanity amidst the turmoil of brutal war, battling nightmarish creatures from both Heaven and Hell in an epic story spanning eons. These surreal, clouded environments where melee-heavy skirmishes take place are breath-taking… nay, biblical in appearance. Unawake’s dev team RealityArts Studio truly are pushing the boundaries of imagination. Announced for Windows and listed as coming soon on Steam.

Immortals of Aveum     

Assume command of Jak and join an elite unit of battlemages to save a planet on the verge of abyss in Immortals of Aveum. Standing out from a crowd of first-person shooters is immensely challenging, but Immortals of Aveum’s Bioshock-tinged weaponised hands mixed with the franticness of arena shooters like Doom looks to be tapping into something unique. This first-person magic shooter features approximately 25 spells, colour-coded for offensive or defensive purposes, with action sequences fast, fluid, and dazzlingly colourful. Announced for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with an initial release date of 20^th July 2023.

Infinitesimals

Infinitesimals is a third-person sci-fi adventure where players take control of 1mm tall Captain Awkney Relinrake as he commands his band of miniscule aliens as they explore the treacherous, awestriking scale of Earth-like jungles through the miniature eyes. The crew utilises innovative alien technology to smoothly traverse the forest floors, with hostile mechs and organic insect lifeforms posing immediate threats to survival. Listed as coming soon to PC via the Epic Games Store.

Stray Souls   

Nightmarish, third-person action horror Stray Souls blends Alan Wake style psychological trauma with combat demanding Soulslike precision. Unreal Engine 5’s graphical fidelity perfectly complements the game’s eerie atmosphere, with ghoulish, foggy forests and crumbling foundations of dilapidated housing ripe for tentative exploration in the haunted, secret-laden town of Aspen Falls. Unreal Engine 5’s advanced facial animation innovation MetaHuman is said by developer Jukai Studio to exacerbate sheer terror by delivering new levels of photorealism and human emotion. Coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows some time in 2023.

Repo Man

Set in the imaginative Art Nouveau city San Alma, players in Repo Man will assume the role of an intelligent debt collector. Tasked with tracking down debtors and reclaiming assets through the crumbling neon streets of a city akin to Bioshock’s Rapture, players will also come face to face with occultist forces, with mystery and conspiracy rife in high society and criminal lowlife. This peculiar first-person open world RPG will land on PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows in 2023.

Code: To Jin Yong

Explore the immersive, wuxia style martial arts imbued worlds of legendary writer Jin Yong in Code: To Jin Yong, an upcoming open-world RPG from developer Lightspeed Studios. Hyper-real renditions of iconic, much-loved characters is key priority for Lightspeed, with 3D creation tools in Unreal Engine 5 perfect for the task. Indeed, Code: To Jin Yong’s depiction of ancient China and character designs are masterful. Platforms and release window to be announced.

The Invincible

Set in a retro-future timeline on the grubby desert planet Regis III, The Invincible is an exploratory experience, one whereby players command sharp-witted astrobiologist Yasna as she embarks on a scientific journey, one which devolves into a search mission for lost crewmates. Unreal Engine 5’s penchant for photorealistic textures is present and correct here, with the game’s eerie landscapes are begging to be explored. Announced for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a release window targeting 2023.

Layers of Fear

The next instalment in Bloober Team’s narrative-driven psychological horror experience has been rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. A recent tech demo showcased Layers of Fear’s ray tracing, HDR, 4K resolution and UE5-only features such as Lumen dynamic lighting and Niagara real-time VFX, crafting an immersive, stunning environment that’s sure to chill to the bone. Releasing in June 2023 to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Witches of the New World

Plunging English witchfinder Jedediah Hopkins, armed only with sword and flintlock pistol, into colonial New England during the height of the 17^th century witch hunting craze is Witches of the New World. Promising a rich blend of survival horror, Soulslike combat, and RPG elements Hopkins will investigate the strange happenstance occurring, coming face to face with hordes of demonic monstrosities in the process. No platforms have been announced yet as Witches of the New World is still a couple of years away from its targeted release window.  

Project M 

This stunning interactive movie will likely play akin to The Quarry, but for now Project M is a truly lifelike experience coming from South Korean developer NCSoft, known mostly for MMORPGs. This story-heavy, choice-driven experience is supported by incredible interior design and lighting, realistic facial animations, and phenomenal city design that’s almost indistinguishable to real life. Announced last summer, with a presence at this year’s State of Unreal showcase at GDC 2023, production of Project M is ticking along although we’re still yet to be provided with platforms or a release window.

Unrecord’s realism is further sold by its believably ramshackle warehouses and dynamic lighting. Undoubtably benefiting from Unreal Engine 5’s powerful graphical prowess, Unrecord’s surface textures look especially gritty. UE5’s capability to import film quality art sources via photogrammetry scans that can then be rendered efficiently for sure contributes to Unrecord’s authentic rapid-fire gunplay. Impressive too is the game’s lighting, with the body camera adjusting realistically to changes in lightness and dark; outside light from windows is frequently over-exposed, a typical characteristic for footage of this type, where a camera’s ability to focus on shadow detail is more important than brightness.

From DRAMA’s Steam FAQ though: “realistic effects do not solely rely on textures and polygon count”, which they demonstrate here in Unrecord’s jerky camera movement and piercing sound design. The looseness of a camera tied to a police officer’s uniform gives Unrecord’s gameplay a quality that’s almost indistinguishable from real life. Plus, reverberating gunshots punctuating through derelict spaces provides an unavoidably tacit brutality. Unrecord is a feast for the senses, its graphically impressiveness resulting in an experience which many are doubting as untrustworthy.

Again, from DRAMA’s Steam FAQ published after the gameplay trailer’s reveal: “There have been many doubts raised about the authenticity of the gameplay” they say in direct response to those questioning the legitimacy of the gameplay footage. “We do not use any real videos or external rendering to Unreal Engine for the creation of Unrecord.” Whilst the studio acknowledges the flattering nature of gameplay being strongly compared to real life, they stress first and foremost that the game focuses on gameplay within a believable universe, and that were this game a scam it’d be a scam at blockbuster proportion. Therefore, most logically, it seems creating a game to be scam would take more effort than say, you know, actually creating the game properly.

To further solidify this point, DRAMA’s Lead Programmer and Co-Director of Unrecord Alexandre Spindler – whom first shared glimpses of the game last October – has published clips of gameplay being manipulated in Unreal Engine 5 to his Twitter page. Spindler appears to be taking viewer’s apparent widespread disbelief in the credibility of his gameplay in good grace and humour, but there lies deeper concern across the internet that can’t be addressed by a cheeky peek behind the developmental curtain.

Ignoring whether the gameplay footage is real or fake, many viewers have expressed negative opinions as to the connotations associated with a such a realistic first-person shooter. Most widespread of this criticism is that a highly realistic portrayal of violence could condition players to lose a sense of empathy for real-life tragedy. Furthermore, there are those who believe such realism has potential to incite the wrong type of person to conduct violent acts themselves.

Now, video games contributing to societal violence isn’t a new claim. Decades long has this debate raged, with parents and politicians alike claiming violence in video games can be directly tied to violent behaviour in real life, from the emergence in the early 1990s of Mortal Kombat’s marquee fatalities and their unrestrained spurting blood and gore, to claims that Grand Theft Auto’s satirical snapshot of society effectively punches down on the marginalised, the violent nature of certain video games often features in the crosshairs of conversation following real-life tragedy, aiming to point the finger of blame. Whilst some associations believes violent video games have potential to increase aggression in players, empirical research, and reports which analysed the results of several independent studies – concluded there is no irrefutable evidence and thus no direct correlation between playing violent video games and real-life violent behaviour.

To address these concerns, DRAMA appear to be framing Unrecord as apolitical, with their Steam FAQ answering the question as to whether the game is pro-Police or anti-Police with the following: “As a French studio addressing a global audience, the game does not engage in any foreign policy and is not inspired by any real-life events” and that “if the game presents political messages, they will be made consciously or in your interpretation.” They summarise by saying that if the game is subversive in certain countries, then they will assume the label, which can be interpreted that they do acknowledge the disruptive nature of the game’s violence but that, in their words, “art cannot fight against interpretation.” It’s clear DRAMA respect and understand there’ll be certain people who’ll feel triggered by the game’s realistic portrayal of ultra-violence but that as a studio they are avoiding undesirable topics and are free from political bias.

In presenting the game’s violence as unfiltered and without distinctive art style, DRAMA is essentially passing interpretation of the game’s meaning – certainly at this stage – onto the player. Whether their response addresses widespread concerns or usurps responsibility is down to individual opinion. Sharing any more detail as to the game’s story and motives, they say, will land them in spoiler territory, although the game’s title Unrecord might hint at corrupt cover-ups, conspiracy, or mistrust in enforcement.

Above all else, the release of Unrecord’s gameplay footage has been a resounding success. Not just for the studio, as they’re now accelerating development to capitalise on the game’s momentum, but in generating conversation. Can video games be held as touchstones for intelligent conversation surrounding political interpretations in the same way movies, TV, and books can? DRAMA certainly believes public trust surrounding other mediums can be replicated for video games, and undeniably they reckon their game can be at the forefront of this conversation.

For all the legitimate concerns and comments from detractors, there are plenty who’ve positive things to say around the game, most of which centre on its potential to be a new milestone in ever-growing immersiveness and realism in video games. The craftsmanship behind the game’s authenticity is arguably amongst the best seen so far. Without knowing the ins and outs of the allegedly complex narrative behind Unrecord, one laced with branching dialogue and moral dilemma, we cannot really decide as to whether the game is a worthy contribution to conversations surrounding serious subject matter. After all, nuance is a tricky thing to pull off with a game so heavily focused on killing.

Currently, Unrecord is still in pre-production without even the vaguest of release windows announced. The developers are small-time and self-funded, although the unexpected notoriety of its gameplay trailer may generate lucrative investment in the studio.

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.