Back in early June, the promising VR horror game Allison Road was sadly cancelled. We’re still mourning its demise, but Visage might fill the hole it left behind.
If you haven’t heard before, Visage is a first-person horror game from SadSquare that passed a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year, raising $92,531.49 through the platform. During the campaign the developer reached a stretch goal that would allow it to implement support for VR headsets. Last week, it officially announced HTC Vive and Oculus Rift integration via an update to the campaign page. The developer didn’t have many details to share, though it did assure that the support would be “awesome” and that VR would “redefine the boundaries of how scary a horror game can be.” Something we’ve already started seeing in games like The Brookhaven Experiment and A Chair in a Room: Greenwater.
So what about the actual game? Visage is described as a psychological horror experience set in the 1980s. Players will explore a house that’s haunted with the memories of the families that used to live within, many of which perished within those walls. As you explore you’ll be subjected to horrific sights and have to avoid enemies in order to survive. Take a look at the gameplay footage above; it certainly has us hoping for some true VR horror.
A PS4 version of the game has also been confirmed, but SadSquare hasn’t mentioned the possibility of PlayStation VR support just yet. It’s developed using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4, though, which does already support the kit.
Of course, the developer cites the 2014 horror cult hit, P.T., as one of its main influences. The game, which was intended as a teaser for the now-cancelled Silent Hills, has clearly influenced a number of horror titles since its launch, including the aforementioned Allison Road. Its roots can also be found in arguably the most anticipated upcoming VR horror game, Resident Evil 7, which was announced for PlayStation VR at E3 2016 last month.
Visage is currently estimated for release in January 2017, though we wouldn’t be surprised to see the developer push that date a little considering Resident Evil 7 is also due that month.
The future is looking ironically bright for VR horror.
