Summary
It’s a curious thing that there are so few horror games set in England. The dreary ‘New-Brutalism’ of the latter half of the 20th century littered the outskirts of most modern British cities with an oppressive web of faceless concrete obelisks. Within these stone boxes is a coiled network of tight, claustrophobic corridors, painted with graffiti and littered with years-old bags of rubbish. It’s easy to think that the horror of the high rises’ exteriors might also be reflected inside their apartments, andHollowbody, an upcomingsci-fi horroradventure from one-man developer Headware Games, looks poised to take full advantage of that idea.
Hollowbody’s demo is one of the highlights of this year’s Steam Next Fest. Moody, atmospheric, and occasionally angry,Hollowbodyis a retro-styled survival-horror adventure that pays homage to PS2-era horror without getting lost in nostalgia and references. With core gameplay that should be immediately familiar to anyone acquainted with the PS2Silent Hillgames,Hollowbody’s cyberpunk setting, story, and unique atmosphere help it stand out both from its inspirations and its contemporaries.
Hollowbody’s final release is set to include a number of post-game unlocks, including a first-person mode inspired by rail shooters andclassic dungeon crawlers. Offering a completely new perspective, the first-person mode will give players an up-close look at the Exclusion Zone’s urban decay.
Why Hollowbody is Like a Cyberpunk Silent Hill
The opening ofHollowbody’s demo should be immediately familiar to fans of classic survival-horror: emerging from a crashed vehicle, the wounded player-character limps forward, taking their first steps into a mysteriously abandoned town. But, whileHollowbody’scombat focused survival-horror, missing family member, and gradually unravelling mystery are all part of a long horror games tradition, the game is far from derivative. Being sci-fi as much as it is horror,Hollowbody’s impressive writing, worldbuilding, and atmosphere all work to make the game stand out as unique.
Hollowbody’s Horror is More than Just Monsters
Rather than being murdered by monsters, many of the corpses inHollowbody’s demo met more mundane, and far more disturbing ends. In one apartment, the player finds the body of a dead ‘addict’ (though whether that addiction is to drugs or VR is never explained), rotting but still wearing itsVR headset. In another apartment, a dead body is found near a utility bill which shows a four times increase in prices. The ‘Exclusion Zone’ where the game takes place is a city where the residents were locked down and left to rot.
In less delicate hands, overt allusions to real-world anxieties might risk coming across as tacky or trite, but Headware Game manages to fold them into itsvery British dystopiain a way that feels organic. It all just makes sense. Rather than simply being social commentary, the dead-end economy and soft-totalitarianism make the game’s world feel hostile and oppressive—a world which would be nightmarish to live in, even without its monsters and abusive disembodied voices.
There’s a Reason People Are Noticing Hollowbody
Hollowbodyhas a lot to live up to. Taking inspiration fromSilent Hill 3,Ghost in the Shell,Escape From New York, andBlade Runner—and incorporating the DNA of a number of other titles, fromMetal Gear Solidto the first fewResident EvilandArmored Coregames—Headware Games is drawing direct comparisons to some of film and gaming’s most beloved titles. IfHollowbody’s demo is anything to go by, the game is certainly on the right track.
With beautifully directedstatic camera angles, satisfying combat, and logical, intelligent puzzles,Hollowbody’s demo has the fundamentals locked down. Combine that with the demo’s thick atmosphere, intriguing world, and strong writing and voice acting, and the game definitely looks like one to watch.Hollowbody’s release date has not yet been announced, but the game’s demo is available now.
Hollowbody
WHERE TO PLAY
It’s a Shipper’s biggest fear. You’re grounded in the exclusion zone, twenty miles of death and decay sealed off by the towering, suffocating walls erected after the collapse.Alone, stranded, and with limited resources at your disposal you’ll have to push your way through the zone, solve environmental puzzles, manage resources and fight for your life as you try to find a way to escape beyond the wall.Play as Mica, an unlicensed black market shipper who will stop at nothing to find her missing partner.It’s been 12 days since Sasha left.You talked about it, you argued about it and you even laughed about it. Anybody in their right mind knew going to that place was a death wish, a one-way trip to the end of the line. But Sasha wasn’t one to scare easily, she wanted answers and there was only one place those answers held any truth. Her mind was already made up, you just didn’t expect her to do it without you.Twelve sleepless nights later and you finally get the call. Tax has found someone, A border security suit looking to make some extra credits on the down-low. He can get you clearance, a two hour window to fly into the zone, find Sasha and get the hell out of there.You make your way across the exclusion zone but something’s wrong. The nav’s running in circles and you’re losing altitude. Before you know it a blinding white fills the sky. The dash goes dark and your hover drops out of the air like a lead balloon, slamming into the paved streets below.You wake to the acrid smell of an electrical fire, rain pounding on the cracked windshield. You’re surrounded by the crumbling remains of what were once considered homes.You need to find a way out. Call for evac, scale the walls. Something. Anything. Survive.
