Vertpaint Studios, a game development team made up of ex-Rockstar devs has announced its first game, Ritual Tides. The game is slated for a PC release in 2025, with console releases to follow, and more details to be shown off in February.
Revealed on IGN with a teaser trailer and some concept art, Ritual Tides is a horror game that sees the player washed ashore on a fictional island off the coast of Cornwall, UK. Your goal is to uncover the secrets of the island in what the developers promise to be “a near photo realistic immersive story”. Details are light at the moment, but the team at Vertpaint Studios have given some hints, saying “gruesomely designed enemies lurk, danger lies around every corner, and you best hide, or run.”
From the half dozen shots of concept art and the short trailer, there is a sinister, possibly cosmic horror tone to Ritual Tides. The isolated nature of the setting, the eerie emptiness of the environments, and the strong maritime themes conjure up thoughts of Lovecraftian classics like The Shadow Over Innsmouth.
Horror games have had a strong couple of years across AAA and Indie, including new Resident Evil entries and their remakes, the recent Silent Hill 2 remake from Bloober Team (read out review HERE), and Indie darlings like Crow Country and Hollowbody. While Ritual Tides looks to join other Lovecraftian themed horror titles like The Sinking City and Call of Cthullu, the team plans for it “to set the visual quality bar for 2025”.
A spooky treat for all you ghosts and goblins out there this Halloween!
Looking for a Halloween-themed game to play now? Check out our review for Hidden Cats in Spooky Town.
Want to see more games coming out in 2025? Read up on our editor’s Day at EGX 2024.
