Welcome to Digitally Downloaded’s weekly catch-up news feature, the catch-up coffee. With each issue I will bring you the best news that you may have missed. Grab the biggest mug you’ve got, fill it with your favourite brew, and catch up with us (and our favourite news anchor, Dee Dee)!
Curious about Alan Wake II’s second main character?
It’s well-known by now that Alan Wake II will feature a second protagonist, FBI agent Saga Anderson. However, not a ton of her gameplay has been shown off… until now. IGN posted an 11-minute video of new gameplay from an early mission in the game; it features combat, puzzles, and detective work while also showing off a couple of locations (the town of Watery and a theme park).
In the game, a string of ritualistic murders threatens a small-town community in the Pacific Northwest (US). Saga Anderson arrives to investigate. At the same time, Alan Wake – trapped in a nightmare beyond our world – writes a story trying to shape his reality and escape the nightmare. So there are two heroes, on two separate paths, but they’ll connect in ways neither understands. Both characters are playable, though not at the same time. Players have limited resources, and light is the ultimate weapon in the fights against darkness.
Developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Epic Games Publishing, Alan Wake II will be released for PC via Epic, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series on October 27.
Stray Souls launches on Halloween
There’s literally no better day to launch a psychological horror game other than Halloween, so it only makes sense that Halloween is the release date set for Stray Souls. The game is said to be next-gen horror, with advanced facial animations, dynamic lighting, and haptic feedback (PlayStation 5 only). The latest trailer (below) introduces players to a teenage boy named Daniel, who has inherited a home from his estranged grandmother. He moves in and meets Martha, who seems to know an awful lot about the house. As the sun goes down, dark occult secrets hiding within the hour come out of the woodworks.
The house is in Aspen Falls, a small town plagued by a sinister curse. Daniel thinks he’s won the lottery when he inherits the house, but it’s definitely not luck that brings him there. He has the option to fight with weapons or run to safety, saving both health and ammo. There are branching dialogue options that shape his tone and personality. Stray Souls is heavily inspired by traditional elements of Japanese survival horror games (and features lots of clever puzzles) , though it also introduces new tricks to keep every playthrough different than the last. This includes randomized systems that keep enemy encounters, item placement, paranormal activity, and weather patterns constantly changing.
Developed by Jukai Studio and published by Versus Evil, Stray Souls will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on October 31.
Desolatium will be released just prior to Halloween
Desolatium, a point-and-click adventure based on Lovecraftian mythos, will be released to the masses a mere four days before Halloween. It is described as a never-before-seen horror experience that encapsulates the eerie dread that Lovecraft is known for, and it is filled with mysteries to solve. Players will encounter otherworldly beings, mysterious cults, and horrifying truths. Sounds perfect for that soon-to-be time of year, no?
These otherworldly beings are monstrous entities that often defy conventional descriptions but combining alien features with unsettling forms. They are ancient, and they are powerful. They embody a sense of insignificance and dread, making humans extremely vulnerable. Will you be able to stop them?
Developed by Superlumen and Soedesco, Desolatium will be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on October 27. The game has a Steam page, but there is no confirmed launch date for a PC release.
Limerick: Cadence will launch by the end of the month
I first wrote about Limerick: Cadence in my highlights from The MIX Next Showcase earlier this month. In the game, play hide-and-survive with a sadistic marionette; marionettes tend to be creepy all on their own, but a sadistic one sounds downright terrifying. Presumably trying to avoid the onslaught of horror releases just before Halloween (I mean, I just wrote about three), the game will be released later this month.
Explore an abandoned mansion inhabited by monsters of both beast and human lineage. Players will discover the house’s secrets during their attempts to escape. Solve puzzles to move ahead through increasingly haunted environments, scavenge for resources to fend off the evil creatures… or just use Panic Closets to hide from them. The game is a love letter to the canon of immersive first-person horror, action, and adventure games.
Developed and published by Jenito Studios, Limerick: Cadence will be released for PC via Steam on September 29.
