Publisher Deck13 and Polish indie studio SuperSexySoftware have announced their upcoming psychological horror title The Shattering, and penciled in a Q4 2019 release window. In the game you play as John Evans, a psychiatric patient under the care of a nameless doctor. The game takes place partially in a mental ward, but also in John's mind, so you're never quite sure what is real and what is a delusion. I'm really grooving on the Shutter Island vibe the announcement trailer has.
As I recall, Dead Space 3 was supposed to have a far more ambiguous plot that would explore Isaac Clarke's deteriorating mind through his ever-more-tenuous grip on reality. Then EA mandated that the studio turn the game into a cover-based shooter with microtransactions, and we all saw how that sordid mess turned out. Games that deal with mental illness and dementia might be too risky for the mainstream industry, but that's what indie studios and games like The Shattering are for. I'll be keeping an eye on this one when it heads to Steam late this year.
Psychological thriller The Shattering coming to North America in Q4 2019
Ground-breaking game takes place in the most dangerous place imaginable – the human mind
The Shattering offers a unique story split into five acts, with a stunningly original visual aesthetic
“The closer to any truth we get, the sweeter the lies become” – Dr W. Richards
FRANKFURT, GERMANY: Indie video game publisher Deck13 Spotlight has announced the Q4 2019 global release of the ground-breaking psychological thriller The Shattering for PC via the Steam platform.
The Shattering is a first-person, story-driven, psychological thriller that takes place in the pristine white aesthetic of protagonist John Evans’ own dream. Players must piece together the fragments of the past and present, following the voice of the ‘Doctor’ as he guides them deeper into John’s mind.
Players will experience the key moments of John’s life that have defined and shaped him – they will be tasked with discovering the truth, shattering the lies and, ultimately, finding out what happened to him… and to remember her name.
The Shattering Key Features
? A rich and constantly evolving world taking place in the mind of John, where there are no limits or rules
? Beautiful and rich realistic environments painted with a pristine white aesthetic provide original scenery that stands apart
? An intriguing story split into five acts that piece together knowledge of the past and an understanding of the present as the player progresses
? A sublime, gripping and intense original score that breathes life into each moment
The Shattering is a culmination of a five-year project by Poland-based indie developer SuperSexySoftware, led by the studio’s Founder Marta Szymanska.
The Shattering will be published globally by Deck13 Spotlight, a subsidiary of Frankfurt-based Deck13 Interactive.
More information about The Shattering can be found at: www.shattering-game.com
About Deck13 Interactive
Deck13 Interactive is one of Germany’s leading developers. Employing more than 60 staff and located in Frankfurt, Deck13 Interactive has developed over 20 titles, including major releases such as Lords of the Fallen and The Surge. With the Deck13 Spotlight label, the team established a publishing service in 2014 to help independent developers bring their projects to wider audiences. With an experienced team and access to the major console markets, Deck13 Spotlight is a growing division, with more than 10 published titles for which they have managed Production, Localisation, QA, Marketing, PR & Distribution. For more information, visit https://spotlight.deck13.com/
