Crackpot videogame designer Suda 51 has been quietly working on a mysterious new title. All we knew before now was that it was exclusive to the PS3, and that it was a risky publishing venture, like most of Suda’s games. Now there is a name, and first details of the eccentric artist’s latest outing. This is Kurayami.
Suda’s latest bowl of confusion is described as a “bizarre” action adventure inspired by the work of existentialist writer Franz Kafka. The plot revolves around a character who finds himself stranded in a strange town full of equally strange locals. As he explores the town and its foreboding castle, he fends off mysterious ghouls with his trusty torch.
Darkness is the name of the game (quite literally, when translated), and Suda hopes to encapsulate a feeling of dread and fear throughout the experience. New lighting techniques are being pulled out of the woodwork to keep this sense of trepidation going, and the artistic style is being deliberately designed to evoke a suitable level of creepiness. For a feel of what studio Grasshopper is going for, check out the concept art here.
Sounds potentially nightmarish, and if I know Suda 51, this may be the return to psychological horror that old school Silent Hill fans have been waiting for. Can’t wait to see what the mad genius has cooked up for us this time.
