Being developed in Melbourne, Australia is a little horror game by the name of Beyond The Veil. It’s a text-based game that focuses on player choice, character-driven storytelling, and the rich and horrific history of New Orleans. The game is being created by Sun’s Shadow Studios and it looks absolutely fascinating.
We were lucky enough to have a chat to Brian Holland from Sun’s Shadow Studios all about his upcoming game where he was able to provide some great insights into the game’s development as well as horror gaming in general. You can have a listen to that chat below.
Brian was able to provide some great details about Beyond The Veil which is expected to release later this year. The game has a strong focus on characters and narrative with voice actress Erika Ishii lending her talent in the role of protagonist Kara. You may know Erika from her role in titles such as Dream Daddy, Bleach, Fire Emblem Heroes or in her role as Annabelle in Geek & Sundry’s Vampire: The Masquerade Chronicle, L.A. By Night. Whilst not every line of dialogue will be voice acted, having Erika on board will no doubt bring a sense of liveliness and personality into the game.
?Step up to the threshold. There’s no turning back.?
The trailer for Beyond The Veil is now live!
?Wishlist on Steam: https://t.co/WeFPQQiPNT
Your nightmares begin in 2019!? pic.twitter.com/S4sVSk28sh
— Sun’s Shadow Studios?GDC (@SunShadowGames) March 2, 2019
Brian also talked about Beyond The Veil’s branching narrative which he suggest will tackle the “illusion of choice” issue that other games have had in the past. Within Beyond The Veil choices matter quite a lot. Not only will choices alter the story, but they will also alter the personality of the protagonist. If you play Kara as an honest person earlier in the game, that will help form her personality and prevent you from being dishonest at another point further down the line. Having these personality traits make up such a big part of the adventure means multiple playthroughs are encouraged allowing you to see how differently things could unfold. As of right now there are 18 different endings available with 3 entirely different horror stories that can be experienced. A new ending will also unlock after you play through all 3 stories!
New Orleans is a fascinating setting for the game and a location that is riddled with so much real-world horror and such a grim history. “From the spirituality of Louisiana Voodoo and the ghosts of Jackson Square, to the myths of the Casket Girl Vampires and the heinous acts of Madame LaLaurie.” There’s certainly a lot to uncover in New Orleans and within Beyond The Veil.
Beyond The Veil is undoubtedly an intriguing title. Although hearing the passion and understanding of the horror genre from writer Brian Holland makes it all the more exciting. You can check out Beyond The Veil over on Steam where it will release later this year. The game will also be heading to iOS. To stay up to date with the game’s development you can also follow the team over on Twitter. I for one will be waiting with bated breath for every new announcement.