From the mind of solo developer Nathan Hamley, known as the creator of the acclaimed psychological horror Chasing Static, comes a new project, Hollowbody, set to release on September 12, 2024. With the latest title, Hamley is stepping into a more ambitious project that is a love letter to the survival horror genre, particularly influenced by classics like Silent Hill.
This title brings the tech-noir of Cyberpunk 2077 and Silent’s Hill‘s mysterious setting with its own decaying near-future British city, a new story, and gameplay deeply cast in dystopian dread.
Hollowbody is a Love Letter to Horror Classics Resident Evil, and Silent Hill Franchises
Hollowbody places players in the shoes of Micca, an illegal black market shipper, stranded in a decaying, near-future British city after her hover crashes deep within the exclusion zone.
Reminiscent of Lovecraftian Eldritch horrors with a bit of cyberpunk, the game asks players to find Micca’s missing partner Sasha journeying through the crumbling streets of yet-unearthed horrors.
With its tech-noir aesthetic and dystopian setting, the game draws deep inspiration from classic survival horror titles like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Kuon, as it uses the atmosphere to send shivers down the spine, just like these gems from Konami and Capcom.
The player will progress by solving puzzles while managing resources and fighting unspeakable dangers that lurk in the shadows. The recent trailer showed how the game combines elements from these horror classics, setting a tone for what is to come.
The trailer highlights the game’s grim atmosphere, focusing on rain-soaked, decaying streets, and towering walls that capture Micca within the exclusion zone across which she will fight mutants and other dangers.
Nathan Hamley Is the Solo Developer Behind This Project
Hollowbody uses both dynamic and fixed camera angles to create a cinematic experience, reminiscent of the survival horror genre early days, but carves its own identity with modern technology and a unique setting.
Unlike modern titles that are full of action and combat, this game has players rely deeply on resource management and puzzle-solving while traversing the maze-like streets of the desolate city.
Nathan is responsible for the entire creative process, including the game’s narrative, art, and soundtrack. This only shows how personal this project is and how dedicated he is to bringing it to the audience and fans of the horror survival genre.
The game will feature full voice acting that will certainly heat the atmosphere in already tense moments. Talking about the atmosphere, the game will have save points scattered throughout the story, another classic horror survival characteristic.
With the game releasing in less than a month, the anticipation behind this indie horror title continues to grow. The release date trailer only showed a glimpse of the horror that awaits players in this 4-5 hours-long adventure.
Are you interested in this upcoming indie horror survival? Does it stand a chance in the oversaturated genre? Let us know in the comments below.