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The long wintery nights are perfect for blocking the world out and indulging in a good game, but what if things start to leak out into real life? That’s when you’re in trouble, and that’s what seems to be happening in upcoming meta horror title Among Ashes. With lo-fi looks galore and a delightful framing narrative, there’s already a lot to love here, and developer Rat Cliff Games has just announced when it’ll be coming out.
Among Ashes isn’t just one horror game, it’s actually several separate ones that interweave with each other. The framing device is that it’s nearly Christmas in the year 2000 and your friend has sent you a link to an FPS game. You hop on your lovely oatmeal-colored computer and dive in, booting up the shooter – Night Call – to give yourself a Yuletide chill.
Similar to the first part of the Stories Untold compilation, things start to go very wrong once you set foot into this game-within-a-game. Things leak, the wall between worlds breaks down a bit, and what should be contained within the world of pixels is set loose in your character’s reality. It’s all a very good reminder, if nothing else, of why you shouldn’t trust random links, even from friends.
The game’s new trailer also hints at a few different experiences you can play, from a top-down horror title to something that looks a lot like a more eldritch Resident Evil. There are also some really weird creatures hiding away in Among Ashes, some of which remind me a little of the horrors you can spot in the teaser trailer for the sadly canceled Silent Hills game.
Rat Cliff Games has now firmed up exactly when Among Ashes will launch, confirming a December 2024 release window. This means, just like its theme, you should be able to play over Christmas – if you’re brave enough. Head over to Steam to check it out for yourself. There’s also a demo you can download and try if you want a taste of the terrifying action.
Should December be too long to wait, take a peek at our guides to the best horror games and the best survival games for something we’re sure you’ll love.
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