Vampire Huntress – Lament of the Sun – Interview
Vampire Huntress – Lament of the Sun just dropped a brand-new trailer, and with a demo in the works, we thought it was the perfect time to catch up with the developer to see what he’s been cooking up. After all, it’s not every day you see a survival horror game where the monsters are vampires—especially one that draws inspiration from classics like Resident Evil and Koudelka. In this interview, Borealis shares his journey into game development, the influences behind Vampire Huntress, and what players can expect when they step into this blood-soaked world. Q: To start things off, could you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background in game development? (no need to use your real name) I’m Borealis. I’ve been working with games for most of my life. When I was a kid, I got Final Fantasy 8 randomly as a Christmas present, not knowing what that game was or what genre it even was, it changed my world completely, and I have wanted to make games ever since. I started with making levels for Tenchu 2 on the PS1, later moving on to RPG Maker, making my first full game when I was 17. Later I studied programming and 3D art and ended up working as a 3D artist and level designer for several companies, even winning some awards while doing so. I’ve been wanting to work as an indie developer for many years now, but haven’t had the chance to really dive into it until now. Q: Not many survival horror games focus on vampires — the only ones that come to mind are Vampire Hunter D and Countdown Vampires. What influenced you to focus on vampires? I’ve been wanting to make a vampire themed game for a long time. I did my first designs for such a project in 2016, and it was a side-scrolling metroidvania style game, but it never got past prototype phases. I was busy with other things at the time and couldn’t really commit to it. But that idea of a vampire hunting vampires game has been in the back of my mind since, waiting for its time to rise once more. And that time is now. Q: Vampire Huntress is inspired by the original Resident Evil and Koudelka. The Resident Evil influence is clear, but how did Koudelka shape your vision for the game? So yes, originally the idea for Vampire Huntress was “What if Resident Evil 1 had vampires in it?”, but I like to have multiple influences that then help to find that ‘original angle’. The game was originally more influenced by Koudelka, with RPG elements, but I decided to cut those pretty early on as the scope of the game was getting bigger, and I didn’t manage to make the RPG stats and such work well in the framework of a RE1 style gameplay. Ultimately, I think the Koudelka influence can be seen more in the main character (who was heavily influenced by Koudelka’s design herself), as well as the overall tone and mood of the game. Q: Can you talk about the decision to offer both modern and tank controls? So personally, I highly prefer tank controls, as they are really comfortable with fixed camera angles. However, the reality is that there are a lot of people who just don’t like to use them, and I get that. For this reason, I decided to offer both, just like in the Resident Evil 1 remake. Q: Can you avoid combat in VH or will most enemies need to be dealt with? We’re trying to strike a balance where you need to make that choice of whether taking out an enemy is worth the resources, or if you should risk getting past. Of course, dispatching an enemy makes it significantly easier to explore the areas. The enemies in Vampire Huntress are also quite fast, making exploring an area with enemies around that much more difficult. So yes, it is possible to avoid combat, and sometimes it can be the correct choice to make as well, but Luna is a huntress, and the job of a huntress is to hunt! Q: What core survival horror elements do you feel firmly ground VH in the genre, as opposed to more action-heavy horror titles? Open-ended exploration, limited inventory and resource management I think are the strongest pillars between Vampire Huntress and the genre. I want the player to be able to explore a larger area, and complete tasks in a semi-open-ended approach. The game isn’t open world or anything, but it’s not fully linear either. But ultimately you will have to do X to progress further in the game. Ammo is scarce and healing items don’t stack, so it is extremely important for the player to manage their resources efficiently. There is of course a safe box to store all your items, and there are even difficulty options that make the inventory management initially a little easier. Q: There’s been a surge of retro-inspired horror games lately—where do you feel VH distinguishes itself from others in that space? When I started working on Vampire Huntress – Lament of the Sun, I did my research for other indie titles in the genre and there weren’t many at the time. I remember seeing Heartworm, Lake Haven, Alisa, and a few others, but that was about it. The surge started happening shortly after I was already going full steam ahead with Vampire Huntress. However, with Vampire Huntress, I aim to create a full package and an original story. A game that does pay homage to the classics of the genre, but doesn’t dwell on them, and confidently stands on its own two legs. I hope that the final product will feel like a AAA survival horror game that was released 25 years late. Q: Do you have any plans for demo? If yes when can we expect it? The demo is coming! We have been working on the demo for quite
Seek – Survival Horror Game Review
I had very low expectations going into Seek. There was barely any press leading up to it, and when it popped up as a recent release, I was pretty ambivalent about its art style. I assumed it would just be another RPG Maker game masquerading as survival horror, with its 2D anime isometric art style. But thankfully, this is a very well crafted true survival horror game that stands alongside classics such as Signalis, Evil Tonight and Viviette. The game is very understated in its presentation, but effective. You wander the halls of a dimly lit orphanage with only your flashlight to guide the way. Its themes are dark and disturbing, with bits of lore that feel plucked out of a Silent Hill game. The sound design really delves deep into the psychological horror aspect as well. The gameplay is a nearly perfect mix of Silent Hill and Resident Evil– with the ambience of the former and the snappy exploration of the latter. The map is particularly impressive as it marks every little interactive element you find in great detail. You spend your time unlocking doors, solving puzzles, and deciding whether to use your bullets or save them. It has limited inventory/item boxes as well and well-paced backtracking – and even multiple endings! It took me about 8 hours of in-game time to finally reach the end, and for only $6 it’s one of the better deals I’ve found on Steam. While it’s not the most original or richly detailed game, it absolutely nails all the fundamentals of what survival horror fans look for. As this seems to be the developer’s first published game, I am excited to see what they pull off for their sophomore effort If you’re a fan 2D survival horror games Seek is absolutely worth checking out. You can grab it on Steam for just a few dollars, and if you want to keep up with the developer’s future projects, follow cloud_li13.
10 Survival Horror Games Coming in 2025
2025 Is Shaping Up to Be a Landmark Year for Survival Horror There’s never been a better time to be a survival horror fan. In recent years, the genre has seen a huge resurgence, but 2025 is taking things to a whole new level. With a staggering number of titles slated for release, it’s clear that survival horror is not only back, but thriving. In this article, I’ve highlighted 10 of the most exciting survival horror games currently scheduled to launch in 2025. These are just the standouts, there are even more on the way. In fact, by the time of writing, five survival horror games have already been released this year. Dead of Darkness, THE MUTE HOUSE, Blood Typers, Mansion of the Dead and Post Trauma. If you want to see the full list of upcoming survival horror games, be sure to visit our upcoming page. You’ll also find Steam links for every game mentioned in this article, so you can wishlist your favorites with ease. 1. Tormented Souls II The orignal Tormented Souls (2021) came closer than any other game to capturing the feel of a modern Resident Evil remake. The main difference being Tormented Souls ditched pre-rendered backgrounds in favor of fully 3D environments, giving the game a modern edge while still honoring classic survival horror roots. Details on the sequel have been sparse, the developer Dual Effect is notoriously tight-lipped, but the publisher PQube did share some teaser information on social media leading up to Christmas 2024. Here are the highlights: If Tormented Souls II is anywhere near as good as the original, it could easily be my survival horror game of the year. But honestly, judging by what we’ve seen so far, it looks like it might be even better. Wishlist Tormented Souls II now on Steam: store.steampowered.com/Tormented_Souls_2 2. Tenebris Somnia 2D survival horror games are few and far between. In fact, some purists would argue that if a game doesn’t check the Resident Evil boxes (3D environments, fixed cameras, tank controls) it doesn’t qualify as true survival horror. I’m not quite that rigid, which is why I’m genuinely excited for Tenebris Somnia. After playing the demo, it felt like a lost NES survival horror gem except, of course, for the addition of live-action cutscenes. Created by Argentine developer Andrés Borghesi in association with Sabot Studios and published by New Blood Interactive, Tenebris Somnia blends classic survival horror gameplay, limited resources, and environmental puzzles, and just enough combat to keep you tense. At key moments, the pixel art gives way to full-motion video scenes featuring real actors, directed by an award-winning film crew. It’s strange, immersive, and unlike anything I’ve seen in the genre.Here are some of the key features: Wishlist Tenebris Somnia now on Steam: store.steampowered.com/Tenebris_Somnia 3. Heartworm Heartworm is shaping up to be a unique blend of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, capturing the best of classic survival horror while carving out its own identity. Like Resident Evil, it features fixed camera angles, retro-style visuals (with optional PS1-inspired filters), exploration-heavy gameplay, and puzzles. But instead of a handgun, your weapon is a camera similar to the mechanics of Fatal Frame. Visually, Heartworm isn’t just another “RE clone.” Its surreal, dreamlike environments stand out immediately, evoking the tone and atmosphere of Alone in the Dark (1992) with a distinctly Lovecraftian flair. I’m especially excited to explore these bizarre locations, which promise to be more than just backdrops, they seem designed to reflect the protagonist’s inner turmoil. Voice acting can be hit or miss in indie games, but from what I’ve heard in the trailer (Video above), Heartworm is delivering something special. Sam, the protagonist, is voiced by M, and their performance already adds emotional depth to the character. If the full game maintains this level of quality, it could be one of the rare indie horror titles that truly connects with players on a psychological and emotional level.You can follow Sam’s voice actor, M, on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mmmdesu.bsky.socialWishlist Heartworm now on Steam: store.steampowered.com/Heartworm 4. Fragile Reflection Of all the games on this list, Fragile Reflection may be the most obscure and the most intriguing. A new demo just dropped on Steam, and I highly recommend checking it out (and wishlisting it while you’re there). Set in a rural Japanese village warped by supernatural forces, the game follows Kario Ito as she returns home only to find her town swallowed by otherworldly horror, twisted Noh masks, and a haunting realm known as “Reflection.” What really caught my attention first, though, wasn’t the gameplay, it was the music (Trailer above). The soundtrack, composed by underground trip-hop/psy-trip artist Mad Jha, is unlike anything I’ve heard in a horror game. I wasn’t even familiar with the genre, but I’ve had it on loop since discovering the demo. It’s dark, textured, and fits Fragile Reflection’s visuals perfectly. The full soundtrack will be available for purchase when the game launches, and honestly, I’m just as excited to buy the music as the game itself. As for the gameplay, this is very much a throwback to classic late-’90s survival horror: limited resources, dimension-hopping puzzle mechanics, and monsters that lurk in both worlds. You’ll explore a cursed town, piece together clues, and use a mysterious supernatural power to shift between reality and the realm of Reflection.Wishlist Fragile Reflection now on Steam: store.steampowered.com/Fragile_Reflection 5. SSR Wives: The Murder Of My Winter Crush Like Fragile Reflection, I was instantly hooked on SSR Wives: The Murder Of My Winter Crush the moment I saw its trailer and more specifically, heard its trailer music (Video below). I’ve had it on repeat ever since. Mysterious and dreamlike, it perfectly matches the game’s offbeat horror tone. I haven’t been able to identify the track or artist yet, but I’ve been told a demo is on the way soon. When it drops, I plan to interview the developer, one of the first questions I will ask is who created the music and can we expect to hear more! As for the game itself, SSR Wives is shaping up to be a mix of classic survival horror and visual novel storytelling. You’ll explore a mystery narrative that’s packed with player
