As someone who grew up in the time of immense optimism that was the 1990s (no jokes about how old I am), there is something about games that tap into that period that really scratches a particular itch in my brain.
That's why hearing about Dead Format was so exciting. If you've missed its development up to this point, it's a survival horror set in Scotland in the 90s, where the protagonist's brother has gone missing after becoming obsessed with a new format of VHS (those are those big tape thingies that Disney films use to come on, for any Gen Z readers amongst you).
According to the developer, much of the game is set in the player's apartment, where in their own words, "You can review clues, catch your breath, and prepare for the journey ahead. Use the Television set and insert VHS tapes to open the door to new worlds, each one with its own inspiration. Search for clues and face the nightmares in universes inspired by Silent Era Cinema, Italian Giallo films, and 80s Body Horror."
Now obviously that niche might not specifically excite everyone, but it's worth taking a moment to realise just how much effort the developer has put into the mixed media format of their game.
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All of the VHS footage is recorded and edited by the developer themselves, with each providing a nostalgic window into what the player is about to explore next.
Each of those worlds comes with its own unique set of enemies, puzzles and things to collect to aid you on your way, including weapons to fight any foes you might come across (again themed around the location you're in).
The apartment also serves as the only place where you can save the game, so those forays to other places will quickly become much more frightening propositions when you can't save every five seconds.
Even more impressively, the game is being produced entirely by a solo developer, Chris Evry, who is responsible for the very well received 2024 release Daemonologie, which is also worth a go if you didn't catch it first time around.
Dead Format doesn't have a release date right now, but it is set to release in Q4 of 2025, so you shouldn't have too long to wait to jump in and face the horrors of Evry's creation.
Happily, if you want to see what it's like before then, you can play the totally free demo that's now available to download on Steam. If you dare.
Topics: Indie Games