From titles like the upcomingThe Sinking City, developed by Frogwares, to From Software’sBloodborneand theDark Soulsseries to more direct derivations of Lovecraft such as 2018’sCall of Cthulhuby developer Cyanide, H.P. Lovecraft’s works have had a profound effect on gaming. Now, to prepare us for the aforementioned horror titleThe Sinking City, Frogwares has released a relatively extensive trailer that shows off its gameplay mechanics while illustrating its Lovecraftian inspiration.
Asone of the most anticipated horror games of 2019,The Sinking Cityis looking to be a standout of the year. Announced back in 2016, the game has been eagerly-awaited as a game that may succeed where Cyanide’sCall of Cthulhufaltered, embracing Lovecraft’s works to great extents.
The gameplay trailer released on YouTube, titled “Rotten Reality” gives gamers a generous peek at what to expect fromThe Sinking City,confirmed to be at E3 2019. Narrated by main character Charles Reed, identifying himself as a private detective, the impact from Lovecraft’s works is apparent almost immediately, as a shocked Reed observes a giant squid-like monster levitating through the sky.
Taking place in a creepy city called Oakmont, Reed claims he is having visions and that the cause for his visions is stemming from Oakmont, apparently run amok with Lovecraftian-like creatures and a good amount of people, some of which are seemingly experiencing insanity.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrWmTGQfWxM[/embed]
While the trailer shows off Reed traversing the city in a third-person perspective, he states that Oakmont is ‘short on everything, except dirt, rain, and things that wanna kill you." At one point, Reed puts a gun to his head which shows the desperation Reed will likely go through in his madness-laden journey.
After this, Reed finds a deep sea diving suit, following footage of Reed walking along the ocean floor. Many squid-like creatures and Lovecraftian monsters roam the ocean and are scattered across the city and underground caverns. While the game isn’t shown to be action-focused, Reed does get to fire away at these enemies.
Cthulhu, or some Cthulhu-looking figure, seemingly makes an appearance as well, makingThe Sinking Citya love letter to Lovecraft. The trailer ends with Reed saying, “I want… none of this to be real.”
The Sinking Citylooks extremely promising. WhileCall of Cthulhuwas arguably a disappointment last year, this trailer forThe Sinking Cityshows a game that skillfully combines horror and action elements while providing a nearly tangible Lovecraft ambiance. The game also sends someResident Evil 2andAlan Wakevibes with its spooky city that appears mostly abandoned and third-person gameplay. This will be an interesting title to watch as we approach E3 and its subsequent release.
The Sinking Citywill release June 24, 2025 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
