Sam Barlow’s studio Half Mermaid, the developer of Her Story, Telling Lies, and Immortality—one among highest-reviewed video games of 2022—are teasing a pair of mysterious new tasks on Steam known as, mysteriously, Undertaking C and Undertaking D.
The newly-arrived Steam pages for each new video games are closely redacted. The outline for Undertaking C opens with a biblical quote—“For now we see via a glass, darkly; however then head to head: now I do know partly; however then shall I do know at the same time as additionally I’m identified”—after which teases “the brand new cinematic” one thing that guarantees one thing “for the primary time ever in a videogame.”
Undertaking D, then again, is a survival horror one thing—sport, maybe—whose description contains the phrases “1983,” “nurse,” “nightmare,” and the ever-useful “watch out.” Oh, and “one thing dangerous,” in case there was any query on that entrance.
Undertaking C, with its emphasis on “cinematic” seems like what we would count on from Barlow and Half Mermaid, whose earlier tasks are FMV mystery-thrillers. Immortality, the studio’s most up-to-date launch, is actually a couple of movie star who made three films, none of them launched, earlier than disappearing—once more, mysteriously.
Undertaking D could also be extra of a departure, although. Tags on the Steam web page embody “thriller” and “story wealthy,” but in addition clearly denote the sport as a third-person survival-horror joint, one thing Half Mermaid hasn’t beforehand taken on. SteamDB truly lists Undertaking D as Doorways, which isn’t particularly insightful: The Steam description makes two references to “some doorways,” and one of many photos presently on the web page is of a door, with an ominous purple mild shining via it.
Talking of these teaser photos, they’re undoubtedly evocative however not notably informative:
Undertaking C
Undertaking D
However that is how Barlow rolls. In 2020 he teased Immortality with a code title—Undertaking Ambrosio—and a heavily-redacted Steam web page that included bizarre photos and a fast, glitchy video clip. Intriguing however not particularly helpful, though given Barlow’s historical past of creating participating, thought-provoking video games, it is simply sufficient to seize our curiosity.
At this level, there’s nothing else to go on apart from no matter will be sussed out of the teaser movies: “Pictures fired,” a clip of Nixon (I believe?) saying, “We’re Individuals,” no matter that sound is on the finish of the Undertaking C teaser, and possibly some bits I’ve ignored. For many who need to dive deep into theorizing, Nixon uttered these phrases greater than as soon as, however one notable occasion (through Wikiquote) was in 1970 when he paid tribute to Democratic senator Henry Jackson. (Nixon was a Republican.)
“When the nice problems with the protection of America are concerned—the safety of America, the destiny of our males who’re combating for America overseas—when the problems of peace and freedom are concerned, when these points are concerned, we’re not Democrats; we’re not Republicans; we’re Individuals.”
I don’t know what the connection is perhaps, however Jackson died in 1983, the 12 months that figures prominently within the Undertaking D teaser. Make of it what you’ll.
Barlow himself has mentioned nothing about his new issues besides that the group was attempting to “sneakily” launch the teasers, however “the web notices fast!”
Naturally, given how mysterious all of it is, there’s not even a touch of a launch date for both new sport at this level. I’ve reached out to Half Mermaid for extra data on each these new tasks, which frankly I do not suppose will likely be forthcoming, however you do not know till you ask. We’ll hold you posted.