The UNHOLY beta demo is what all horror games should strive for
UNHOLY, a first-person horror adventure game initially teased during the 2022 Tokyo Game Show, now has a release date and a demo! The indie game created by Duality Games and published by HOOK will be released on 20th July 2023.
The unsettling horror experience is driven by an intense narrative with stunning visuals which are based on the Duality Games' Art Director, Tomasz Strzałkowski's, works.
In UNHOLY, you play as a mother who has opened up a gateway to The Eternal City in an attempt to save your son. Set in a Post-Soviet Eastern European city where the inhabitants follow a cult-like religion, you are told by a mysterious woman that your son, who died tragically in a fire, can be saved.
You will have to stealth through The Eternal City, find clues, and solve puzzles to ensure that you, and your son, can make it out alive.
Not only does the game involve a blend of exploration, puzzle, infiltration, stealth, and shooting, but the interactions in the game are also unique. You are able to use four different emotions to interact with the environment. Fear, anger, sadness, and desire can be utilized to destroy objects, trigger mechanisms, and even confuse, lure, or damage opponents.
To hide from the relentless priest caste that controls the city, you will hide behind a mask, like everyone else. Your mask can be the difference between life and death as you can personalize the mask with new skills and abilities, as well as wear various masks to infiltrate or even impersonate your enemies.
UNHOLY is an ambitious take on the horror genre as it balances a plethora of mechanics alongside an intricate story. Play the demo on its Steam page to get a teaser of various verticle slices that can showcase what you will expect upon the imminent release.