Death of Rose is the first installment in a third-person survival horror experience that follows two best friends as they journey to an abandoned school in an effort to piece together the forgotten history of a mysterious cult. Developed and published by indie game creator Artur Łączkowski, a massive Silent Hill fan who’s already created an impressive recreation of P.T, as well as a member of Bloober Team (Blair Witch, Layers of Fear), the game looks to be an interesting mix of Until Dawn’s exploration and gameplay mixed with the vibe and atmosphere of Silent Hill.
The recently released trailer shows the main character Scott wandering around the decrepit hallways of the school as he communicates with his best friend Beth via a walkie talkie. Scanning the hallways with his flashlight, he encounters a pale woman at the end of a long dark hallway, who after briefly wobbling in place for a moment, comes racing towards him, sporting a very unsettling smile. Things only get creepier from there, as soon afterward Scott comes across the familiar sight of paint peeling off the walls and transforming the environments around him (very similar to the onset of the otherworld in the Silent Hill movies).
The visuals look pretty top-notch and have a visual fidelity similar to that of modern AAA titles, which isn’t surprising considering it’s being developed on the Unreal Engine 4. The voice acting is also surprisingly well done and you really get a sense of Beth and Scott’s personalities, even though (at least in the trailer) Beth is only heard over a walkie talkie. The two characters have a unique relationship that seems equal parts humorous and ominous, and can be transformed based on the decisions players make throughout the game.
According to the developer, the game will feature:
- A beautiful, touching story with layers of deep dialogue between characters.
- Control Scott and Beth’s personal relationship, which you will cultivate or destroy throughout the game.
- Plenty of puzzles and interactive dialogues that will challenge and move you.
- Photorealistic, dark visuals that will immerse you like never before.
- Uniquely nostalgic soundtrack and a demented atmosphere of sound design that will completely engulf you in Scott’s journey.
Death of Rose is set to release on February 20, 2020. Head on over to the Steam page for further details and to add it to your watchlist. If you just can’t wait that long, you can download a beta build of the game by supporting it on Patreon.
