Serum will be a Survival Game with an Emphasis on Body Horror

Serum is a new survival game played from a first-person perspective. It is being developed by Game Island, which is a small team of artists. Nonetheless, Serum is looking to be a solid installment within the vast library of survival games. Even though games of this type, like Green Hell for instance, usually center on realism, Serum is taking a new approach. The story in this game is a bit of a mystery, with the main protagonist finding himself in a labyrinth with no memory of how he got there. Strange implants riddle his body, finding that the only thing that keeps his person going is a strange green liquid. Seek shelter, find resources, and do whatever means necessary to accumulate this substance to stay alive. However, be warned, that this stuff comes with side effects that will not only alter a player’s body but also their mind.

The general story in Serum is taking a bit of a sci-fi horror approach, which is quite different than the other survival games out there. In fact, this game will have a full-fledged combat system in it. Even though fighting enemies in a survival game is nothing new, Serum is taking things to a new level. It will sort of be like Bioshock, in many regards. The factor of action and survival in this new title will be about the same level. No gameplay element will be overshadowing the other. This game is under heavy development and all the ideas the artists have to seem to be in place. As of right now, it’s all a matter of execution. The world that is established here appears to be interesting and has a lot of potential. A new gameplay trailer was just dropped and it does an effective enough job to let players know what this game will feel like in action.

Now That’s The Stuff

Wherever this game takes place, it is clearly an area that has seen better days. Both animal and plant life seems to be mutating, slowly morphing into an entirely new ecosystem. Dense forests, ruined villages and mangled complexes are some areas players will explore. Each new area will offer different resources, enemies, and gameplay mechanics.  The map will be separated into different biomes, each offering new challenges to the player. Just like other survival games, everything will start off primal. Crafting spears and crude tools to find loot will be the first order of business. Then, players will slowly build themselves up to be a rather formidable being in this environment. The Serum can be found in sundry ways throughout the map, either in capsules or being mined and crafted from scratch. The general gameplay mechanics won’t be as raw and pragmatic as in Stranded Deep and its ilk.

Instead, it appears that there will be some rather handy futuristic tools to assist players. They will be able to use a scanner to locate needful items around their proximity. This is a welcome addition because players will be on a time limit to find the green stuff before it expires. The clock is embedded on the protagonist’s left forearm and can be glanced at in-game. Which, by the way, is a similar mechanic found in Metro Exodus. The HUD appears to be minimal, not offering too much handholding for the player. During exploration, players will come across various situations to bypass including puzzles. Yes, there will be puzzles in Serum and it sounds like it will be within the pragmatic variety. Hence, access to secret hatches, doorways, and paths will open up. The map in this game will be dense.

To Dwell in Hell

Players will be able to build their own structures in Serum, including a Safe House. This will act as the main HUB to the overall game, being able to upgrade to a more expansive safety zone. This will provide a nice breather for players who are having a tough session. Weapons will be available in this game. Armaments like melee weapons, projectiles, and firearms can be made. Thus, weapons can be enhanced with the serum, making them more effective against certain enemies. There will also be other serums to use, which will offer new abilities. On top of that, new abilities will be needed to gain access to certain parts of the map. So, even though this title is a survival game, it will also have a little bit of Metroidvania influences in it. On top of that, there is a story waiting to be pieced together which will be found throughout various parts of the map.

Serum appears to have a lot going for it. The world appears to be rich and tangled in mystery. Even though it’s a survival game, it looks like it may have a little bit of an FPS in its formula. Gamers will be maintaining health, stamina, and also mutations that could potentially happen. Not to mention that there will be a constantly changing environment where monsters will be attacking players at every turn. Everything from horror to crafting survival, Serum has its fingers in a lot of pies. Development is going full steam ahead, so let’s see what other gameplay mechanics will be introduced in the future. Right now, this game seems like it is going in an interesting direction in comparison to other games of its type. Hopefully, there will be a more in-depth look into the gameplay with some more footage down the road.

Juicing Up

There is no question that there is some appeal to the notion of garnering powers from a mysterious substance. This is the overall theme with Serum and it does have some allurement to it. Even though there’s a brief trailer available, there are still some questions on how the gameplay mechanics work. There is no scheduled release date for Serum. It will most likely take a year or two before it nears completion. When it does drop, it will be available for PC exclusively with no word if it will be coming to consoles.

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