The Chant is a New Psychedelic Action-Horror Game Coming This Fall
The Chant is a new horror adventure game being developed by Brass Token. It is an obscure title that is clearly being overshadowed by other horror titans like the Dead Space remake and even Callisto Protocol. Now, this particular game is going the more cerebral approach and leaning more toward the “cosmic horror” frame. The game centers on a group of people who were spending their weekend at a spiritual retreat to get in touch with themselves and nature. Of course, a ritual goes array and a rift is torn open that allows an otherwordly entity to leak into our domain. It is up to the player to explore the island, unravel its secrets and find a way to close this soured ritual known as “The Gloom.” This game will have a diverse set of characters and, to make it extra interesting, all these events took place during the 1970s which gives it a distinct vibe.
This game will only be single-player and it will be played from a third-person perspective. Even though this game is still pretty early in development, there are enough solid details out there to give players a little insight into how this game will play. The Chant will very much have a “survival horror” foundation to it, but it is going to be more white-knuckled with its action and combat. Yes, there will be all manners of demonic minions attacking the player throughout this journey. With that said, there are some interesting little mechanics in this game that will give it some freshness. The standard scrambling for resources and even crafting will still be a factor, sure. However, there are a few innovative things that the developers are implementing into this title that taps into other facets of the human body. Not only will players be tasked with managing their avatar’s body, but also the mind and spirituality, as well.
Terrible Thing to Waste
The thing is that The Chant will offer a balancing act with all layers of being human. This includes managing a healthy mind. There will be psychedelic moments in this game that will trigger events that will force the player to question their reality. There will be enemies to fight, of course. Also, there will a “fear factor” in this game that is somewhat similar to the Evil Dead game that was just released. The Gloom consumes fear and other negative emotions which, in turn, will manifest as monstrosities and harrowing events. Players will need to stay calm and protect their minds to avoid The Gloom from taking advantage of them. Let’s not overlook the fact that doing this while coupled with managing resources and tending to physical wounds give this game a certain depth that isn’t seen in too many horror games.
Naturally, there will be the standard action-horror tools and weaponry in The Chant which can always be used as a last resort. The main arsenal which will be encouraged will be within the spiritual variety. Evidently, the primary way to defeat The Gloom is through crafting and even upgrading spiritual abilities. Apparently, there will be light RPG mechanics in this game where players will need to mediate and unlock certain perks to give them an edge in combat. It is too early to tell what kind of combat this game will have. It was mentioned that it will be within the “close-quarter” sphere which means that fighting The Gloom will entail melee attacks as opposed to ranged weapons. Thusly, players will also have the option to simply “flee” from combat to hide and gather their thoughts before The Gloom takes them.
Secrets of The Spirits
The main protagonist of The Chant is seen with a backpack. This is a clear indicator that inventory management and crating will be done on the fly like in The Last of Us. Scouring through the dark with a flashlight will obviously be another element in this game which, in all fairness, was to be expected along with any other horror game. Whether or not being trapped in the dark will affect the minds of the players remains to be seen. Players will be able to explore the island and find resources and other collectibles. This could be a linear horror experience or perhaps the island is laid out to be fully explorable and maybe have a Metroidvania feel to it. Not to mention, there will be other characters to interact with who were all involved with the opening of The Gloom. Players can either choose to help them or just let The Gloom devour them. There will be choices to be made during the adventure of The Chant, that’s for sure.
One notable factor involved with the development of The Chant is the fact that Paul Ruskey will be conducting the score for it. He is most known for the soundtrack of Homeworld and its sequels. So, there is quite a bit to digest regarding this new horror title. It almost has a Tomb Raider feel to it with its heroine scrambling around a gnarled island with a mysterious past. A mere teaser was dropped rather recently which did a serviceable job on how this game will look and play. However, until a bonafide gameplay trailer comes along, everything is kind of up in the air regarding how all the elements will gel together. There are some interesting features in The Chant, which could potentially take the horror genre to a slightly higher level.
Doom and Gloom
The introduction of The Chant pretty much came out of nowhere. However, an addition of a new IP within the survival-horror sphere with experimental mechanics is always a welcomed one. Development is apparently starting to wrap things up and it won’t be long until players will be able to try it out. Hopefully, a gameplay trailer will come along shortly before release to really hook some interest into this title. Expect The Chant to be available for the PlayStation, Xbox, and PC this coming October.
