One of Xbox Game Studios’ most mysterious upcoming video games has picked up a brand new teaser trailer. And I nonetheless do not know what it’s.
Microsoft and Hideo Kojima revealed “OD” on the Xbox Developer Direct present in 2022, after some viral advertising and marketing sparked rumors of a revival of Kojima’s legendary P.T. undertaking.
Previously, Hideo Kojima was engaged on a reboot of Konami’s famed Silent Hill franchise, and launched a “playable teaser” shortened to “P.T.” onto PlayStation retailer fronts. It culminated with a reveal of Norman Reedus as the primary protagonist, named Silent Hills.
P.T. was a first-person narrative horror expertise in essence, and regardless of being brief and easy, stays a completely legendary second in horror gaming historical past. The playable teaser was completely horrifying, and its cancellation left many lamenting what might have been if Konami and Kojima hadn’t had their high-profile falling out. Perhaps “OD” will be the next best thing.
Written by Hideo Kojima and horror legend Jordan Peele, OD sports a star-studded cast powered by Unreal Engine’s Meta Human facial scanning tech. And today, out of nowhere, Kojima Productions and Xbox have given us a new glimpse at the project.
Hideo Kojima is the legendary auteur behind Metal Gear Solid, which stays one of many online game trade’s most influential franchises. Many of Metal Gear’s oddly prophetic narrative themes have given the franchise a timelessness few different titles can boast. Hideo Kojima labored with Konami on Metal Gear for many years till Konami unceremoniously fired Kojima — as Konami pushed for cheaper, quicker recreation releases.
Kojima arrange Kojima Productions in its wake, and launched the acclaimed Death Stranding. Death Stranding finally launched on Xbox as effectively, and Death Stranding 2 has loved a powerful reception on PlayStation 5 to this point — forward of an inevitable PC launch and fairly attainable Xbox launch sooner or later. Microsoft has additionally jumped on the likelihood to work with Kojima Productions, which has coalesced into horror undertaking “OD,” though particulars stay elusive.
“We are working with Xbox Game Studios and their cloud gaming technology to take on the challenge of creating a very unique, immersive, and totally new style of game — or rather, a new form of media,” Kojima said in a earlier assertion. What precisely that may appear like in observe wholly stays to be seen. The recreation is basically shrouded in thriller, resulting in issues that the sport had been cancelled after Xbox’s cuts earlier this summer season. We confirmed that OD was the truth is, not cancelled by Xbox, and at this time’s trailer additional confirms that.
The newest trailer showcases Sophia Lillis of IT and Dungeons & Dragons fame, performing some form of ritual in a largely empty room. She lights quite a lot of candles, seemingly controller by the participant.
There are knocks from elsewhere in the home, and a child begins to cry when the match flames burn down. One candle appears to ooze blood as an alternative of wax, as one other begins spewing worms. Then, a wierd entity enters the room and grabs Sophia Lillis’ character by her face.
What’s totally outstanding right here is Unreal Engine’s “Meta Human” expertise, which produces a number of the most lifelike and detailed digital human performing the trade has ever seen. According to Kojima, OD is an “avant-garde” title about concern, and probably “overdosing” on concern, giving the sport its namesake. How this interprets into gameplay stays to be seen, however it will likely be utilizing Xbox’s cloud array in some type.
Unreal Engine’s “Meta Human” expertise is probably going essential right here, because it picks up on facial subtleties older strategies merely do not. Sophia Lillis’ performing abilities are utterly unhindered because of the tech, which give full view of her visibly shaking, full with trembling lips and refined eye actions. It must be hand-animated in different eventualities. OD nearly feels prefer it’s crossing the Rubicon in some methods right here, the place digital performing usually comes with this uncanny feeling. OD’s new “Knock” trailer takes us one step additional.
There’s no recognized launch date for OD. The recreation was beforehand revealed for the Xbox ecosystem throughout Windows and Xbox Series X|S, however Microsoft’s push for multiplatform {dollars} might see it hit PlayStation before anticipated. Xbox’s Tokyo Game Show festivities are set to kick off this week, so maybe we’ll see much more of OD within the coming days.