Developer Camel 101 just revealed its chilling Beneath, coming in 2024. Players will take control of Noah Quinn, who stumbles across an underwater facility filled with experiments gone wrong. A group of like-minded individuals took their exploration into human nature too far, resulting in the facility harboring an unspeakable evil. On his quest to find answers, Quinn will face off against man and monster alike and uncover the nature of the scientist's true intentions. Beneath, a horror-at-sea game, bills itself as a Lovecraftian first-person horror adventure and promises to make players "Fear the Deep" in a title that appears to mix elements of Resident Evil and Subnautica.
Beneath seems poised to deliver a unique twist on the zombie mythos. The title's announcement trailer gives players an extended introduction to its world through the words of Quinn himself. In what appears to be a recording, he explains that he's been abandoned in an underwater facility, after waking up without his crew. After some exploration, he discovers a group of at least five interconnected facilities, each overrun with horrific creatures. He goes on to explain that these facilities are connected by a set of short-range submarines, which players will have to navigate in underwater exploration segments.
Beneath's Trailer Echoes the Story and Gameplay of Resident Evil
Beneath's undersea sites herald back to the Umbrella Corporation Facilities in Resident Evil titles. The lore behind these facilities also appears to be similar, with a group of scientists pushing the limits of humanity too far, resulting in an outbreak of unknown origin. Though the trailer gives few details about this group, its creations are on full display.
Organic stalagmites and stalactites fill facilities' open rooms, and tendrils reach towards Quinn from their vents. Reanimated humans and hulking monstrosities make their appearances mid-way through the trailer, the latter appearing quite similar to Resident Evil 7's Molded. As this is simply an introduction to the Beneath IP, Camel 101 likely has even scarier creations to debut, as the title's release date approaches.
Much like Beneath's enemies, its combat feels heavily inspired by modern Resident Evil, promising an immersive horror gaming experience. It appears that players will be required to alternate between stealthy exploration and combat encounters as they make their way through each facility. In the second half of the trailer, Quinn goes toe to toe with soldiers, scientists, zombies, and monsters in a host of tight spaces. Combat appears mostly fast-paced, with Quinn primarily using automatic weapons as zombies quickly shuffle, or outright launch, toward him. A handgun and shotgun are also shown, so players may be given quite the arsenal as they progress through the game.
Beneath's Underwater Segments Capture the Suffocating Horror of Subnautica
In an experience akin to Subnautica, players will be tasked with venturing beyond Beneath's facilities, and into the open sea. Beneath's Steam page states that the game will feature short-range submarines and a specialized diving suit, allowing for exploration between and below Beneath's primary setting.
These segments appear set to capture Subnautica's scariest elements, the suffocating loneliness found in exploring the open water. The trailer emphasizes that Quinn will be alone throughout Beneath's narrative, leading to atmospheric horror in addition to the title's monstrosities. It is likely that the hostile experiments of the title extend into the open sea as well, so players are set to face startling encounters between extended periods of silent exploration.
One unique aspect added to Beneath's blend of scares is the incorporation of the classic horror game staple sanity meter. Though details surrounding its maintenance and effects have yet to be released, it certainly adds another level of intensity to the title's blend of action and survival horror. Beneath currently has no release date, beyond its confirmation for 2024. If its announcement trailer is anything to go by, Beneath is a title that horror fans will want to keep a close eye on.
Beneath releases in 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
