Ninja Theory, the company best known for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, has a new horror game in the works that is said to represent real mental terror and explores new experimental ways of story-telling. Project: Mara is what Ninja Theory is calling its in-development game, and it follows one character in one setting. Ninja Theory explains that the game will be based on real psychological research to, "recreate the horrors of the mind as accurately and realistically as possible. Project: Mara will be an experimental title and a showcase of what could become a new storytelling medium."
Ninja Theory is not a company to pull punches when it comes to realistic and immersive games, however, it has not been announced what mental horror Project: Mara will explore. In its smash hit independent game Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice players follow a character searching for her dead lover while Senua herself suffers from schizophrenia. The experience can be overwhelming, especially for players who decided to play the game in VR. How far Project: Mara goes down the rabbit hole of mental illness is yet to be seen.
Ninja Theory is also known for keeping its development teams to a maximum of 20 people, in what Commercial Director Don Matthews describes as smaller than any AAA game, but helps to create breakthrough technology. In a sneak peek video released today, Ninja Theory is producing what it calls the "Dreadnought Diaries," which will show players and investors alike how its company is operating under a new model to produce better games that everyone will want to be apart of.
Just before the six-minute mark, Ninja Theory announces and gives a sneak peek at Project: Mara. Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Tameem Antoniades, explains that Project: Mara will be based in a realistic setting, "and grounded representation of true mental terror." He goes on to explain that the game is based on heavy research, interviews, and first-hand accounts of those suffering from mental illness.
In June of 2018, Ninja Theory had announced that its development team would be entering an agreement with Microsoft Studios, now called Xbox Studios, to develop highly immersive games exclusively for Xbox systems. Recently former Naughty Dog Environmental Artist, Andrew Watkins, joined the team under the official title of Senior Environmental Artist. Based on the realistic look of Project: Mara, it's likely that Watkins is playing a big part in this game.
Project Mara is in development for unspecified platforms.