ScreenRantcan exclusively reveal a first look at gameplay for Vertpaint’s highly-anticipated upcoming horror game,Ritual Tides.A team comprised of talent from Rockstar and TT Games, Vertpaint has been crafting games for other studios since 2019. However, the upcoming atmospheric terrifying title will be its first in-house project.
Ritual Tidesreceived its first teaser trailer in October 2024, offering fans a glimpse into the dark style of the game through cryptic sketches. Now,ScreenRantcan reveal a first look at gameplaythanks to this documentary-esque reveal video from Vertpaint.As seen below, the video highlights just a few of the ways the team has worked hard to push players out of their comfort zones and into a realm of true terror.
From gameplay mechanics specifically created to cause you stress, to creature designs that will keep you up at night,Ritual Tidesis already shaping up to be a must-play horror of 2025. Check out the video below.
What Is Ritual Tides?
“Lovecraftian Jurassic Park”
As explained in the video by James Macleod, CEO & Creative Director at Vertpaint Games, there’s a lot to look forward to inRitual Tides- if you’re made of strong enough stuff.“It’s been described as ‘Lovecraftian Jurassic Park, and it’s also been described as ‘Silent Hill meets rural British setting,'“Maclead explained. This is evident from the glimpses of the world we get to see in the trailer, with gloomy - and very realistic - English landscapes.
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The game takes place on a remote island inhabited by a cult, but as hinted at by some of the creatures shown in the video, there’s a lot more than the cult to worry about, and players can expect “very dark” themes and story. Some of the concept art also shown in the video tease just how gory and disgustingRitual Tidesmay get, with one of its creatures in particular - a slug-like being with a gaping open face - harkening back to some ofSilent Hill’s darkest - and most explicit - enemy designs.
Ritual Tides Hopes To Deliver A Hyperrealistic Horror Experience
The Devs Want To Make A Game They Would Love To Play
Macleod saysthe team is making a game that they would genuinely want to play. He also notes that the game will be unabashedly dark, stating that “the game is exceedingly dark, we’re not pulling any punches.”
Ritual Tideswill be covering those dark themes through hyper-realistic visuals, with the team “promising to set a new industry standard for quality both in terms of gripping gameplay and graphical breakthroughs.” Vertpaint promises to deliver “near photo-realistic immersion” with stunning and eerie landscapes and nightmare-inducing island denizens, stating:
“If you’re looking for the most realistic game of 2025, then look no further than Ritual Tides.”
The team recognizes that it’s making some pretty bold claims and invites fans to join the Discord to “call us out” and become a part of the development process. Vertpaint hopes thatRitual Tideswill make a splash when it arrives on PC in Q3 2025 as a game whose team was clearly driven by passion and a desire to craft their dream horror experience.
