An Unreal Engine 5 video shows a photo-realistic horror game concept. Given the teaser's short video length, it is quite effective as an immersive experience and reminds players of what's possible in horror games, especially when utilizing Unreal Engine.
With it being the first week of October, there is no better time to celebrate the horror game genre. Many players will want to experience what is already available to play, while also taking the chance to familiarize themselves with upcoming games like The Callisto Protocol, the Dead Space Remake, Scorn, and the Resident Evil 4 Remake, which is suspected to be heavily featured in a Capcom showcase this month. However, there is the opportunity to see what fans can accomplish as well.
A YouTube teaser by Matheus Morina shows what is possible on Unreal Engine 5. This 1-minute and 23-second long video takes viewers into an apartment on a stormy night. The player walks through the building and then stumbles upon a crime scene, only to realize that they are not alone. The description of the video states that it was made to showcase tests with lumen lighting, suggesting that the light illuminating the apartment is coming from light bulbs and other natural sources of lighting. However, video games don't always have to look photo-realistic to push the medium forward, such as the recent wave of indie horror games made in PS1-era graphics.
What is most impressive about the teaser, other than the lighting and sound design, is what appears to be an uncommon gameplay mechanic. When the character sprints at the end, they are not running in a straight path, as their movement reflects the fear and disoriented nature that would come from being in a high-stress situation. This gameplay mechanic, which seems to change how the player moves through the game based on the situation, adds a level of immersion that more accurately mimics an adrenaline rush and the associated fears and anxieties that come with it. PT is the most notable of recent horror games to experiment with different gameplay concepts, even though it was only a demo. Even so, PT has made somewhat of a recent comeback due to jailbroken PS5s.
Horror is a special genre of gaming where the art design, sound design, music, narrative, and gameplay come together to produce results that can truly give the player an experience that is hard to replicate in other forms of entertainment. With developers pushing the horror genre further into what's possible with games on the upcoming PSVR2, such as Resident Evil Village, it is no surprise of the realism on display in Unreal Engine 5.