Zombie Studios pulled the veil off the first Unreal Engine 4 title Friday during DICE Summit 2013.
"Daylight" casts players as an unnamed woman who wakes in a dark building with no idea of how she got there or how to get out. The player will have to navigate environments and uncover clues to the story and look for a way to escape.
"The player doesn't have a name. We don't give any backstory on the player," said creative director Jared Gerritzen. "She literally wakes up and you need to find your way through, but there's a lot of story elements."
The story was written by Jessica Chobot, a regular on several IGN programs.
Each playthrough of the game lasts about 30 minutes, but the environments change each time a new playthrough begins. Gerritzen said each time the player loads the game, it will be a new experience in psychological horror.
“Different players will have a totally different experience. You’re essentially a rat in a cage, but the cage is an asylum and it’s scary as hell," he said. "You need to find your way out, and each time you do it it’s completely different.”
Unlike most games these days, players will have no weapons. The character will have a cell phone, which can act as a warning when phantoms -- the enemies in the game -- come around. The phone will also become "possessed" and play flashbacks that will fill in the story. The phone also operates as a video camera, compass and a "torch" to see in dark places. Other light sources will include flares and glowsticks. Zombie Studios is taking full advantage of the new engine's capacity for dynamic, real-time lighting effects to enhance the gameplay.
"Daylight" will be released some time in 2013 on Steam for $20 or less, with additional chapters to follow later.
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