Tenebris Somnia brings Alan Wake 2-style live-action scenes to retro horror

Upcoming survival horror game Tenebris Somnia is mixing retro 2D gameplay with live-action cinematics when it launches on October 16. The approach recalls one of Alan Wake 2's most distinctive presentation tricks, although developer Andrés Borghi and Saibot Studios are applying it to a very different kind of horror game.

Publisher New Blood Interactive describes the game as a survival horror adventure inspired by classics such as Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Its pixel-art exploration, puzzles and combat will regularly give way to filmed sequences featuring real actors and practical effects.

The developers say the live-action sequences will trigger at important points in the story and show events from a completely different perspective. An award-winning film crew from Argentina created the footage using real actors and practical effects rather than relying entirely on computer-generated cinematics.

That creates an obvious comparison with Alan Wake 2, which frequently shifts between rendered gameplay and filmed material. The similarity is mainly in presentation, however, since Tenebris Somnia uses a side-on retro visual style rather than Remedy's photorealistic third-person environments.

Outside those cinematics, Tenebris Somnia plays much more like an old-school survival horror adventure. Players will explore 2D environments, solve puzzles, manage limited resources and fight creatures while uncovering the story behind the protagonist's nightmares.

Promotional footage has shown firearms, disturbing monsters and environmental puzzles alongside exploration. The developers are deliberately combining mechanics associated with 1990s survival horror with visuals closer to the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.

Tenebris Somnia will launch on October 16 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. New Blood's official site also confirms Steam and GOG releases, while the Steam version is already verified for Steam Deck.

The PC version will normally cost $24.99, with a 20% launch discount reducing it to $19.99 during the initial release period. Owners of New Blood's FAITH: The Unholy Trinity will receive an additional discount, while the publisher says it also plans aggressive regional pricing.

Players do not have to wait until launch to see how the two styles fit together. A free Steam demo is available now and includes examples of the game's pixel-art exploration alongside its filmed horror sequences.

The full release arrives on October 16, giving Tenebris Somnia a Halloween-season launch window. Its mix of traditional survival horror mechanics and live-action filmmaking gives the project a clear connection to techniques used by Alan Wake 2, but within a much smaller, deliberately retro production.