Frictional Games, the studio behind the acclaimed Amnesia series, has unveiled its latest endeavour: a “spiritual successor” to its existentially harrowing sci-fi horror Soma. It’s called Ontos and it’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC next year.
Ontos takes place on a repurposed moon hotel known as Samsara, which players – in the role of Aditi Amani – are drawn to following an invitation from their estranged father. As Frictional explains, however, Samsara is no ordinary outpost and is instead a place “where reality fractures [and] where truths are buried beneath layers of deception and obscurity.”
“Venture through repurposed spaces where the surreal becomes captivating,” it continues, “labs built in lavish casinos and dramatic theatre stages; experiments set up in emptied pools; strange machines built in ancient moon caves, and much more. Every corner of Samsara tells a story, and every story has something hiding beneath the surface, waiting to be found.”
The studio is calling Ontos a sci-fi mystery featuring “tactile, systems-driven gameplay” and an immersive narrative. There’s talk of materials to scavenge, machinery to manipulate, and ancient analogue systems requiring hands-on interaction – with ingenuity and research said to be your most valuable tools.
“Ontos presents a gauntlet of chilling experiments and disturbing encounters that push the boundaries of both science and morality,” Frictional elaborates. “Each test invites you to peel back another layer of a world that takes you one step closer to the ultimate truth. Confront existential questions that will make you question the nature of the soul, suffering, and the very fabric of reality itself… Your choices echo forward, and you must be prepared to face the consequences. Foresight is paramount, but even what you judge to be the best moral actions can lead to devastating outcomes.”
It’s certainly intriguing stuff, even if Ontos’ precise nature remains a bit of a mystery right now. Expect more to be reveal in the run-up to its release next year, and you’ll find a little extra information over on Steam.
