During GameStar’s Find Your Next Game Showcase, the team at Variable State gave us our first look at gameplay for their upcoming sci-fi horror FPS, DEEPEST FEAR™. This nightmarish metroidvania shooter draws inspiration from the retro-future cinema of the 80s, with clear nods to classics like Aliens, The Abyss, and The Thing.
Following its world premiere at the PC Gaming Show, this new footage demonstrates the game’s intense atmosphere, delivering a chilling sense of claustrophobia. Players step into the boots of Dr. Danni Carroll, navigating the flooded halls of the deep-sea Neptune facility while fending off monstrous creatures that emerge from seemingly harmless water sources.
What is DEEPEST FEAR™?
Blending the mechanics of a Metroidvania with the depth of an FPS immersive sim, DEEPEST FEAR™ offers players a uniquely atmospheric and puzzle-driven horror experience. The Neptune facility itself becomes both an enemy and a puzzle to unravel, with players relying on creativity and quick thinking to survive.
Retro-Future Inspirations
DEEPEST FEAR™ channels the spirit of iconic 1980s sci-fi horror cinema. Drawing from movies like The Thing, The Fly, and The Abyss, and influenced by the works of legendary filmmakers such as James Cameron, John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, and Paul Verhoeven, the game captures the visceral horror, vivid characters, and bold storytelling that defined the era.
From the unsettling atmosphere to the retro-futuristic design, DEEPEST FEAR™ feels like a love letter to an age when sci-fi wasn’t afraid to be both terrifying and thought-provoking.
The Fear of Water
One of the game’s standout features is its use of real-time fluid simulation, making water itself a living threat. In Neptune’s flooded corridors, nightmarish entities emerge spontaneously from any water source, forcing players to stay constantly alert.
Adding to the tension, the environment is dynamic: rooms can flood without warning, sending dangerous currents sweeping through the facility. Whether it’s dodging rising tides or battling monsters born of the deep, water is never your ally in DEEPEST FEAR™.
A Story of Survival
As Dr. Danni Carroll, players are plunged into a deadly underwater maze, where dark secrets lurk at every turn. The game’s narrative combines deeply personal stakes with horrifying revelations, as Danni unravels the truth behind a sinister project linked to her estranged father.
Armed with ingenuity and a diverse arsenal of tools, players must fight their way to the heart of the Neptune facility, navigating its labyrinthine structure while piecing together a mystery that is as personal as it is terrifying.
With its unique combination of Metroidvania exploration, fluid-driven terror, and retro-future storytelling, this title is shaping up to be an unforgettable indie horror experience. I’m not the biggest fan of horror titles, but I will definitely keep this one under my radar since Alien Isolation is one of my top horror sci-fi games.
