14 DAY TRIAL // Stirring Abyss is the upcoming indie game from Finnish developer Sleepy Sentry, and the second indie title to be published under Slitherine's newly launched K-Project label. Unlike most of Slitherine's portfolio, Stirring Abyss is a tactical squad-based game with strong RPG elements and a Lovecraftian narrative.
“Stirring Abyss proves how different and innovative a strategy game can be. K-Project was created for this purpose: we look at different angles for the genre and different approaches to a sometimes tired niche. Good ideas often come from small, bold studios that are willing to experiment and we are here to fully support this,” said Marco Minoli, Marketing Director at Slitherine.
In Stirring Abyss players will explore the depths of the ocean as they take charge of the surviving crew of the USS Salem, a submarine struck by disaster whilst on a top-secret research mission in the early years of the Cold War.
According to developers, the game stays true to the Lovecraftian tradition of merging strange creatures and situations with a fearful yet immersive atmosphere. While investigating the uncharted seabed, players will face nightmarish creatures coming from the depths of the human mind as much as from the depths of the ocean.
Although the game doesn’t rely on jump scares or unexpected loud sounds, Stirring Abyss does take inspiration from classic board games and traditional RPGs, translating madness and exhaustion into game mechanics.
In fact, Stirring Abyss heavily draws inspiration from the short story The Temple by H.P. Lovecraft, in which a German submarine gets lost underwater during the First World War. Stirring Abyss follows the destiny of the members of the USS Salem’s crew, as they suffer from disturbing nightmares and hallucinations after the discovery of an ancient, cursed relic.
In Story Mode, players must unravel the mysteries of the depths in a desperate quest to rescue the missing crew members and repair the crippled Salem. However, the choices the players make will determine the fate of the crew, and, of course, that of the entire world.
Stirring Abyss also features an Endless Mode in which players' crews are fighting in a roguelike battle against a never-ending army of enemies that will grow stronger and stronger as they progress. The game doesn't have a release date yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam right now.
