Recently we got to sit down with Ossin Wu - Head of Development at KUKRGAME, the developers behind recently-launched Dread Meridian. Dread Meridian is a Lovecraft-inspired VR game that...well, I'll Ossin tell you.
GT: Well...let's start with the obvious question. Are you guys alright? I've seen the videos and I worry for your sanity.
OW: Sometimes the whispers stop for long enough for us to get some proper rest... Jokes aside, Dread Meridian is a love letter to many of our favorite horror games, so we're doing more than alright!
GT: Tell us a bit about Dread Meridian. What do folks need to know?
OW: You play as Daniella, a researcher lost in the frozen island of Oglanbyen as it is spiraling into madness. With no means of escape, your only path forward is to dive deeper into the mystery of the island while surviving its terrifying inhabitants. Armed with your trusty knife and the weapons you scavenge along the way, Dread Meridian is a fight for survival in the face of near insurmountable odds.
GT: Tell us a bit about our protagonist Daniela - how has she come to Oglanbyen and ended up in this situation?
OW: Daniela set out to find her lost sister Bella after she disappeared while on a secret research project. Just before reaching the island, the ocean itself seemed to turn against their ship causing it to crash. Daniela ended up marooned on the island, determined to find her sister.
GT: VR is unique in that you aren't just watching the horror, you're in it. You are the protagonist - you feel the pressures and horror of the world around you. Was that the motivation for making a game for virtual reality?
OW: Dread Meridian was not our first VR title, and we wanted to create something unique building on our experience. In recent years, there has been less single-player, narrative horror games and we believed that fans of the genre would appreciate our dedication to making a standout for them to enjoy.
GT: Speaking of sanity, one of the most compelling aspects of Lovecraft content is how the protagonist deals with the slow erosion of their sanity. How does Dread Meridian handle that psychological damage?
OW: While experiencing Daniela's story, players can experience first-hand chaos and confusion that seeps into her thoughts. The line between truth and reality begins to fade as you unravel the mystery of what happened on Oglanbyen, and the tragic fate that awaits it. Only Daniella is able to see through this veil and survive the horrors of the island.
GT: From what we've seen of the videos, this game focuses on survival, but there's also an element of resource management and crafting. Can you talk a bit about how those work in VR?
OW: We wanted players to feel like they were truly fighting for survival against the monsters of Oglanbyen. In order to persist, you must scavenge for supplies, and carefully think about how you want to use them in each encounter. In addition, players can upgrade their weapons via weapon attachment supply stations scattered throughout the game. These attachments can increase your weapon's capabilities, allowing you to overcome even harder challenges.
GT: Beyond horror and resource management, there are also puzzles to solve, right?
OW: What is a narrative horror game without interesting puzzles? Players will have to think deeply and explore the levels for clues to progress through our levels. Not only do our chapters have engaging puzzles scattered throughout, but a few entire levels are puzzles within themselves.
GT: Without revealing too much, what sorts of enemies might Daniela encounter as she digs deeper into Oglanbyen?
OW: As can be seen in our release trailer, our monsters are quite terrifying. Shambling husks of once human origin, flesh-covered bats that spawn from the walls themselves, and many more even larger monstrosities. If players want to be spoiled even more, I would recommend checking out our trailer. We put a fair few teasers in there.
GT: I saw that you're accepting applications for folks to try out a multiplayer mode. Can you talk about that a bit?
OW: We received a lot of feedback from players saying they would love to experience this dark, foreboding horror atmosphere together with their friends. We set out to create a multiplayer mode where players can not only survive against terrifying monsters together, but also play as the monsters themselves! In our multiplayer PvP mode, teams of 2 players take turns playing as the humans trying to escape or the monsters trying to hunt them down. We really think players will love the unique monster gameplay available in the multiplayer mode that’ll be available to them as soon as the game releases.
GT: What platforms are you planning to launch on?
OW: We will be launching on Meta Quest and SteamVR on January 22nd.
GT: Thanks a bunch for your time, congratulations on the upcoming launch, and mostly thanks for inevitably scaring the hell out of me!
OW: We apologize in advance for the frightened screams your neighbors may hear! Thank you so much for the opportunity to share more about Dread Meridian and we'll see you in Oglanbyen!
