A new trailer for an upcoming Doom-like horror game has dropped online, and its vibes may just have us extremely excited for what comes next.
Those of you who are knowledgeable about the indie FPS scene may be familiar with Scumhead, a developer who has released several retro Doom throwbacks such as Mohrta, Vomitoreum, and the Shrine series.
If you enjoyed those games, youâll have plenty of reasons to be excited about Ringwyrm, its newly-revealed title that is set for a 2027 release.
Ringwyrm is described as an âimmersive action horrorâ, with survival and RPG elements also decorating the experience. Think of it as like a mix of the Pathologic games and Doom.
In it, you explore a nonlinear interconnected world similar to metroidvanias, another genre Scumhead has some experience in, and meet a large cast of memorable characters along the way.
From here, you are tasked with defeating a wide array of different monsters, all while avoiding various diseases and ailments which can slow you down.
The blurb on Ringwyrm reads: âSixteen years after Schovekia’s defeat in the Iron War, the young nation of Nordin-Gotts learns that the remnants of the defeated Schovek have migrated to a small island far to the north, known as the Umbral Isle. There, they find âMilk,â a strange and arcane element that rapidly transforms their society.
âYou are Edna Gotts, a war orphan. You, along with your sisters, have been conscripted for a military operation to the Umbral Isle. A simple recon mission will turn into an unending nightmare, as everyone, even those who discovered and exploited this “Milk,” learns what a mistake its use had becomeâŚâ
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Ringwyrm‘s approach to combat and worldbuilding is what makes the premise sound so interesting
What sets Ringwyrmâs combat apart from the rest is its unique take on how firing a weapon works. You canât aim and move at the same time, so you canât evade enemy attacks and shoot them back at the same time, youâve instead got to be strategic about where you attack from.
Meanwhile, the game takes the Dark Souls approach to worldbuilding, where you need to read item descriptions, grab books off shelves, and talk for hours with NPCs in order to get intimate with the setting. The story wonât be spelled out for you, but youâll be rewarded for paying close attention to whatâs happening around you.
This also extends to choices you make throughout the playthrough. One questline may lock out other endings and quests, while another could affect a different set of conditions completely. Every choice you make in Ringwyrm has a consequence, and this is rarely telegraphed to you.
Considering all this, weâre pretty excited for Ringwyrm. Scumheadâs previous games were all great, and it looks like this will be building on everything the developer does well, while also not feeling like itâs just the same thing again.
Unfortunately, no release date for the game has been announced yet. Scumhead plans to release Ringwyrm in 2027, so stay tuned for more information on that next year. You can wishlist it here on Steam.
