Rumours have been swirling that newly announced survival horror and PS5 exclusive, Abandoned, is actually a secret Hideo Kojima project. Perhaps even that it is Silent Hill in disguise. Announced on the PlayStation Blog and promoted on the official PlayStation social media channels, Abandoned comes from little-known developers, Blue Box Game Studios.
Twitter users were justifiably suspicious given the non-existant history of Blue Box. What’s more, there are similarities between Abandoned‘s announcement and the enigmatic announcements of previous Kojima titles. The game gives off an undeniable P.T./Silent Hill vibe. So, is the mysterious Abandoned really a new Hideo Kojima title in disguise?
Is Abandoned PS5 Silent Hill?
Ever since Abandoned‘s debut, fans of Silent Hill have wondered if it is actually a brand new instalment of the classic horror series in disguise. And it seems it very well could be.
The allusive Blue Box Studios behind Abandoned don’t have much of a history. And despite “confirming” their new game isn’t a Kojima or Konami related project, things still indicate otherwise.
To make things even more interesting, Blue Box Studios tweeted the following on June 15th:
The cryptic tweet lead many to suspect they were teasing a Silent Hill reveal. Soon, however, the studio tweeted the following in response to fan speculation:
Even though they’ve seemingly confirmed their first tweet was not, in fact, about Silent Hill, we’re dubious. It builds hype for the upcoming reveal while also maintaining the mystery. That said, if Abandoned turns out not to be Silent Hill, this social media stunt could have massively backfired. Why, after all the speculation Blue Box have combated already, they’d tweet something like this is anyone’s guess. And it could infuriate many hopeful fans. Nonetheless, it seems all will be revealed soon.
Is Abandoned PS5 a Hideo Kojima game?
The short answer: no.
As mentioned, speculation was running rampant that Abandoned‘s enigmatic nature meant t it was a secret Hideo Kojima title. For those that don’t know, Hideo Kojima is the highly regarded creator of the hugely popular Metal Gear series. He also made 2019’s polarising but ground-breaking Death Stranding. Metal Gear Solid V‘s announcement featured an equally mysterious trailer and was billed from a non-existant developer, Moby Dick Studio. Clearly, Abandoned fits Kojima’s MO. But, alas, Abandoned is not a spiritual successor to Kojima’s cancelled Silent Hills.
Blue Box Game Studios released the following on their official (but sparse) website confirming that fact:
Abandoned PS5 trailer
Here is the Abandoned PS5 announcement trailer, released on 7th April, 2021.
The game looks gorgeous and is graphically impressive. However, the trailer’s voiceover does spoil the creepy vibe somewhat. It also highlights the studio’s lack of experience in marketing console games. That doesn’t mean it should be written off, just that Blue Box has a way to go if they want to emulate the style utilised by Hideo Kojima and other big budget developers.
What is Abandoned PS5 about?
Details on Abandoned are scarce, but the official announcement does give us some insight:
“The story is centered around Jason Longfield, who wakes up in a strange forest. Abandoned and not remembering how he got there, Jason soon finds out that he was kidnapped and brought there for a dark purpose. Fighting for his survival, his main goal is escape.”
Judging from that brief synopsis, Jason will be fighting against some kind of malevolent force to secure his escape from the forest. The phrase “dark purpose” leads us to believe Jason’s kidnappers may be involved in satanic rituals or witchcraft, which could give the game a spooky and menacing Blair Witch-esque atmosphere.
When is Abandoned PS5 release date?
A release date for Abandoned on PS5 was given at the end of the trailer. Although it wasn’t all that specific. We can expect to see it arrive exclusively on Sony’s PlayStation 5 in Q4 2021.
Is Abandoned a PS5 exclusive?
Unfortunately for Xbox and PC gamers, Abandoned is confirmed to be a PlayStation 5 exclusive. The announcement on PlayStation Blog by Blue Box Studio’s Hasan Kahraman confirmed the game will be “coming exclusively to PS5 this year [2021]”.
Is there Abandoned PS5 gameplay?
The announcement trailer featured brief glimpses of protagonist Jason Longfield. In the trailer, he’s seen exploring a photo-realistic snowy woodland and holding a pistol. Beyond that, there wasn’t much to be seen, but Blue Box Games have promised “a full gameplay video will be available soon”.
Luckily, the announcement blog post contained some further insight into how Abandoned on PS5 will play, look, and feel:
Gameplay details
“We want to deliver a uniquely personal gameplay experience, one that feels realistic. Every event has an influence on your character. If Jason is out of breath after sprinting (or is afraid), his firing accuracy will suffer. Unlike action shooter titles, firing weapons in Abandoned will be realistically slow. You will need to be tactical in order to survive.”
The post continues:
“Our studio is focused on crafting a cinematic style, first-person story. This is no fast-paced shooter in which you just run, aim and shoot. Abandoned requires you to hide and plan every shot before pulling the trigger. We want you to be nervous come each and every enemy encounter. To be aware that a wrong move can be the deciding factor between surviving a combat scenario or not.”
Dualsense Controller
Shedding light on how the PS5’s DualSense controller will be used in Abandoned, they explained:
“We wanted to emphasise realism through user immersion. This would not be possible without the DualSense wireless controller. Players will feel each and every interaction during gameplay – such as being struck by a bullet. Pulling the trigger on a loaded or unloaded gun will feel different. Equally 3D audio will help shape your decisions and tactics, using the accurate positioning of gunshots out in the wilds to help decide your next move.”
Graphics
Talking about the graphical and processing prowess of the PS5, Kahraman said:
“Our team is still unravelling the power of PS5 but we’ve made amazing progress so far. The console allows us to process high quality motion capture, all running at 60 FPS and rendered at a native 4K resolution. We’re making sure the environmental quality is as close to the real thing as possible. In all, the result is realistic graphics, smooth character animations and minimal loading screens.”
Are you excited for Abandoned? Let us know your thoughts on the PlayStation 5’s new and exclusive psychological horror game in the comment section below. And don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles!
–
Featured Image Credit: Blue Box Game Studios
