Aniplex and developer Cut to Bits, a Montreal-based studio comprising veterans who have worked on popular AAA titles such as BioShock Infinite, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, have announced their latest project, Venture to the Vile. This Metroidvania game takes players into a playfully sinister world and is set for release on consoles and PC via Steam in 2024.
Venture to the Vile immerses players in a rich narrative full of peculiar and memorable characters as they search for their missing best friend, Ella. The game’s world is filled with mystery and transforms based on the time of day or weather conditions. Players will gain new abilities to battle their enemies and will gradually transform into the monster they’re fighting against as the Vile consumes them.
As players uncover the truth about the Vile and face an uncertain future, they must make a difficult decision: embrace the next step in evolution or eradicate it. Absorbing the Vile grants the player more power but comes with a cost, as they take on the characteristics of the Vile and become increasingly grotesque and powerful.
The game offers a dynamic world where the time of day and weather conditions change the gameplay experience, opening up new quests, upgrades, monsters, and narratives to discover. Players will encounter over 40 quirky and charismatic NPCs, such as Dr. Crow, Mr. Finch and Mr. Dove, Ernie Sparrow, and Batty Badger, among others.
Venture to the Vile also features innovative puzzles that require players to use their logic skills and navigate challenging 3D environments within 2D spaces. Unlike conventional 2D games, Venture to the Vile encourages players to explore any area of the environment they can see and access.
Key features of the game include a vast array of skills and abilities to master, Victorian-inspired landscapes and art, innovative and challenging puzzles, a compelling narrative with decision-making elements, and a meticulously crafted eerie and ambient soundtrack.