The ‘70s and ‘80s treated horror fans to plenty of Italian giallo horror films. Directors like Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava treated viewers to films that ranged from creepy to bizarre to goopy. Vibrant reds, purples, and greens filled the screens as protagonists witnessed terrors surreal and unimaginable.
For horror fans who love both video games and movies, there’s a lot to look forward to in the near future with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game. But if you’re looking for an original game that’s inspired by the classics while telling its own story, you’d do well to keep an eye out for Saturnalia from Santa Ragione and Big Trouble.
Set in 1989 Italy, Saturnalia follows four playable characters as they attempt to uncover the mystery of an ancient ritual that occurs every year in their town. You’ll explore a labyrinthine village drenched in rich, vibrant, neon hues and encounter surreal terrors. The deck is really stacked against you, as you won’t be able to fight the horrors you witness — instead, you’ll have to run and hide in order to survive the living nightmares, much like in series such as Outlast and Layers of Fear.
Visually, Saturnalia looks really interesting and is right in line with something like 1977’s Suspiria. The game’s heavy use of neon colors should warm the hearts of any horror fans who dig old school giallo movies. That’s one of the things that made those old Italian horror films so enjoyable — they were as beautiful to look at as they were unsettling.
We won’t have to wait too long to play Saturnalia. The game is due out on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on October 27. Just in time for Halloween!
