First-person horror games are some of our favorite kind, as they bring the scary stuff right in front of your character's eyes. In Black Lake, developer Polydin Studio ups that ante by setting this spooky psychological/survival horror game not just in an abandoned orphanage in search of your missing twin sister, but one that's abandoned and floating at sea. It's in development for PC and consoles, with the PC version due out in Winter 2027 and the console versions expected to follow in mid-2027. Check out the first trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.
Polydin describes the story setup as follows: "You play as Elena, who returns to the place where she grew up after receiving a message from her missing twin sister, Rita. The orphanage should have been empty. Instead, its halls are still warm, the bells are ringing again, and something has been moving through the walls. As Elena follows Rita’s trail, she uncovers the remains of a forbidden ritual tied to the children who vanished from the orphanage years ago. Some of them may still be here, though not in any form she remembers."
You'll utilize tools like your phone, candles, and lantern to stay alive, with light being particularly crucial. The developers note that "some creatures fear the scent of burning wax," so have fun with that one! You'll encounter plenty of puzzles along the way that are centered around rituals, utilizing objects in the environment. The endless black ocean surrounds you, your weapons will be limited, and in a particularly terrifying twist, Polydin says you'll need to "hide, distract, evade, and survive terrifying creatures formed from the orphanage’s missing children and staff." Peachy!
You can wishlist Black Lake on Steam if you're interested.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
