Publisher Funcom and developer Rock Pocket Games have announced Moons of Madness.
The cosmic horror title is releasing during the Halloween Season 2019, for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Featured above, you can view the latest trailer for the game.
You play as Shane Newehart, a technician on a secret research base on Mars built by the Orochi group. While you are only tasked with keeping the lights on until the transport ship Cyrano arrives with a replacement crew, things soon go wrong.
“Crucial systems are malfunctioning, the greenhouse is filled with a strange mist and the rest of your team has yet to return from their EVA mission.” Unbeknownst to Shane due to his low security clearance, “mysterious, intelligent signal that has been detected as coming from the red planet.”
“You begin seeing and hearing things that aren’t there. Visions, hallucinations – or is that even what it is? Is this real… or are you slowly descending into madness?”
Early prototype footage was shown off by the developer in August 2017 (and two earlier teaser trailers in 2017 and 2016). Funcom later became involved with the project as a publisher.
“After Funcom came onboard, the two Norwegian studios got together and took the initial concept to new heights through expanded gameplay and scope to fully realize the potential of the bone-chilling story.”
The game’s lore is now part of Funcom’s Secret World Legends– but while they are now in the same universe, the press release emphasizes playing one is not needed to enjoy the other.
Here’s a rundown on the game:
A mysterious signal has been recorded coming from the red planet.
The message confounded Orochi scientists. Their analysts broke it down and determined it was of intelligent origin. Orochi management immediately concluded that the discovery was too sensitive for public knowledge and moved to keep it hidden. In secret, the corporation began construction of Invictus, a state-of-the-art Mars research outpost designed to identify the true nature of the message.
You are Shane Newehart, a technician stationed at the Invictus and your security clearance means you are completely unaware of the existence of the mysterious signal. Your job is simply to keep the lights on until the transport ship Cyrano arrives bringing with it a new team to take over your duties.
Soon you discover strange and unusual setbacks. Crucial systems are malfunctioning, the greenhouse is filled with a strange mist and the rest of your team has yet to return from their EVA mission.
Things are starting to fall apart.
You begin seeing and hearing things that aren’t there. Visions, hallucinations – or is that even what it is? Is this real… or are you slowly descending into madness?
Key Features:
- Experience true cosmic horror – With your only hope of rescue hundreds of thousands of miles away, you will be forced to explore the real-world fears of isolation and paranoia, enhanced with supernatural elements and cosmic horror. Terrifying visions and monstrous apparitions will make you question what is real and what is not as the very fabric of reality threatens to tear at the seams.
- Explore the darker side of Mars – Navigate a functioning Mars base in a game that uses non-fiction elements to immerse players in a believable setting. Overcome obstacles using computers, electrical systems, rovers, solar panels and more, then go beyond the outpost and explore the darker side of Mars.
Moons of Madness draws upon the rich lore and mythology of Funcom’s Secret World Legends. Both games exist in the same thematic universe, but playing one is not a prerequisite to enjoy the other.
