The Penumbra: Black Plague demo from Paradox Interactive. A first-person horror adventure game that follows Phillip on a quest to find his father.
Story
I woke in an old, concrete office room, damp with the smell of rot and death. The mattress beneath me was worse still, though the memory of the events that lead me there was the terrifying realisation of all. I was in a complex, some way beneath the Greenland snow, and had been attacked. From the raw scratches across my back, I figured I'd been dragged to this make shift prison, but to what end?
The screams from a nearby cell went no great way to answering my questions, but raised a few of their own. Only one cast iron conclusion dared rear its head - escape.
On fleeing his cell, Philip's fate is once again set in motion. The facility he emerges into is a far cry from the barren mines that brought him here - a hi-tech research station almost devoid of human life.
Philip continues on his quest to recover his father, the adventure he set out on in Penumbra: Overture, but as events unfold, he finds his ill-fated companion Red's warning ringing in his ears.
This time, Philip will be accompanied by more than one voice calling from the darkness. This time, perhaps they can be trusted?
Make the leap of faith. Discover the truth.
Gameplay
Penumbra: Black Plague is a first person horror adventure focussing on story, immersion and puzzle solving. Unlike Penumbra: Overture, violence and combat are not even an option - the player has to use his/her wits to guide Philip through his final test, and this makes the game unique in offering a truly dangerous and terrifying experience.
Played from a first person perspective and powered by a 3D engine utilising cutting edge technology, Penumbra: Black Plague is a true advancement to the adventure genre. The unique physics system allows for true environmental interaction in a way only comparable its predecessor. The player can open drawers, pull levers, pick up objects and now manipulate those objects in 3D space - all using natural mouse movements, creating a highly interactive and immersive game world.
The Penumbra series' central character, Philip, is realistically vulnerable, while enemies are fierce and intelligent. Any object can be picked up and thrown in defence, but the end result might only be to buy some time or, more likely, anger enemies further. Avoiding, outwitting and sneaking past enemies entirely provide the best chance of survival.
Penumbra: Black Plague will put players on edge like never before as they explore bizarre and mysterious environments, the unknown awaiting them behind every corner. The world is detailed both in terms of graphical fidelity and narrative character - Penumbra: Black Plague is a horrific experience that will grip players from its opening thrills to it chilling denouement.
Thank you for posting this. I was dissapointed the demos weren't on the official site anymore, so it's a good thing there's the backup here now. :)