Today at PAX East, Gearbox and developer Under The Stairs announced and revealed Eyes in the Dark: The Curious Case of One Victoria Bloom. The game focuses on Victoria Bloom, a young girl searching for her grandfather who is lost somewhere in Bloom Manor, the family home that darkness has overrun. In order to find her grandfather, Victoria has to utilize light, finding extra flashlight batteries and collecting powerful new items to upgrade her arsenal so she can take down mysterious Guardians throughout Bloom Manor. Eyes in the Dark: The Curious Case of One Victoria Bloom launches July 14, 2022, for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Eyes in the Dark is a rougelite platformer twin-stick shooter so players will be fighting as Victoria and exploring Bloom Manor with standard twin-stick actions. Along the way, she will find items and upgrades to mix up the combat mechanics. Victoria comes across the light-spreading shotgun bulb and matches that will set enemies ablaze. Items like these will have unique effects that players can utilize by trying different combinations and setups.
Bloom Manor will change with every playthrough. The arrangement and contents change. As players enter new areas, they can choose between multiple different ways to increase their power and difficulty of a run, tailoring each playthrough with every decision.
As players venture forth into Bloom Manor, they will learn more about the family’s past. Completing quests and fighting off monsters will unlock secrets about the eccentric Bloom family that could come in handy as they go deeper into the manor.
“Eyes in the Dark creates an atmosphere of loneliness and isolation, all while giving you the tools to ultimately come out of the experience as a stronger person,” said Filip Neduk, game designer at Under the Stairs. “Victoria’s trial – going through the mansion alone and facing her fears – mirrors the player’s need to learn and master the mechanics of the game to progress; you both go through this adventure together.”
“It’s an incredible feeling when you get to bring your hard work into the light after such a long time, both for us developers and for the characters we create, like Victoria Bloom,” continued Vladimir Bogdanić, director at Under the Stairs. “One of the beautiful things that the team focused on was making sure that no two playthroughs of the game would be the same, regardless of how you guide Victoria. I’m ecstatic for fans to switch on their own flashlights and experience Eyes in the Dark on July 14th.”