The Sony State of Play in June 2026 showed off a lot of promising upcoming titles, including a survival horror game that has some similarities between the Outlast and Resident Evil series. Sporting some comparisons to Dead Space as well, horror fans will appreciate the foreboding atmosphere, terrifying enemies, and brutal style this game is already setting up. With elements of body horror and visceral action, the relentless terror of this title makes it one to keep an eye on.
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Intensity within horror games is something that is often underappreciated with some titles in the genre, with action and terror oftentimes having a hard time blending together. The most scare-inducing survival horror games tend to mix realism with overwhelming eeriness that explodes into full-blown tension, challenging even veterans to not make mistakes. Just like Alien: Isolation creates a unique obstacle with its learning Xenomorph AI, the best survival horror experiences are ones that are unpredictable.
ILL Combines Bloody Horror Similar To Outlast With Survival Horror Mechanics From Resident Evil
ILL is a recently announced 2027 survival horror game developed by Team Clout, a relatively new studio comprised of veterans from the horror scene. This title is being made by the most experienced people in horror, with creators being experts from across horror media, not just games. Many developers are experts in creating pulse-pounding horror, having worked on films like Longlegs, V/H/S/Beyond, IT: Welcome to Derry, Azrael, and much more. The skill on display in this game is truly fascinating, and present the most in how enemies are truly spine-chilling to face.
With twisted grins, shredded flesh, and exposed bones, the Aberration monsters of ILL are uncanny at every step, and represent the source of evil within the game. As your character navigates a large research fortress crawling with these creatures, you’ll have to deal with mutations and variations of Aberrations that make fights for survival frantic and bloody affairs. Similar to the claustrophobic feel of Outlast‘s insane asylum, Aberrations are relentless and leave quite the impression due to the terror they evoke in each encounter.
The body horror of Aberrations is powered by top-notch visuals and a visceral dismemberment system present in ILL. Your character can tear apart Aberrations without mercy, leading to gory finishers and ripped flesh at constant points throughout your journey. Much like the Resident Evil series, part of the challenge of ILL is finding the right tools to survive, with tactile resource management limiting what you’re able to carry at any given time. Unlike Resident Evil, though, your weapons have a chance to fail at times, leading to panicked moments and an extra emphasis on gear maintenance.
Thankfully, modifying and upgrading weapons can help you face stronger Aberrations and reduce the risk of malfunctions. Strategic inventory organization is always important, but part of planning comes from quick reactions to how enemies behave. Dynamic enemy AI is far more complex than Outlast or Resident Evil in ILL, as enemies can use the environment to give them an upper hand. Your actions trigger responses from an Aberration, similar to the Xenomorph from Alien: Isolation. Enemies can dodge attacks and react to their surroundings, creating a disturbing human-like foe who is far smarter than you think.
Terrifying Enemy & Level Designs Already Create Nauseating Encounters For Diehard Horror Fans
The story trailer for ILL shows just how far the mechanics of the game are pushed, especially in the blood and gore. Aberrations you injure are like hardened zombies, unleashing tendrils from their blood and moving like the shapeshifting creature from The Thing. The gross facsimile of humanity still on them, Aberrations can be encountered in tight spaces, leading to close-up encounters meant to create raw fear.
Level design also leads you to cramped corridors, air ducts, sewers, and cold stone facilities of the snowbound fortress ILL takes place in. This only serves to make enemies even more horrifying to space, similar to how fighting the Necromorphs in the original Dead Space was far harder due to the space station’s restricted rooms. The first-person perspective only adds to the survival horror feel, acting very close to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard or Resident Evil Village in its execution.
Even though you seem to have plenty of different firearms and melee weapons to aid in your survival, it cannot be overstated how visceral and scary the Aberration enemies are. Much like the insane figures of the Outlast series, each enemy has a distinct quality to them that makes them stand out, whether its a full-white smile or a severed head whose stump sprouts tentacled blood vessels. For fans of this in-your-face, X-rated body horror in this genre of games, ILL is a promising title to look forward to in 2027.
What do you think of ILL after its initial story trailer? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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