As a certified fossil, growing up alongside the PS1’s library of gritty horror games was a pivotal part of my adolescence. Resident Evil was the first game to scare the shit out of me enough that I would drop the controller and run to my Mom in another room. Likewise, Silent Hill gave me nightmares and made me afraid to be alone in my room. Clock Tower gave me a fear of the sound of scissors. And King’s Field, well, that isn’t really a horror game. But in a weird, uncanny-PS1-graphics kind of way, it feels like one. Developer J. R. Hudepohl’s upcoming dungeon-crawlin’ horror, Labyrinth of the Demon King, seems to take a lot of inspiration from that era of games. And, after watching its latest trailer, I’m ready to be afraid again.
‘Labyrinth of the Demon King’ is the PS1 Horror classic we always dreamed of
Labyrinth of the Demon King is set in a Feudal Japanese era inhabited by demons. The game’s description on Steam reads, “Deceived by a powerful demon king, your lord led his army into an ambush. All perished except for you. Against your wishes your lord sacrificed his life to aid your escape from the battle. You have made a vow to track down the demon who betrayed your lord and end its life. You take what could possibly be your final breaths on this mortal plane, and prepare yourself to enter… The Labyrinth of the Demon King!”
So, standard “avenge your master” story, right? That is, until you see the surreal monstrosities haunting every corner of this hellscape. At first glance, it’s easy to chalk this up to King’s Field with spookies. However, Labyrinth of the Demon King looks like something much more. Like a living nightmare you’d only see in Japanese horror cinema.
Like our fellow Waypoint sicko Shaun Cichacki, I’m a huge sucker for lo-fi PS1 grittiness. There’s something about those unintelligible visuals that lends to a terrifying ambiguity that only that era of games can capture. And Labyrinth of the Demon King seems to understand that, presenting an old-school dithering filter and 4:3 resolution to really drive the point home. This isn’t technically a horror antique from the past, but it sure plays the part well.
Labyrinth of the Demon King is set to release May 13, 2025 on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
The post ‘Labyrinth of the Demon King’ Is Feudal Japanese Horror Meets ‘King’s Field’ and I’m All Aboard This Nightmare Train appeared first on VICE.
