Tenebris Somnia is out now on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, and it is a genre mashup that resists a quick label. It is a 2D retro survival horror adventure whose story scenes are full-motion video cutscenes shot by an Argentine film crew, then spliced directly into play so a scripted moment can drop straight into combat. Players follow Julia, a woman whose nightmares about her ex-boyfriend being torn apart by monsters send her to his apartment, where the horror begins.
The project comes from filmmaker Andrés Borghi, known for The Black Heart, working with Saibot Studios, the team behind Hellbound. Publisher New Blood Interactive, which also released FAITH: The Unholy Trinity, DUSK, and Blood West, says the cutscenes used practical effects rather than computer-generated imagery, and that no generative AI was used anywhere in production.
How the live-action scenes change play
The cutscenes are not a separate reward; they are pressure. Because a scene can begin or end at any moment and push the player straight into an enemy encounter, there is no clean line between watching and fighting. The game otherwise follows classic survival horror rules: scarce resources, boss fights, puzzles, and sound design meant to keep tension high.
Production took roughly four years. Practical monster effects were supervised by Marcos Berta, known for the film When Evil Lurks, and lead performance comes from Argentine actress Clara Kovacic. The prosthetics were molded from performers’ faces and reapplied with makeup, a process the developers describe as taking hours each time.
Platforms, price, and early response
The Steam version costs $24.99 with a 20% launch discount to $19.99, is Steam Deck Verified, and carries a “Very Positive” early user rating. Owners of FAITH: The Unholy Trinity get an additional discount, and the publisher says it committed to aggressive regional pricing, especially in Latin America. The game also supports Xbox Play Anywhere on console.
New Blood says it hopes to release a full making-of documentary after launch. For players deciding whether to jump in, the pitch is narrow and specific: retro horror with practical-effects cutscenes that can interrupt the action without warning.
Sources
- Reporting source: GamerHeadlines
- Official announcement: Xbox Wire
- Store page: Steam
