Classic survival-horror has been experiencing a renaissance in recent years. In addition to the critically and commercially successful Resident Evil remakes of the series' PS1-era sequels, developers in the indie gaming space have been hard at work creating new titles that inject modern game design and quality of life features into a low-poly PS1 aesthetic. 2022 saw the release of the excellent Signalis, a moody and atmospheric blend of Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid set in a dystopian sci-fi future. Fans of that game and other classics in the survival-horror genre now have another new title to look forward to - solo indie developer Vincent Adinolfi's Heartworm.
Heartworm is a love-letter to the progenitors of the genre - titles such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Alone in the Dark, and others that stand as the archetypes for what is now considered survival-horror. The developer released a demo for the game in late 2022 and, after receiving feedback from players, has recently updated the demo with some tweaks to the balancing and mechanics. While the title was originally targeting a Q4 2023 release window according to Steam, the developer has now pushed that date back to early 2024. If the demo is any indication, the final 1.0 release will be well worth the wait.
Heartworm and Resident Evil's Shared DNA
In a story setup that echoes both Resident Evil and Silent Hill, the beginning of the Heartworm demo sees players entering a small remote town where a mysterious house is said to house secrets that allow one to communicate with the dead. After some brief exposition players are given control over the game's protagonist, Sam, who has arrived at the house and needs to find a way in. While the game doesn't use the infamous "tank controls" of the original trilogy of Resident Evil titles, the fixed camera angles and inability to move while aiming weapons (which, in the case of Heartworm, is simply a camera) will feel and look familiar to fans of PS1-era survival-horror. In a clever nod to the older entries in the Resident Evil series, one of the first areas in the house players can explore is a safe room that features calm and inviting music alongside a computer to save the game in place of the iconic typewriter.
Another area where Heartworm wears its inspirations proudly on its sleeve is in its implementation of puzzles. Though the demo only features a handful of puzzles, the ones that are on display are indicative of some clever design choices and require players to search the environment thoroughly for clues and documents that might help guide toward solutions. Heartworm even goes so far as to feature two disclaimers at the beginning of the demo, one that warns of the game's violent content and another that suggests players have a pen and paper handy for some of the more complex puzzles in store. While the few puzzles in the demo might not be too taxing for longtime fans of the genre, Heartworm is showing lots of promise toward staying true to the original formula popularized by Resident Evil.
A Narrative That Brings Silent Hill To Mind
Playing Heartworm might feel like hopping into a time machine back to 1996 and firing up the original Resident Evil, but the setting and plot share more in common with the existential dread and psychological horror of Silent Hill than they do with the schlocky B-movie camp and horror commonly associated with the early RE titles. As the demo opens, the scene is reminiscent of the opening titles of Twin Peaks, with Sam driving her car up a lonely mountain road into a desolate town in the mountains. It does not take long for Heartworm to begin preying on players' expectations and perceptions of reality, as doors that seemingly lead to nowhere open up to reveal haunting images and mysterious temporal or dimensional displacements. The game isn't Night of the Living Dead as much as it is Jacob's Ladder.
Similar to last year's Signalis, Heartworm is shaping up to be a new title in the survival-horror genre that carefully straddles the line between homage to the genre classics and breaking new ground while sporting a retro aesthetic. Even though the full release of the game is still some months away, the demo shows promise and is sure to please longtime survival-horror fans and newcomers alike. When one considers that this project is largely the work of a solo developer, the results become even more impressive. Taking into account the pedigree of games that Heartworm lists as its inspirations, and the degree to which it faithfully adapts aspects of those titles, the future of the game appears, ironically, bright.
Heartworm is targeting an early 2024 release for PC and consoles