Project: Mara was announced today from Ninja Theory that looks to provide a new perspective to storytelling. The developers are calling the game “an experimental title and a showcase of what could become a new storytelling medium.” The announcement was made on Microsoft’s site, Xbox Wire, and gave a small look into fans can expect from the title.
Ninja Theory was bought by Xbox back in 2018, but before that, they made their name creating action games using motion-captured actors. They are known for their work with Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and their work into presenting mental illness inside a video game world.
Ninja Theory has been busy recently with its first Microsoft title Bleeding Edge. The game is a team-based multiplayer action game that is releasing in March. There has also been a ton of work done on their sequel to Hellblade and other exclusive content for the Xbox.
It appears that their research into mental health will be applied to this upcoming title. In Hellblade, the hero suffered from psychosis, which added an extra level of depth and emotion to the piece. By drawing attention to the issue, the game was met with praise from many critics and players. If the same research was used to create a horror game, then there could be an extra unexpected level of fear found within this title.
This idea is a tad off-putting for many as the company promises this next game to be a “real-world and grounded representation of mental terror.” The application of their research pointed towards a fear-based game will be a sight to see and is sure to shock the entire horror genre into a new evolution.
Last year, Ninja Theory announced The Insight Project and the work they are doing to combine video games and medical research. The project is an “ambitious combination of technology, game design, and clinical neuroscience brought together with the aim of generating strategies to alleviate mental distress.”
More information is sure to be released about this mysterious new title, and if time is any evidence, the game is sure to be immersive and passionately crafted. Ninja Theory has a reputation to upkeep and an expectation of quality that they are sure to maintain.
Fans are already beginning to gather on Reddit, Discord, and other online boards to discuss this upcoming title. From dissection of the name to the idea of mental terror, the fans are working hard to uncover the secrets that Ninja Theory has laid in place.
