Scarlet Lake is the first game developed by Nocturnal Interactive, but despite that, Scarlet Lake has a rather nostalgic feel. The game is a retro horror survival game with a similar feel to many classic horror games from the late 90s and early 2000s.
The demo for Scarlet Lake is currently available for download on Steam, so players can get a first look at the town of Scarlet Lake, check out its various secrets, and take on the creatures that inhabit the area. Game Rant recently spoke with developer Nocturnal Interactive about paying homage to Resident Evil 4, creating its retro art style, and how the game changed throughout development.
Scarlet Lake is a Retro-Modern Survival Horror Game
Scarlet Lake is a retro survival horror game that takes inspiration from Resident Evil 4. In fact, according to Nocturnal Interactive, “Scarlet Lake is one big love letter to Resident Evil 4.” That said, one key difference is that Scarlet Lake provides players with an isometric point of view as opposed to Resident Evil’s third-person over-shoulder perspective. When it came to landing on a style for Scarlet Lake, Nocturnal Interactive wanted to take many style elements from older games and add in a few newer mechanics to create a unique retro experience for the player.
“There are a series of distinct design features that led to the style of Scarlet Lake, where my intentions were to bridge a gap between old-school graphics and new school mechanics.
Firstly, the classic fixed camera style, while iconic, was something that I wanted to pay homage to but not utilize. The isometric approach is then what felt like the middle ground between modern over-the-shoulder horror and the old-school fixed view. I also wanted to emulate the low-resolution textures, and while researching a way to do this, I came across a plethora of games utilizing PSX filters and attempting to de-make games into that style. This led to me using a pixelation filter to have the benefit of 3D models and animation with the old-school aesthetic.”
Of course, game development is iterative and constantly changing, with Noctural Interactive explaining that it “probably took the better part of a year” to land on its current retro art style. Models improved, visual effects were added, and Scarlet Lake‘s retro design finally ended up where it is now. Playing through the demo makes this combination of old-school and newer game design readily apparent, so while Scarlet Lake is an upcoming horror game, there’s a touch of nostalgia to the game.
Taking Scarlet Lake From Day One To Today
Nocturnal Interactive is a solo developer. Everything from the style and story to the design and art style have all been selected and created by Nocturnal Interactive where, originally, Scarlet Lake was a detective game. Over time, Nocturnal Interactive changed and expanded upon features, and it quickly turned into a survival horror game. With systems in place, Nocturnal decided to release a demo for Scarlet Lake, while the developer works to prepare it for launch.
“Day one was full of experimentation and a lot of brainstorming. Before I even began putting together any systems, I wanted a rough idea of the game I wanted to make. The demo was released at a stage where all systems were in place, but not many of the levels were built. So the next few months are spent finishing off the remaining areas and polishing/testing before entering the final launch campaign.”
While there is no official release date set for Scarlet Lake, fans can still get involved and check out the demo. When asked for advice regarding the game’s demo, Nocturnal Interactive said, “Play around with the controls before you first encounter an enemy. Get used to aiming. Most importantly, have fun!“
Scarlet Lake is in development.