Half-Life 2 and Dishonored dev is making a Souls-like FPS

A job listing on LinkedIn sparked the rumor mill, although the post was promptly removed. The company behind the job advertisement was Eschatology Entertainment, a firm spearheaded by CEO Fuad Kuliev and boasting Antonov as the Visual Director. Though the actual job listing vanished before anyone could secure a screenshot, it left quite an impression.

A glimpse into Eschatology Entertainment's website provides insight into the project. The company's first title, it appears, is centered on a gunslinger grappling with existential questions in a world succumbing to cataclysm. This narrative concept's premise blends compelling storytelling with a hardcore gaming experience. Meanwhile, tags like "AAA," "Apocalyptic West," "FPS," "Hardcore," "Narrative," and "Souls-like" further hint at the nature of the game, suggesting a fusion of post-apocalyptic storytelling with intense gameplay.

The job posting was for a "studio head level designer," indicating the need for a seasoned professional to work on the AAA game.

With a team of over 50 developers working diligently on the studio's first project, which started development last year, the company isn't expected to make a formal announcement anytime soon.

Antonov's involvement in a Souls-like game could indicate a significant shift in the genre. The hallmark features of Souls-like games, such as bonfires, potion recharge, experience drop on death, and perilous attack system, are likely to feature in this new project. But with Antonov at the helm, these elements could be poised to take on new dimensions. It's easy to anticipate the blending of Souls-like gameplay mechanics with a rich, deeply engaging narrative and atmospheric world-building, much like Antonov's previous works. But as the popularity of Souls-like games has grown, so has a degree of skepticism about their difficulty level. There are those who perceive these games as too challenging, with the frequent deaths and daunting bosses proving too frustrating. Yet, others argue that the difficulty is part of the appeal and is more about perception than reality. They contend that the true challenge lies in overcoming the mental barrier, asserting that strategies like over-leveling can make boss battles manageable, even easy.

While still in its early days, the mere thought of Antonov spearheading a Souls-like FPS AAA title is a tantalizing prospect. The combination of his award-winning artistic vision, narrative prowess, and a genre that has enjoyed a surge of popularity suggests that this project could be a genre-defining masterpiece.

In the meantime, fans of Antonov's work can look forward to seeing what Arkane Lyon is working on as well.