Dive into the mind of Daniel, a teenage boy who inherits a home from his estranged grandmother. As he moves in, Daniel meets the enigmatic Martha who knows more about the house than he would expect. As night falls, dark secrets hiding within the dwelling and Daniel’s past come out of the woodworks - secrets Daniel cannot seem to outrun…

Stray Souls combines beloved elements of Japanese survival horror games with an array of new tricks, including a variety of randomized systems where enemy encounters, item placement, paranormal activity and even weather patterns are always changing so no two playthroughs are exactly the same. Using the power of Metahuman technology and Unreal Engine 5, characters and environments are authentically brought to life, throwing you straight into the dread and dismay of the narrative.

Unlock the secrets hidden within the haunted town of Aspen Falls, featuring gruesome enemy encounters, epic bosses, cunning puzzles, and a deep story where not everyone is who they seem. Fight terrifying creatures, solve mind-bending puzzles, and unravel a horrid family secret to expose the chilling truth behind your existence.

The Sacred Gun Lore, dives into the shadowy history of protagonist Daniel’s shimmering golden gun. It turns out that this deringer isn’t just an ordinary gun, but one with a long, storied history and mystical powers. In fact, it was actually the gun John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, though that was only one small part of its blood-soaked past. The full blog post offers further insight into the accursed weapon Daniel unknowingly yields, and its importance to the shadowy religious sect, the Inner Circle.

Daniel’s problems began the very moment he inherited his deceased grandmother’s home. It started with a few odd sounds and shadows moving in the corner of his eye–stuff he could easily explain away. However, soon the activity became too aggressive to ignore.

With his life in danger, a mysterious stranger named Martha enters the picture, who seems to know more about Daniel’s situation than she’s letting on. She gives him a gun to protect himself against the dark forces chasing him down, but as with most things in Aspen Falls, it’s not entirely what it seems.

Today, we examine the secrets that it holds…

The Sacred Gun: A Bloodied History

At first glance, the gun Daniel wields in Stray Souls might appear as a typical firearm, unremarkable in its appearance. However, take heed, this pistol plated in shimmering gold conceals a history as murky as the depths of a shadowy abyss. This weapon’s journey stretches back through time, leaving behind a trail of bloodshed and sorrow that spans centuries.

In its origins, this gun was the lethal instrument – the very Deringer – that fell into the hands of John Wilkes Booth. With it, he sealed the fate of President Abraham Lincoln in the year 1865. Strange beliefs soon swirled around the pistol, notions that the tragedy had imbued it with an unparalleled spiritual potency.

This notion drove the Inner Circle to orchestrate a surreptitious scheme: steal the weapon, and replace it with a perfect copy. Their heist succeeded without a hitch, and the replica found its place on display within the Ford Theater museum – a counterfeit relic hiding in plain sight.

Through the years that followed, the pistol underwent a series of alterations. It was subtly transfigured with fragments salvaged from ancient religious relics, their significance intertwined with mystical aura. Thus reborn as “The Sacred Gun,” its stewardship was entrusted to the sheriff of Aspen Falls, a guardian who employed it to shield the town from both human and otherworldly interferences, whatever form they might take.

Yet, with each discharge, a portion of the Sacred Gun’s vitality was syphoned away. The Inner Circle convened annually for a ritual specifically crafted to rejuvenate the weapon’s spiritual vigor. During this ceremony, the aged components were swapped with fresh counterparts, pieced together from remnants of sanctified artifacts retrieved from all corners of the globe.

Through this arcane rite, the gun evolved both in form and function, an embodiment of unceasing enhancement. This annual observance evolved into an eerily festive celebration in the heart of Aspen Falls – a holiday tinged with an otherworldly reverence.

As the date of the impending rite drew near, all seemed to proceed according to the script… until the Sacred Gun was stolen. Deprived of its essential upgrades, the pistol lay dormant, its full potential unrealized. Only through the retrieval of these absent elements could the Sacred Gun be restored to its zenith of power.

The manner in which Daniel came to possess this relic remains a riddle, yet one truth remains steadfast: the Inner Circle will yield to no obstacles in their quest to reclaim it. Oblivious to its true purpose and potency, Daniel stands as an unwitting guardian, unknowingly cradling a force that draws peril closer with each passing second.

Key Features:

• Explore the town of Aspen Falls and surrounding areas to uncover a malevolent plot set in motion at Daniel's birth.
• Immerse yourself in Daniel's story. Choose responses at key moments through branching dialogue options, shaping Daniel's tone and personality.
• Fight hordes of nasty creatures or run for your life. Simplified combat without massive loadouts puts the focus on strategizing combat tactics and resource management.
• Solve dozens of clever puzzles with out of the box solutions to test your wit.
• Randomized systems ensure that enemy encounters, item locations, changing weather patterns, and strange phenomena all occur at various places, making each playthrough unique.

 Stray Souls is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam) on Halloween 2023.