Neon-folk survival horror Saturnalia comes to PS4 and PS5 next month

blog.playstation.com:

They say it takes a village…and when it came to creating the village of Gravoi, that’s more than true. Saturnalia is a cultural mosaic, inspired in equal parts by cinema, theater, and even architecture—as well as classic video games that emphasize survival and exploration. The result is a deeply textured and thematically rich world, one that reflects a true-to-life influence while ultimately remaining otherworldly.

Once the team at Santa Ragione knew the game was to be set in the Sardinian region of Italy—a location not often represented in popular media—we understood we had a responsibility to the beautiful locales and authentic culture of the area. At the same time, our vision was for a horror story with a supernatural influence, necessitating an imaginative leap from the real world into something else altogether. That’s how Gravoi came to be: a fictional dreamscape that reflects the real Sardinia while standing on its own as a distinct and eerie setting.

The team conducted extensive location scouting throughout the island, taking countless photos and videos of villages and towns throughout Sardinia, from the ancient church of Bosa to the abandoned mines of Monteponi. With these resources in hand, we were able to meticulously design the town of Gravoi and its many unique twists and turns. 

With the aim of creating a procedurally-generated layout capable of reorienting itself once certain in-game conditions are met, the designers worked hard to ensure that each cobblestone sidestreet and narrow alleyway felt distinct and lived-in. The cathedral, storefronts and architecture that make up Gravoi are at once familiar and totally unique. But establishing a three-dimensional setting is only part of the storytelling process.