Today, Norway-based independent studio Rock Pocket Games announced a brand-new, psychological horror, sci-fi game: Moons of Madness.

An H.P. Lovecraft inspired first-person introspective narrative driven game (that's a mouthful), Moons of Madness explores the internal struggles of astronaut Shane Newehart and the supernatural events that occur on research station Trailblazer Alpha, the first scientific outpost on the planet Mars. According to Rock Pocket Games, Moons of Madness relies on the following three core mechanics:

  • Combining hard science, based on meticulous analysis of NASA and Space X research, with Lovecraftian horror.

  • An innovative feature called “Zone Outs” that simulates Lovecraftian madness. Players are exposed to hallucinations and visions they play through as part of the game. They have to understand what the visions are expressing as they foreshadow certain events mapping out the character’s history.

  • Exploring mental illness through various game modes without antagonizing the medical condition itself.

If you're going to be at Gamescom later this month you will be able to actually get your paws on a playable version that will be showcased as part of the Indie Arena Booth, Hall 10.1 A-020. How much of the game will be playable (or what part) wasn't divulged.

Moons of Madness is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It is slated to release sometime during either Q2 or Q3 2018 at an unknown price-point.

Below, you can check out the game's debut trailer which accompanied its announcement: