The atmospheric indie game Silt is set to release on June 1, and will be the debut title of Spiral Circus Games.
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Limbo’s Eerie Style Combined with Subnautica’s Setting
Silt takes place in an underwater world where nature has evolved to the point that is no longer recognizable as an earthly ocean. It’s populated by all sorts of creatures, ranging from tiny fry to gargantuan beasts. The game’s environments also vary, with some appearing like deep-sea, bioluminescent biomes and others looking eerily mechanical — out of place in the depths of the ocean. This immediately conjures up an image of Subnautica and its terrifying setting.
Both games are set in the ocean, and while both certainly have a number of gorgeous environments, they also have their fair share of eerie set pieces and unsettling locations. As for the creatures in these games, Subnautica has its iconic Leviathans. On the other hand, Silt’s screenshots seem to suggest a mix of the classic deep-sea monstrosities as well as Lovecraftian entities. Finally, like in Subnautica, Silt hints at the presence of ancient machinery buried deep in the ocean, meaning there could be a greater mystery at play.
However, Silt boasts of an art style very different from Subnautica. While Subnautica is alien and vibrant, Silt is more muted and eerie. Its black and white visuals are more reminiscent of Limbo. Limbo took advantage of a monochromatic palette to instill a sense of dread and discomfort in its players. It highlights what the player needs to progress and conceals most of everything else. Silt does things a bit differently, however.
Though the monochromatic palette also does its job of highlighting and concealing the right elements, Silt makes use of a wider range of hues to create intricate backgrounds and foregrounds. It gives the environment a sense of depth, further emphasizing just how little the player is in contrast to the game’s underwater world. Additionally, the environments were constructed from the works of surreal artist Mr Mead, and the textured illustrations add more to the game’s visual appeal. The mix of rough, grainy, and other such drawings fit perfectly well in the underwater setting.
Aside from the general aesthetic, Silt is also similar to Limbo in that it’s a puzzle game that relies on environmental puzzle-solving. However, Silt is unique in that it gives the player a special ability — the power to possess other sea creatures. While the gameplay trailer shows relatively simple examples of how to use this ability, there’s a lot of room for more complex puzzles — meaning plenty of potential for Silt to create clever solutions.
Now, not much is known about why the player has this ability or what their motivations are. However, the game’s description does say that the diver is in search of long-forgotten mysteries. It also goads the player to harness the power of massive underwater creatures in order to awaken a “long-dormant force at the center of the abyss.” What this could mean likely won’t be revealed until the game is released.
Overall, Silt is a promising puzzle exploration game with similarities to both Limbo and Subnautica. That said, it also brings enough to the table to set it apart from other titles like it. It’s an excellent option for any fans of atmospheric horror.
Silt will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on June 1, 2022.
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