Saturnalia is a survival horror video game developed and published by the Italian studio Santa Ragione, and released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch on October 27, 2022. It is the first Italian game to be created with the support of the Sardegna Film Commission.[3] This morbid jigsaw puzzle is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S.[4]
| Saturnalia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Santa Ragione |
| Publisher(s) | Santa Ragione |
| Director(s) | Pietro Righi Riva |
| Writer(s) | Chris Remo;[1] Federico Corbetta Caci; Nick Breckon |
| Composer(s) | Michael Manning;[2] Nicolò Sala |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | October 27, 2022 |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
The game has been described as a neon-folk horror game.[5]
Gameplay
editSaturnalia is a survival horror adventure game presented in a third-person view that incorporates roguelike mechanics into the main gameplay. The player controls one of the four available characters – Anita, Sergio, Claudia and Paul – through a Sardinian village where an ancient ritual has been held and a mysterious creature is on the loose. The roguelike element is represented by Gravoi, the village where the game takes place, which reshuffles its configuration each time all the characters are lost.[5]
Development
editThe concept of setting the game in Sardinia was decided early in development as "...the Island rifes of folklore, different cultures stratifications, stories and masks. Also, it was never used before in a videogame, and we thought that it could work as an element of identity for Saturnalia, something that would make it immediately recognizable"[6]
The game visuals feature a 'sketched' character style and animations inspired by stop-motion and rotoscoping film techniques, with influences from the 1970's giallo Italian movies.[7] and Italian comics by Sergio Bonelli Editore.[8]
Release
editThe game was released on October 27, 2022 on the Epic Games Store[9] with a year-long standard exclusivity deal. It was free for the first week of release.[10]
Post-release
editAnnounced during the Indie Horror Showcase Livestream,[11] Saturnalia is coming to Steam on November 8, 2023, with additional new features such as a first-person and a hybrid third person-first person mode, a photo mode, new accessibility options and a black-and-white film noir filter.[12] A 40-minute demo is currently available on Steam.[13]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | PC: 80/100 PS5: 72/100 XONE: 78/100 |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Edge | 8/10 |
| Eurogamer |   |
| IGN | 7/10 |
Saturnalia received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[14]
Edge praised the roguelike mechanic and disquieting mood, writing "[But] The knowledge that on our next visit Gravoi will be unknowable once more is a major reason why this disquieting, disorienting place leaves us as properly rattled as we've been by a video game since Immortality".[15]
IGN Italia felt that "Saturnalia works more as a conceptual idea and visual level than on a strictly playful one, but it is an imbalance that does not excessively affect the pleasure of the experience."[16]
Rock Paper Shotgun appreciated "its character and location design in the style of a giallo movie but isn't trying to be either of them - which means Saturnalia ends up feeling more cinematic and theatrical than games that try much harder to do so."[17]
References
edit- ^ "Saturnalia & Wheels of Aurelia". Chris Remo.
- ^ "Saturnalia // Save & Sound Festival Audio Walkthrough". YouTube. 8 August 2023.
- ^ admin (2022-10-26). "Saturnalia: il primo videogioco nato in Italia dalla collaborazione con una film commission". Sardegna Film Commission (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- ^ "'Saturnalia' is a morbid jigsaw puzzle that's more clever than scary". The Washington Post. November 1, 2022.
- ^ a b Bell, Alice (2022-10-27). "Saturnalia review: a truly unique, beautiful, and exquisite horror game". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
- ^ Colantonio, Alessandro (2021-03-17). "Intervista a Santa Ragione, lo studio di Saturnalia | Raccontare l'Italia nei videogiochi". Player.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-10-24.
- ^ LeBlanc, Wesley. "Saturnalia Is A Survival Horror Indie With An Art Style You Have To See". Game Informer. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- ^ Saturnalia - Interview with the developer, 7 September 2022, retrieved 2023-10-24
- ^ Saturnalia – Coming to Epic Games Store, 23 March 2020, retrieved 2023-10-21
- ^ Duckworth, Joshua (2022-10-23). "Epic Games Store Free Game for October 27 Should be the Start of a New Trend". Game Rant. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- ^ Indie Horror Showcase Livestream 2023, 19 October 2023, retrieved 2023-10-21
- ^ Saturnalia – Steam Release Date Trailer, 19 October 2023, retrieved 2023-10-21
- ^ "Psychedelic survival horror Saturnalia now has a 40-minute demo on Steam". Eurogamer.net. 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- ^ "Saturnalia". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
- ^ "Saturnalia". Edge. No. 378. Christmas 2022. pp. 114–115.
- ^ Mancini, Davide "Shea" (2022-10-27). "Saturnalia - La recensione". IGN Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- ^ Bell, Alice (2022-10-27). "Saturnalia review: a truly unique, beautiful, and exquisite horror game". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-10-21.