Unreal Engine 5 is allowing indie developers to achieve AAA-level graphical fidelity on much smaller budgets, and that can mean some chillingly realistic-looking horror (also see our pick of the best game development software).
Vertpaint has just released the first gameplay trailer for its upcoming first-person horror Ritual Tides, and it’s also shared concept art for what looks like a deeply atmospheric game packed with intense encounters.
Ritual Tides™ – Future Game Show Spring Showcase | 2026 – YouTube
The newly released Ritual Tides trailer provides the first glimpse of gameplay, revealing the haunting world of a remote British island called Hortus. The game’s set in the 1800s. The player wakes up alone on the island and must proceed to navigate bleak countryside, abandoned settlements and the decaying remains of a once-thriving community.
Article continues below
You may like
Horror author Adam Nevill contributed to the game’s script and the influencer Daz Games appears in the game as the character Phineam.
Vertpaint says its developing Ritual Tides with the ambition of delivering a level of visual fidelity that surpasses many modern AAA productions. The developers says it rebuilt its core first-person systems and combat mechanics from the ground up to support the game’s unique traversal and combat design and enable a deeply immersive and atmospheric horror experience.
The trailer certainly looks promising, with a chilling British island backdrop, a distinct Lovecraftian horror vibe and lots of moody lighting, fog effects, and environmental detail fitting for a psychological horror. Check out the concept art below.
Image 1 of 11
(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Vertpaint)(Image credit: Vertpaint)
Of course, when I say Vertpaint is an indie studio aiming for AAA visuals, it’s hardly a small team working on a shoestring budget. Games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Black Myth: Wukong have sparked debate over the definition of ‘indie’, and Ritual Tides is likely to do the same.
Vertpaint counts on former Rockstar Games developer James MacLeod as CEO and Creative Director and Bart Polak as Brand Director and it secured major multi-million-dollar investment to initially advance its co-development services.
Ritual Tides is currently in development for PC with console versions also planned for launch this year. There appears to be no Steam listing yet, but there’s a Discord community.
For more uses of Epic’s game engine, see how KPop Demon Hunters used Unreal Engine 5.