“That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.” Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace is coming in 2021! Wishlist now on Steam https://t.co/miuwIt6CYb pic.twitter.com/VDjOxDnvub
— Asmodee Digital (@AsmodeeDigital) October 21, 2020
From Silent Hill to Alien: Isolation, horror and video gaming have developed an incredibly strong connection through the years.
Now, a new title based on a much-loved offline property looks set to strengthen this connection, as a game linked to the Arkham Horror universe is on the way.
Mother’s Embrace
Towards the end of October, sites including CBR.com reported on the news that Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace is set to launch on Steam in the coming year.
Inspired by the stories of HP Lovecraft and adapted from the Arkham Horror board game franchise, the title will see players tasked with investigating the suspected murder of an astronomy professor in the 1920s.
CBR.com details how players will have to face off against a cult and a range of monsters in the game, with combat elements giving you a chance to make use of both weapons and spells. It is anticipated that some of the action will also have an RPG feel, with the choices you make having an impact on where the story ultimately takes you. Set across nine chapters, the game will also feature a host of different locations.
Digital makeover
The release of details related to the game is interesting for many reasons. However, it is particularly intriguing as it is yet another example of an offline pastime or property which has been given a digital makeover. So many forms of gaming that started life offline have had this treatment in the past few years, with role-playing games perhaps being a strong example of this trend. Such experiences arguably came to prominence in both a tabletop and live-action format, yet the concept has really been embraced in video gaming in recent times.
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For example, The Witcher series of games are regarded as RPGs, due to both moral and tactical choices players are required to make. Whereas a title like World of Warcraft is often described as an MMORPG – a role-playing game set in a massive online world with thousands playing simultaneously. While this is a significant step away from traditional RPGs, it has been embraced worldwide. The range of games being overhauled highlights the popularity of digitising traditional games.
Many card games and board games have had the treatment as well, with Uno now being available in a range of formats including on Google Stadia. Trivial Pursuit was also adapted into Trivial Pursuit & Friends by Gameloft in recent years, while Scrabble is going strong as a mobile title too.
A major trend
Considering this major trend of offline activities being given a digital twist, it perhaps makes sense that Arkham Horror is going down the same route.
Fans of the board game will no doubt be fascinated to see just what Mother’s Embrace looks like when it finally launches on Steam next year, while they will also want to know whether it can recreate the atmosphere of the experience it has been adapted from. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see which other horror-inspired board games might get similar treatment going forward.
