Another Sight Draws Inspiration From Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Set to launch in 2018, Another Sight is a surreal fantasy adventure with steampunk elements that takes place in London, 1899. This new reveal trailer sets the tone for the game, introducing things with an eerie, soft piano playing in the background. We see a blonde girl (Kit) lying on the ground, but also on a large parchment, alongside a cat (Hodge) and it gives off that Alice in Wonderland vibe. In this trailer we also get pieces of a voice over saying cryptic phrases such as, “quite strange,” “you are beyond my help,” and “I am beyond my help.” We hear all of this as we see static, cel-shaded images sprinkled throughout. All of it is designed to convey the mood and peak our curiosity. This is very on brand, considering that the original reveal trailer is even shorter and only gave us a few flashes of surrealist game or cutscene clips.

But really this reveal trailer is meant to start teasing at the narrative, which is as follows:

Whilst exploring the London Underground during its construction in 1899, Kit, a bold teenager is caught in a tunnel collapse. When Kit wakes up, her sight is gone, and she’s left helpless in the dark world below London. Hodge, a mysterious cat finds Kit, and becomes her companion on a journey… Kit and Hodge explore a surreal fantasy world both together and apart, using each of their unique talents to tackle environments and solve intriguing puzzles. Beneath London, in a world inspired by Neil Gaiman’s urban fantasy, Neverwhere, Kit and Hodge encounter a hidden society of the world’s greatest inventors and artistic minds such as Claude Monet, Jules Verne and other long-past cultural icons.

The fact that this games draws inspiration on Neverwhere, a book that’s largely about how there’s magic in places people never look, tells us a lot. In short Neverwhere explores the things that take place in the peripheries of a city, such as homeless communities and tucked-away areas of the subway. With 70% of the book taking place in the London Underground we can already see how Lunar Great Wall Studios draws inspiration from this text. If it’s anything like Gaiman’s novel, we’ll be playing in a world full of weird creatures, strange portals, and horrifying villains.

Hopefully we get a gameplay trailer soon but until then here are the gameplay features you can expect:

• EMOTIVE DRIVEN – A story about a girl and her cat companion on a journey beyond sight and the real. A tale of warmth and intrigue is woven throughout the adventure, touching on trust, companionship and losing what we take for granted. Innovative gameplay and a story of heart is galvanized by a soundscape given life to by a symphonic orchestra to accent memorable moments between Kit, Hodge and the journey they’re on.
• MASTERS OF THE PAST – Throughout the journey, Kit and Hodge will meet virtuoso artists such as Claude Monet and other cultural historical figures from the past, learning more about the world and dangers it presents. Each encounter visually impacts the world, taking on aesthetics of each creative movement from the famous characters Kit and Hodge meet.
• STORY WOVEN GAMEPLAY – Use the unique abilities of each character to help Kit and Hodge traverse the world and overcome environmental challenges. Kit and Hodge can split up to investigate different areas of the locale that the other may not be able to reach, with both Kit and Hodge perceiving the world in very different ways, opening up different possibilities for overcoming their adventure.

Do you think you’ll pick up this title when it comes out this year on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC? Or are you waiting to hear more? Sound off in the comments below!