Reimagined Sublustrum (aka Outcry) to shine again in late 2026

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Enhanced 3D remake of surreal 2008 psychological thriller in development for PC and consoles

In 2008, Phantomery Interactive dropped players into the surreal world of Sublustrum, or Outcry as it was known in some parts of the world. Soon the indie Russian developer aims to do so again in a whole new reimagining of the game, this time in 3D and "stranger than ever." 

The "mystical and philosophical detective story" remains the same this time around, as players will step into the first-person shoes of a writer whose scientist brother has mysteriously gone missing but left behind a "strange device." In trying to determine its purpose, oblivious of its abilities, the protagonist unwittingly stumbles into "a liminal space between waking and dreaming." And so what began as a simple investigation spirals into a "surreal journey into the depths of his own subconscious" in a mystery where "science coexists with mysticism and mechanisms literally become vessels for the human soul." If you're to escape and hopefully find your brother in the process, you'll need to explore "the boundaries of reality, dreams, and the human psyche" while solving "sound-driven puzzles" along the way.

Sublustrum's world is a unique combination of "Victorian melancholy, industrial structures, and early 20th-century retrofuturism." That hasn't changed in the new version of the game, which is being updated by its "original creators." What IS different is how it looks and how you'll navigate it. While its predecessor played out like a node-based point-and-click, the remake aims to "preserve the unique atmosphere of the original, but take it to a new dimension – literally" with a fully free-roaming 3D presentation. The graphics are technically more modern, of course, but the aesthetic is "inspired by the optics of vintage lenses and the grainy texture of film stock – a visual technique that enhances the feeling of auteur cinema and fragile dreams." Audio will still play a major part in the experience, not just from the soundtrack's fusion of "dark ambient and neoclassical" strains but as a "full-fledged element of its storytelling and gameplay and the basis for some of the puzzles, featuring rhythm and musical elements." However, there will be some surprises in store as well, as the "expanded narrative" promises to include "new mechanics, puzzles, secrets and endings." 

No firm target release date has yet been announced, but the shiny new Sublustrum is due out sometime in the fall of 2026 on Steam for Windows PC, along with as-yet-unspecified consoles. In the meantime, you can follow the game's progress through its official website.