The Black Mirror prequel Messenger of Death: Blood Bond to be delivered in 2027

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

New series installment set in 1828 Scotland in development by the designer and co-writer of the original 2003 cult hit 

Thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, we've known for a while now that Zdeněk Houb, the designer, co-writer and composer of the original 2003 point-and-click adventure The Black Mirror, is planning a prequel installment called Posel smrti: Pouto krve in his native Czech. Now Houb's new team, under the studio name Experience, have pulled the veil further back for an English audience as well, with more information about Messenger of Death: Blood Bond.

Set in 1828, more than 150 years before Samuel Gordon ever steps foot in his ancestral home in England, this game takes place in and around the family estate in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a violent, depraved time in the city, marked by kidnappings and murder, with corpses being stolen "for scientific purposes, but also for far more sinister reasons." With different motivations than Samuel's later on, Joshua Gordon, a "descendant of a distant branch of the Gordon family," has devoted himself to "searching for bits and pieces of the truth about the ancient curse of his family" dating back centuries to "Marcus and Mordred, the first of the Gordons" and believed to be connected to a "gateway between two worlds" (the titular Black Mirror). 

When Joshua hears news of the "dark events" happening in Edinburgh, he "sets out immediately to verify what he has been learning and hiding for so long." Unfortunately, his pursuit puts him into contact with the city's underworld, with disastrous consequences as Joshua ends up imprisoned. He manages to escape only thanks to his money and newfound social influence, but he is "forced to go on the run and evade the watchful eyes of the police." Along the way, Detective Norton becomes a second playable character, as he and Joshua "meet and are forced to work together against their will," with danger coming not only from the city's criminal element but also the curse afflicting Joshua's family. The chase promises to be a compelling one, as Joshua is "persistent, smart and unyielding" and "will not be caught off guard a second time" as he draws ever closer to discovering the secrets of this bloodline. 

The presentation and gameplay of Messenger of Death promise everything players loved about the original Black Mirror, including a traditional point-and-click interface, a deep storyline to unravel, "thoughtful puzzles" to solve, an orchestral soundtrack, full voice acting and an "extensive and hand-drawn diary." The key differences this time around are the second playable character – alternating between them will happen automatically as the plot dictates – and of course a more "modern visual look" in 4K resolution with weather effects to accentuate the game's eerie "horror atmosphere."

The protagonists are "fundamentally two very different characters" whose attitudes and behaviour will "significantly affect the game in their own way." Between them they will delve the lowest depths of the Edinburgh underworld all the way to the "upper echelons of society," taking players to many unique locations such as "old dungeons, a dilapidated castle, an abandoned village, and a mysterious swamp." 

It's great to have a new Black Mirror game (by any name) to look forward to, though we're still a way off from revisiting the troubled Gordon family, as Messenger of Death: Blood Bond isn't due out sometime before the end of 2027. In the meantime, though, the game can now be wishlisted on Steam, where it will launch for Windows and Mac along with Steam Deck support, with mobile versions planned as well.