During Future Games Show as part of Summer Game Fest 2025, Polish developer Sonka has just shadow dropped a new trailer and a massive demo for their highly anticipated psychological survival horror game, Holstin.
While the two previous public demos showcased specific slices or mechanics, the new demo offers players a very meaty first look at the game’s entire eerie 90s Eastern Euro-fueled experience. It begins with the opening segment of Holstin’s story, explaining what drew you into the decaying and possessed Polish lakeside town of Jeziorne-Kolonia. Get hands-on with the core gameplay, from engaging in intense combat and solving environmental puzzles to scavenging for survival, exploring ooze-infested streets and interiors, and interacting with the not-so-mentally-stable locals who still haven’t fully turned. The demo also highlights Holstin’s unique camera and lighting system, which seamlessly shifts between multiple perspectives in real-time, lit, fully 3D pixel environments.
Holstin uses Sonka’s custom 2XD RENDERING technology, enabling the team to create real-time lighting in detailed pixel art environments, as well as multiple camera modes in a way that has never been seen before. The game features various perspectives, including isometric 3D, over-the-shoulder third-person shooting, first-person driving, top-down exploration, and side-scrolling platforming.
Heavily inspired by the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series, with the narrative team aiming for a darker Twin Peaks feel, Holstin will be coming to PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/S/X and Nintendo Switch 1 and 2.
