Silent Planet is an upcoming horror themed Metroidvania that is currently scheduled for release in 2026 on Steam.
The game is by Vertex Zero, and is currently in early development, with little information currently released; however, I had the pleasure of speaking with Virginie Cabana to ask them a few questions about the upcoming project!
Here's the overview of Silent Planet provided by Vertex Zero.
Overview:
Your home planet is slowly dying, and only you can attempt to find the panacea. But to fulfill your mission, you must journey into the cosmic depths.
Silent Planet is an exploration-focused metroidvania game currently in development by Vertex Zero studio.
The game draws inspiration from classic titles such as Demon's Crest, Super Metroid, and Castlevania - Symphony of the Night. Enter the somber world of Silent Planet. Can you survive the ordeal?
Story:
The story takes place in the year 2997. You play as Apranik. Your mission is to travel to the planet Thulcandra in search of a crucial item: the Angel’s Egg, a very ancient artifact believed to hold the key to the origin of all life across the cosmos. You journey through the claustrophobic corridors of a colossal subterranean complex filled with the remnants of technological and biological horrors created by a long-extinct civilization.
Gameplay:
Steel yourself with your Asimov Plasma Blade and harness the power of the ancient Psionic Disciplines as you navigate through the eerie corridors of a sprawling underground world filled with decay and unimaginable horrors.
Along your journey, uncover an array of artifacts that will aid you in your quest to reach your ultimate objective and, with any luck, survive to recount the harrowing tale and restore your home planet.
- Deploy an arsenal of melee and ranged psychokinetic weapons to vanquish even the most merciless foe.
- Exploration of a vast game world comprised of non-linear levels, evoking feelings of solitude and loneliness one would expect while infiltrating a hostile alien planet alone.
- Dynamic environments which can be influenced directly by the player's actions.
- Deep and evocative narrative and lore.
Interview with the Developers:
Outside of having a love for games such as Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, was there anything else that inspired you to begin creating Silent Planet?
Although both games you mention are among the biggest influences, we’ve also been heavily inspired by games such as Demon’s Crest and ActRaiser 2.
We also cannot deny the borrowed aesthetics from classic movies such as The Thing, Alien, and Event Horizon.
Another major influence comes from the literary works of C.S. Lewis, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke.
Does the game feature any RPG elements such as equipment upgrades or a level up system?
As a matter of fact, yes.
Silent Planet’s system is divided into primary and secondary attributes.
Stats such as PSI (psionic) and AGI (agility) have an influence on how well the Player does in combat or for how long they can survive. They can also have an influence on Effect Statuses.
Contrarily to most RPG-oriented games, each stat can be obtained in the form of an upgrade by exploring the vast game world.
At certain levels, each stat can unlock a new ability.
Some of these abilities behave similarly to skills, but others require certain conditions to be met (such as a specific weapon mastery level or possessing an artifact).
Our system is designed to avoid grinding for too many hours to level up and instead invite players to explore the claustrophobic world of Silent Planet.
There are also several psionic disciplines and weapon upgrades available throughout the game.
Our main character is Apranik, but what can you tell us about them?
Apranik travels to Thulcandra from her home planet Xerxes in search of the Angel’s Egg, an artifact thought to be the source of all life in the universe. Some major influences when developing her are Shanoa, from Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, 2B from NieR:Automata, and Leila, from the great animation vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.
How will the story be presented? Cutscenes? Environmental cues? Datalogs? All of the above?
The narrative will be presented mainly through the use of audiologs and the interaction with the environment (ESP scanner system). On the drawing table, we also have a system called the Starseer Lexicon, a form of alien language, but it is still too early for us to comment on that.
The game features a "Dynamic Environment" which is influenced by the actions of the player. Can you give an early example of how this system works?
While in a specific game mode, Apranik can interact with environmental objects using her psionic powers. On certain occasions, this can lead to reveal hidden paths or bring changes within a room.
In games like Metroid, there are tons of secrets to discover, and different endings are unlocked based on your actions and how fast you complete the game. Is there anything along these lines currently planned to encourage players to replay Silent Planet?
Yes, exploration is one of the core elements of the experience. Silent Planet’s world contains several hidden locations and boss battles, which can have a direct impact on the narrative. Thulcandra is a mysterious planet, so players will have plenty of opportunities to explore it at their leisure.
Any unlockable costumes or character customization planned?
Although we are still undecided about unlockable costumes, we do have a surprise planned for those venturing into one of the levels set in alternate star systems; let’s just keep it at that…
How difficult would you say the game is going to be, and will there be difficulty options or assist features for those who may need them?
Although the game will present a good challenge, currently, we are not planning to feature difficulty levels as seen in various souls-like games.
But the game will have a second playthrough we call Interval 2, which will increase the difficulty and add new gameplay elements into the mix to spice things up. We could say it will make the experience a tad more old-school.
Currently the game is planned for a Steam release, but is it something you would be interested in bringing to consoles in the future?
It’s too early for us to say for sure, but we are extremely interested in making Silent Planet available to fans across all consoles if possible.
Is there anything else you are really excited about that you would like to share with the world?
We are extremely grateful for the reception so far, especially since for now we are a small team of two. We are really excited to keep working on developing a mesmerizing experience for fans of our original influences.
The game isn't releasing until 2026, but in the mean time you can head over to the official Steam Page and add the game to your Wishlist!
You can also follow the game over at their official Twitter (X) Page @SlntPlanetGame or follow the developers directly @VertexZeroGames.
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