Frictional Games, the mastermind studio behind Amnesia and SOMA, has just dropped a fresh slice of gameplay for its upcoming sci-fi horror venture, ONTOS, courtesy of Gamescom.

During Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 26, Frictional Games treated us to a brand new gameplay showcase for the sci-fi adventure ONTOS. The narrative follows protagonist Aditi Amani, who journeys to the desolate lunar base of Samsara to untangle the truth behind a father once revered as a genius, only to see that same father transform into a prophet.

Samsara is a rather charming little outpost built atop a bankrupt strip mine and a luxurious hotel. It is currently swarming with various religious factions, alongside a generous helping of laboratories and heavy machinery. What starts as a casual bit of investigating and poking around quickly spirals into a deeper labyrinth, ultimately forcing you into a series of terrifying experiments. Every test brings you closer to the grand truth of this universe, with outcomes shifting entirely based on your choices. The latest footage gives us a delightful glimpse of a human mind being grafted into a server hooked up to dozens of rats. To add to the ambiance, a physical replica of this rat server is currently on display at the Gamescom ONTOS booth.

The developers are positioning ONTOS as the spiritual successor to SOMA, having quietly baked the project for well over a decade. Frictional Games co-founder Thomas Grip notes that in terms of sheer production scale, polish, and thematic grandeur, this is undoubtedly the most ambitious game the studio has ever built.

ONTOS is scheduled to launch in 2027 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, complete with Korean subtitles.