DreadXP to Publish Heartworm — The Highly Anticipated Low-Fi Survival Horror Game
The Nightmares of the '90s Live On in Upcoming PC Game Heartworm from Independent Developer Vincent Adinolfi and Horror Games Publisher DreadXP
Los Angeles, CA (February 6, 2024) - DreadXP — one of the most recognized horror video game publishers in the industry — announced today that it has acquired the publishing rights for Heartworm, a retro psychological survival horror game that pays tribute to the low-fidelity look and feel of '90s genre classics Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Dino Crisis.
From developer Vincent Adinolfi, Heartworm is a nostalgia-wrapped nightmare about one girl's battle with grief and the otherworldly manifestations that may hold the key to the afterlife. Players will pass through the threshold into a world born of memories when Heartworm releases on Steam for Windows PC in 2025.
Driven by her obsession with the deaths of those closest to her, Heartworm protagonist Sam spends her days crawling the internet looking for something — an answer or distraction, perhaps to alleviate her pain. Her morbid research takes her deep into the dark web, where she stumbles upon an internet message board that talks about a mysterious house in the mountains that supposedly has a connection to the afterlife. The board states that no one who has visited the house has ever returned. Internet folklore? Conspiracy theory ramblings? Sam, consumed by her grief, seeks out the house in desperation; consequences be damned.
Heartworm is a game about the memories we keep and the ones we wish we could forget. These themes are expressed through its emotionally charged narrative and early console-era game design, featuring cinematic fixed camera angles, low-rez, retro 3D graphics, and optional tank-style controls. Players will be enveloped in its surreal suburban setting, where they'll face various ghastly enemies with a weaponized camera (with over-the-shoulder aiming) and solve puzzles. Heartworm additionally features in-game and classically-styled pre-rendered cutscenes, multiple unlockable endings, and a beautiful yet haunting soundtrack.
"Words can't express how excited I am that DreadXP picked up Heartworm," said developer Vincent Adinolfi. "There was a lot of uncertainty last year for the game — between the unexpected end of our previous publishing agreement and the general air of uncertainty in the industry, I wasn't sure I would be able to finish this game that I've put everything into."
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About DreadXP
DreadXP is an indie horror production and publication label that focuses on unique, experimental titles that the bigger labels have overlooked. The company is passionate about creating a positive horror community with a focus on supporting developers and delivering the unique content genre fans crave. DreadXP titles include Digital Dragons' Best Indie Game of 2022 — First Place award winner Sucker for Love: First Date, the Dread X Collection series, SPOOKWARE, The Mortuary Assistant, Mirror Forge, My Friendly Neighborhood, and upcoming titles such as Dread Delusion, Heartworm, and Creepshow.
To learn more about DreadXP, please visit www.dreadxp.com.
