Lempo, an indie horror adventure inspired by Finnish mythology, will officially launch on September 7th, 2023. It was developed by One Trick Entertainment, which is based in Finland.

In Lempo, players must explore and escape the dangerous forest of Metsänpeitto, an otherworldly plane that threatens to consume you. You’ll need to solve puzzles, follow souls, and uncover the mysteries of previous victims.

Lempo will be available on PlayStation 5 and PC via GOG, the Epic Games Store, and Steam. You can watch today’s release date announcement teaser on the One Trick Entertainment YouTube channel:

It’s amusing that One Trick Entertainment opted for a comedic release date announcement, given the terrifying context of the game itself. The devs also didn’t provide any new gameplay to consider.

But the “live-action” trailer does hint they’re willing to take risks and deliver the unexpected. That’s certainly at the forefront of successful horror storytelling. Also, you can still revisit the official gameplay trailer from December of last year:

Just yesterday, I covered SoulQuest’s new trailer, which was based on Celtic mythology. And I continue to enjoy, applaud, and encourage these first-hand cultural influences.

Lempo’s basic premise about getting lost in a bizarre forest calls to mind many other horror games, and even The Blair Witch Project, following today’s trailer. But it draws inspiration from Finnish mythology, so it similarly wields concepts that are compelling and surely overlooked.

This presents a terrific opportunity for horror, as many players will be unfamiliar with the themes and threats of Finnish myths, making Lempo ripe for surprises. For example, the official Steam page explains that the plane of Metsänpeitto is held together by the energy of living souls.

Lempo’s PS5 release and polished graphics should help attract more casual gamers. But it seems conceptually rich and bold, and more interested in tense strangeness than jump scares or high-octane chases.

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