Tenebris Somnia launched on October 16, 2026. The Steam listing credits Andrés Borghi and Saibot Studios as developers, with New Blood Interactive publishing. Its combination of two-dimensional survival horror and filmed sequences provides an unusually concrete production question: how do you make a pixel-art room and a real room feel like the same place?
This is a look at the production choices described by the creators, rather than a hands-on review. Those choices are interesting because every change of format can alter what players notice, how much they imagine and how closely they identify with a character. The transition itself becomes part of the storytelling.
A contrast that needs careful boundaries
In his KongMNG Game Wire interview, Borghi says FAITH inspired the use of two visual styles. He chose a childhood NES/Famicom aesthetic alongside filmmaking, his own professional discipline. He also describes strong visual contrast as a way to avoid distracting small discrepancies.
Our reading is that the audience needs two kinds of consistency. A door should remain recognizably the same door, yet a filmed face does not need to mimic a sprite. Trying to match every surface too closely could invite comparisons the simpler image cannot satisfy. Clear spatial cues can do the connective work while the two forms retain their strengths.
That creates a useful question for players: does a change in presentation reveal something important? A close-up might provide information a tiny character could not express. If a sequence merely repeats what was already obvious, the interruption has less reason to exist. Visual novelty alone cannot carry every transition.
Shoot the location, then build its pixel counterpart
Borghi explains the practical order in an 80 Level interview: the team filmed relevant locations before creating their in-game counterparts. Matching an already designed room to a real building proved difficult. Development could continue on other rooms while the filming-dependent spaces waited for their reference material.
For a hybrid project, this suggests a different way to plan revisions. Moving a digital doorway might be straightforward; moving a physical doorway usually is not. Once footage exists, its architecture becomes a constraint for the playable space. A change requested by one discipline may therefore create work for another, even when each individual change looks small.
The editorial lesson is to identify such dependencies early. A shared reference can include entrances, camera direction and the position of important objects. It should also distinguish what must match from what can be simplified. Otherwise, a team risks spending time on detail that does little to help a player understand the scene.
A monster is also an object someone has to wear
Special-effects artist Marcos Berta describes the two-faced creature in Fangoria’s interview: its construction began with a cast of the performer’s face, followed by sculpted head sections and a mechanism for the mouth. The reinforced mask was heavy and needed securing to the performer.
This is a useful reminder of the physical side of creature design. A striking silhouette still needs to survive movement, a camera angle and the limitations of the person inside it. Lighting can reveal texture or hide a join. Performance can sell weight and intent. These are connected decisions, rather than separate finishing touches added after a monster is designed.
Digital finishing also belongs in the picture. A physical prop can establish contact with its surroundings while later work adjusts what the camera captured. Praising the craft should leave room to discuss both contributions, instead of judging an effect solely by whether an object existed on set.
The character has to carry the previous scene with her
In his Game Cookies interview, Borghi discusses maintaining emotional continuity with lead performer Clara Kovacic. One small scene had to be reshot because the character’s state did not fit the preceding gameplay. He also describes replacing an unsuccessful practical hand effect with CGI.
Both examples point to an important test: judge the shot in its final context. A performance can be convincing on its own and still feel wrong after a frightening encounter. A good-looking prop can fail when edited into a sequence. For the audience, the relevant result is the complete moment, including what happened just before it.
What the no-generative-AI statement actually says
Writing on Xbox Wire, executive producer Airdorf states that no generative AI was used anywhere in production. He separately describes practical effects with limited CGI. This is the producer’s assertion, not a finding from an independent production audit.
Conventional digital effects and generative AI should not be collapsed into one label. Equally, a stated production policy does not establish a game’s quality. Readers can take an interest in how the work was made while reserving judgment on whether its pacing, interaction and story deliver over a complete playthrough.
Where to find it
The Xbox product page lists Xbox Series X|S and PC support, with Xbox Play Anywhere. The publisher’s site also identifies PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 and links to Steam and GOG. Check the relevant storefront for your platform and region.
The most compelling question here is how filmmaking changes a game’s construction, from room layouts to the emotional timing of a performance. Tenebris Somnia offers specific examples worth examining. Whether those decisions produce a satisfying horror game remains a separate question for a full review.
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