What Tenebris Somnia Is
Tenebris Somnia is a 2D retro survival horror adventure game with live-action FMV cutscenes shot by a real film crew from Argentina. The launch details and the no generative AI production note come from the Xbox Wire post.
You play Julia, a young woman having nightmares about her ex-boyfriend being torn apart by monsters. She goes to his apartment to check on him and finds a world of horror.
The game comes from developer Andrés Borghi, a filmmaker and indie developer known for The Black Heart, together with Saibot Studios, the team behind Hellbound. Publisher New Blood Interactive has also shipped FAITH: The Unholy Trinity, DUSK, and Blood West.
Tenebris Somnia released on October 16, 2026 for PC via Steam on Windows, Xbox Series X|S with Xbox Play Anywhere, and PlayStation 5. Its live-action cutscenes use practical effects and are connected directly to play.
How the Live-Action Cutscenes Change the Game
A cutscene can start or end at any moment and can drop the player straight into an enemy encounter. That structure keeps tension high because the player never knows when a scripted moment will turn into combat.
Production took roughly four years. Practical monster effects were supervised by Marcos Berta, known for the film When Evil Lurks. Lead performance comes from Argentine actress Clara Kovacic.
Monster prosthetics were molded from performers’ faces and fitted back on with makeup, a process that took hours each time. Borghi said he hopes “players will come to see the cutscenes, and stay to experience the story.” New Blood says it hopes to release a full making-of documentary after launch.
New Blood Interactive states no generative AI was used anywhere in production. The game uses practical special effects, hand-drawn pixel art, a human composer, and human translators.
Gameplay sticks to classic survival horror rules: scary monsters, limited resources, brutal boss fights, puzzles, and careful sound design. The cutscenes add a second pressure source on top of those systems.
Price, Platforms, and Whether It’s Worth Playing
On Steam, Tenebris Somnia costs $24.99 USD, with a 20% launch discount to $19.99 during the launch window. Early Steam user reviews sit at “Very Positive.”
Owners of FAITH: The Unholy Trinity also get an additional discount on top of the launch price, and New Blood confirms the game is Steam Deck Verified. The publisher also committed to aggressive regional pricing, especially in Latin America.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Andrés Borghi and Saibot Studios |
| Publisher | New Blood Interactive |
| Platforms | PC via Steam (Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 |
| Price | $24.99 USD, $19.99 during launch window |
| Release date | October 16, 2026 |
| Languages | English, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese |
Buy it if you want a retro survival horror game with practical live-action cutscenes that can throw you into combat without warning. If you dislike FMV sequences or want a lower price, wait for a sale after the launch window.
Other recent Xbox and PC survival horror launches include The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival. On PlayStation, survival horror fans can also track Silent Hill: Townfall.
