Canadian indie developer Lucid Rain Studios has released a new gameplay trailer for INFERIUS, its upcoming first-person horror deckbuilder scheduled to launch in 2027. Presented during IGN’s Awesome Indies Show at gamescom, the footage introduces several of the creatures roaming the underworld, new card mechanics, and the powerful bosses waiting at the end of its infernal regions.
INFERIUS sends players into a nightmarish interpretation of Hell built around nine separate Dominions, each inspired by a different sin.
Reaching the ruler of a Dominion requires more than surviving its hostile environments: players must also overcome turn-based card duels using a customizable deck based on the Major Arcana of the Tarot.
Cards can be collected, upgraded, and crafted throughout the descent, allowing players to gradually shape a deck around their preferred strategy. Battles unfold from a first-person perspective, placing enemies directly in front of the player rather than presenting combat through a traditional tabletop interface.
The nine regions draw heavily from Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, but each has its own enemies, mechanics, environmental identity, and boss.
Lucid Rain Studios is also looking beyond classical depictions of the underworld for its horror, using phobias such as arachnophobia, claustrophobia, and paranoia as inspiration for the game’s creatures and surreal locations.
Exploration is tied to a lantern that serves several purposes during a run. It illuminates routes through the darkness, reveals hidden areas, assists with environmental puzzles, and helps protect the protagonist’s sanity. Losing control of that resource could therefore leave players vulnerable well before the next card battle begins.
The game also follows a roguelite structure. Death sends the player back to rebuild and begin another attempt, but the knowledge gained from previous runs is intended to make each subsequent descent more manageable.
Meanwhile, the Inferno can rearrange itself between attempts, changing the route through its branching locations.
A playable gamescom demo showcased the opening portion of the journey, including exploration sequences, branching paths, card-based encounters, and a boss fight. The visual direction mixes imagery inspired by Dante’s Inferno with elements of Lovecraftian cosmic horror.
INFERIUS is the debut project from the Alberta-based Lucid Rain Studios. The game was also named Best Game at Game Con Canada 2026 before making its latest gamescom appearance. It is currently planned for release in 2027 and can be wishlisted on Steam.
