Hollow Cocoon: Everything We Know

Japanese folklore and survival horror tend to go hand-in-hand—a claim that has been proven dozens of times over a number of decades or so. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and evidently so, what with NAYUTA STUDIO recently lifting the veil on an all-new first-person thriller set during the 1980s. Sure enough, the so-called Hollow Cocoon checks out all the boxes that we’ve been drawing up countless times over, which is reason alone to give it some attention. And what better way to sing its praises than to spread the gospel on a grander scale, right?

What’s good here is that, while the game itself has yet to enlighten us on all the ins and outs of its greatest elements, it’ll still be arriving in 2023. So, to prepare you for what’s to come in the fourth quarter, we’ve gone ahead and broken down all the bits that need glossing over. Need we say more? Here’s everything we can currently tell you about Hollow Cocoon and its psychological roots.

What Is Hollow Cocoon?

Hollow Cocoon is a psychological horror game by NAYUTA STUDIO, the creator of CINERIS SOMNIA. Its premise, which borders the same style as, I don’t know, Fatal Frame and Home Sweet Home, is centred around Japan in the 1980s. Specifically, the remote mountainside town of Ichinose—a village that houses a dark secret relating to the silkworm, a creature that, “even if they could leave their cocoons, they have no mouths to eat, and their wings do not fly. They simply lay their eggs and perish.” Depressing, sure, but all the more intriguing the more we dive into it.

In the words of its creator: “Hollow Cocoon is a first-person horror adventure game set in 1980s Japan. Immerse yourself in meticulously recreated environments as you venture into the depths of unspeakable horrors that await you.”

Story

Hollow Cocoon will transport you to Ichinose, a small town that’s tucked away in the faraway mountains of 1980s Japan. As Minato Jinba, a student who’s reeled back to the once-loved hometown following the tragic news of his grandmother’s illness, you will venture back to the root of all evil—a cocoon, of sorts, that houses a terrifying creature known as the silkworm.

“The thing with silkworms, you know; even if they could leave their cocoons, they have no mouths to eat, and their wings do not fly,” reads a quote from the blurb. “They simply lay their eggs and perish. People are the reason they suffer this fate.”

“The sky reddens in the twilight, and the mountains cast an ominous shadow,” the blurb continues. “Minato finds himself in this house. There, he finds himself in a terrifying situation with a shocking truth.” As for what this truth is remains to be heard, but according to the devs, there’ll be multiple pathways and endings to unearth. So, don’t expect a bit of linearity to hold you back from unlocking several additional layers, basically.

Gameplay

From the looks of the footage that’s been shown to date, Hollow Cocoon will adopt a survival-like gameplay style. In short, that means plenty of hide-and-seek, fact finding, and scavenging for resources and clues. All of this will culminate in a head-to-head confrontation with one of the town’s biggest secrets: the silkworm. Or at least, that’s what we’ve gathered from the trailer and its slew of in-game screenshots, anyhow.

“Hide yourself from the monster and gather vital evidence to unravel the bone-chilling truth lurking beneath the surface!” the description adds. “Experience a captivating story with four unique endings. Your choices will lead the story down different branching paths.” Exciting times.

Going by the Alpha footage that was revealed earlier this week, a lot of the gameplay will involve exploring desolate environments and abandoned homes. As for why the town is deserted is still unknown. Whatever the reason may be, it seems a lot of the exploration that you’ll be carrying out will help paint a clearer picture of its fate. Here’s hoping, anyway.

Development

NAYUTA STUDIO first announced its plans to bring Hollow Cocoon to PC earlier this week. It’ll be studio’s second feature-length IP, with the first in its portfolio—CINERIS SOMNIA— coming to light back in 2018.

Since making the announcement, the studio has let slip just the one trailer, which showcased some Alpha footage of the protagonist exploring some areas in the remote town of Ichinose. It was said at the time that the option to customise the gameplay would be available. Specifically, the cameras and the ability to reduce motion sickness.

“To alleviate motion sickness, various features are available, including adjustable viewing angles, a central dot display, and the option to disable camera shaking,” the devs reassured fans in a press release. “Multiple functions are provided to minimize motion sickness caused by visuals.” That’s a relief, then.

Trailer

The good news is, there is in fact a trailer to show off some of the Alpha build. And while it doesn’t give a whole lot of information on the story front, it does give us a clearer idea of the environments we’ll be sifting through with a fine-tooth comb. You can catch a glimpse of what’s to come in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Hollow Cocoon will be heading to PC via Steam in Q4 2023. Does this mean it won’t be hatching on consoles? Apparently not, as made evident by its developer in an early announcement leak. But who’s to say it won’t find its way over to Xbox and PlayStation its future months or years? Either way, we won’t be chalking out the prospect just yet.

At the time of writing, NAYUTA STUDIO has yet to reveal any plans to release any special editions outside of its standard copy over on Steam. For what it does have, though, those interested in playing it on day one can add it to their wishlists right now. You can do that here.

If you’re interested in staying up to date with the latest developments, then be sure to check in with the team over on their official social feed here. We’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as there’s a final release date set in stone right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Hollow Cocoon when it releases later this year? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.