Nintendo revealed Onyx: The Dark Grip during a recent Nintendo Direct showcase, a new horror-adventure game from Bloober Team that uniquely cannot be played on a television screen. The game is designed exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2's handheld mode, utilizing its touchscreen functionality. This decision sets it apart from the Switch 2's primary selling point as a hybrid console.
Developed by Bloober Team, known for horror titles such as Silent Hill 2 and Layers of Fear, Onyx: The Dark Grip places players in the role of a lone traveler exploring a ghost town. Simultaneously, players control a mysterious entity that manipulates the environment to aid the traveler, such as moving obstacles or restoring power. The game features a psychological twist where the player's interventions as the entity affect the traveler's sanity.
This core mechanic, requiring direct touchscreen interaction, is the reason the game is incompatible with docked play. Bloober Team opted for manual environmental manipulation via the touchscreen to enhance the feeling of being an otherworldly force. This direct control over the environment, as opposed to button inputs or motion controls, is intended to make the player feel like a disembodied entity with the traveler appearing as a small, controllable figure on screen.
Onyx: The Dark Grip is slated for a 2027 release. The game has already drawn comparisons to the 2002 GameCube title Eternal Darkness. That psychological horror game featured a sanity meter that, when depleted, caused the game world to become increasingly erratic. Fans anticipate that Onyx: The Dark Grip may implement a similar sanity mechanic, creating tension as players balance the impact of their supernatural interventions with the traveler's mental state.