Bloober Team, known for its recent work on the Silent Hill 2 remake and Cronos: The New Dawn, is set to release another new game titled Onyx: The Dark Grip, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. Developed by the studio's subsidiary Broken Mirror Games, this 2.5D "dark adventure" is slated for a 2027 launch and is drawing comparisons to classic Nintendo hardware due to its innovative control schemes.
According to Dawid Podgorski, Bloober Team's senior brand manager, the studio has long harbored a desire to create something specifically for Nintendo hardware. This ambition stems from the company's CEO, Piotr Babieno, who was an early proponent of Nintendo games in Poland, even organizing the country's first Nintendo fan convention during the GameCube era. Onyx: The Dark Grip, developed by Broken Mirror Games—a team composed of Bloober specialists and external developers also working on the asymmetrical horror game Saw: Genesis—is designed to take full advantage of the Switch 2's capabilities.
The game's core premise, described as "Survive as the Vessel, Intervene as the Player," involves players embodying a god-like entity that possesses a human named Holden. Holden is unaware of his possession as he navigates a small, isolated Polish-inspired town during a relentless winter. As the "Vessel," players will guide Holden through the town, solving puzzles and engaging in combat using melee and ranged attacks. While not strictly a horror title, the game is described as a "dark adventure" with spooky undertones.
Onyx: The Dark Grip aims to harken back to the unique gameplay experiences of consoles like the Wii and Nintendo DS, as well as the PlayStation Vita. Players will utilize god-like powers to manipulate Holden's reality. This includes using dual-thumb screen touches to act as an electrical conductor for generators, whistling and blowing into the Switch 2's microphone to warm Holden when he is cold, and swiping away moths that obscure the screen when Holden experiences fear. The "Void" ability allows players to crush enemies by tilting the console using its built-in gyroscope. Additionally, players can read NPC minds and implant their own thoughts, or use a "Talk With The Dead" spell to glean information from corpses. Screen-swiping can also be used to throw fireballs and ignite fires.
Podgorski emphasized that the player is not directly controlling Holden but acting as a separate entity, the god of Holden's world, metaphorically playing with the game world as if it were a handheld device. Inspirations cited for Onyx: The Dark Grip include Eternal Darkness, Silent Hill, Inside, Resident Evil 2, and True Detective: Night Country. The game's score will be composed by Jan Borysewicz and performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
While the game has been in development for three years and the detailed mechanics were learned through a discussion with Bloober's senior brand manager rather than direct gameplay, the unique approach to controls and narrative has positioned Onyx: The Dark Grip as a title to watch on the Switch 2.