Tue Jul 29 06:00:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Indie Horror Game “Heartworm” Aims to Revive PS1-Era Terror**
**[City, State] – [Date]** – Amidst the resurgence of survival horror driven by remakes like Resident Evil and Dead Space, independent developer Vincent Adinolfi, under the Dread XP banner, is crafting “Heartworm,” a new title aiming to recapture the nostalgic chills of PlayStation 1 classics.
Drawing inspiration from Resident Evil 4’s combat and Silent Hill f’s unsettling atmosphere, “Heartworm” blends fixed camera angles, pre-rendered backgrounds, and in-game cutscenes reminiscent of early Resident Evil titles. First glimpsed in the Haunted PS1 Demo Disk, the game embraces a low-polygon, pixelated aesthetic, paying homage to the visual style of the late 90s.
Adinolfi describes “Heartworm” as a “nostalgia-charged love letter” to genre progenitors like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Dino Crisis. The game distinguishes itself with a “suburban horror” setting, placing players in a supernatural house within a familiar mountain range, creating a sense of unease akin to the original Silent Hill.
“Heartworm” follows Sam, a photographer grappling with loss, as she seeks a house rumored to connect the living with the deceased. Armed only with her camera to pacify grotesque “static monsters,” Sam must solve puzzles, manage her inventory, and confront terrifying bosses.
While celebrating classic survival horror, “Heartworm” explores themes of mental illness and trauma, drawing from Adinolfi’s personal experiences. The complete game, offering multiple endings and a 4-6 hour runtime, is set to launch on July 31st. A free demo is currently available on PC.
“Heartworm” arrives amidst a renewed interest in classic survival horror, with major companies re-releasing titles for modern platforms. The game hopes to remind people of what made survival horror games great in the first place.
First Piper 