Project Spectrum: The Gamescom Horror FPS That Dares to Out-Creep Resident Evil Requiem

Project Spectrum: The Most Unsettling Horror FPS Reveal at Gamescom’s ONL

Let’s be honest-when the Gamescom Opening Night Live rolls around, most eyes are looking for the next big franchise drop or a surprise from a beloved developer. Resident Evil: Requiem naturally grabbed the spotlight for horror fans, but amidst the spectacle, another trailer made my skin crawl in a way Capcom’s latest didn’t. Enter Project Spectrum: a mysterious first-person horror shooter from TiMi Studio Group, better known for military shooters like Delta Force. This one feels different. Here’s why it caught my eye and why the genre could use a fresh jolt like this.

• Project Spectrum is a horror FPS melding psychological scares with gunplay.
• The trailer teased mannequins, spectral horrors, and a protagonist haunted by past trauma.
• It’s PvPvE-focused and likely PC-bound, but there’s no official release date or confirmed title.
• Developed by TiMi Studio Group-the same crew behind Delta Force-signaling a major genre swerve.

Why Project Spectrum Landed on My Radar

We’ve all seen what happens when studios try to pivot genres or ride a trend—sometimes you get a surprise hit like Prey 2017, other times it’s a forgettable attempt lost in the Steam bargain bin. With TiMi Studio Group coming off the tactical shooter scene, I had low expectations for a meaningful entry into horror. But Project Spectrum’s reveal was anything but typical. Instead of yet another gloomy monster-corridor shooter, they pitched something with real psychological teeth: a haunted protagonist fighting both external abominations and her own memories. The visual of twisted mannequins twisting and jerking unnaturally was pure nightmare fuel, and that got me interested—because while gore is cheap, it’s rare to see a horror FPS that genuinely aims to unnerve rather than just gross out.

Breaking Down the Trailer: Trauma, Firepower, and…PvPvE?

The most interesting detail? This isn’t just a solo campaign against environmental horrors—Project Spectrum appears to go all-in on PvPvE. For those burned out on wave shooters, that could be a huge plus or a potential disaster, depending how it’s handled. The protagonist’s arsenal includes pistols, assault rifles, even flaming melee weapons and molotovs. That’s not your average psychological horror toolkit. Combining that with scenes hinting at deep internal conflict—nightmarish apparitions and a clear focus on trauma—suggests an attempt to blend personal story with high-stakes multiplayer action. I’m always wary when a game tries to do everything at once, but if they pull it off, there’s a chance this could stand toe-to-toe with some of the best.

No platforms were announced, but the wording around a “PC-oriented” project with PvPvE at its core has me guessing it skips consoles at launch. No release date and not even a confirmation that ‘Project Spectrum’ is its final title—classic “show just enough and leave you hanging” Gamescom tactic. That’s marketing, but it also tells me this is early days, so expect more reveals and, honestly, a few delays along the way.

What Gamers Should Really Watch For

Atmosphere and mechanics will make or break this game. We’ve seen plenty of shooters slap on a “horror” label with some jumpscares and enemy variations. What Project Spectrum desperately needs is a gameplay loop where the psychological threat doesn’t get lost in the gunfire. The risk, of course, is ending up with another Back 4 Blood—a technically solid PvE shooter that lost its spark with formulaic encounters and a forgettable story. But if they nail the tension of stalker enemies and player-vs-player mind games, we could have something genuinely new on our hands.

And let’s not ignore the developer track record. TiMi Studio Group isn’t typically associated with horror; their wheelhouse is large-scale shooters. Bringing their expertise to the unpredictable, psychological realm of horror could lead to a unique blend—or it might fall flat with generic gunplay drowning out the scares. For now, I’m cautiously optimistic, especially given the deliberate choice to showcase a protagonist so clearly scarred by personal demons. If the dev team truly leans into that—à la Alan Wake or the earlier Silent Hills—Project Spectrum might be the rare horror FPS that makes you sweat in and out of combat.

TL;DR

Project Spectrum stole a bit of Resident Evil: Requiem’s thunder by promising not just monstrous enemies, but psychological horror and PvPvE chaos. With a focus on trauma and atmosphere, it could inject much-needed creativity into horror shooters—if TiMi delivers on its spooky ambitions.