The Horror aims to mash Diablo-style loot with VHS nightmares — here’s what matters before you back

This caught my eye because the ARPG grind has never really gone full VHS slasher

Titan1Studios has launched a Kickstarter for The Horror, a “classic ARPG” drenched in 80s/90s VHS grime from BAFTA winner Blair Renaud (Anticleric). Renaud’s an ex-Technical Director at Rockstar Toronto and a VR pioneer currently building the long-gestating cyberpunk sim LOW-FI. That pedigree plus the pitch-Diablo 2 depth meets retro horror vibes-made me stop scrolling. We’ve seen plenty of VHS-flavored indies in the survival space, but not many trying to marry that mood with loot, builds, and endgame churn.

Key Takeaways

• Smart premise: ARPG buildcraft wrapped in VHS-era horror is a fresh combo if the atmosphere doesn’t sabotage combat readability.
• Kickstarter is for “final funding,” but timelines matter-Renaud’s ambitious LOW-FI shows he sticks with projects, yet progress can be slow.
• No confirmed platforms, camera, or co-op details. For ARPG fans, those are make-or-break specifics.
• Early access and backer involvement could sharpen the loop—only if updates are frequent and transparent.

Breaking down the announcement

The Horror is pitched as a dark, atmospheric action RPG built by Renaud with Titan1Studios producing. The team name-drops Diablo 2 as the gameplay touchstone while promising a thick layer of analog grime—think worn-out rental tape, jittery overlays, and a cinematic slasher edge. There’s also a cast: Lovina (The Boys, Polar), Kyle Bailey (The Dark Pictures: Little Hope), and Erik Knudsen (Saw II, Scream 4). That suggests a story-forward angle, unusual for ARPGs that typically live or die on the dopamine drip of loot tables and skill synergy.

The campaign offers the usual mix of backer rewards, early access, and the chance to weigh in during development. The press line is clear: they’re seeking the last push to ship, not the first dollar to prototype. That’s reassuring on paper, but the real test is scope control.

The real questions ARPG players will ask

ARPGs are brutally unforgiving to half-measures. If The Horror wants to sit at the same table as Diablo 2, Grim Dawn, or Last Epoch, it needs answers to a few non-negotiables:

• Combat feel: hitstop, iframe tuning, animation cancel windows, and consistent input latency. VHS effects can’t muddy timing.
• Buildcraft: meaningful skill trees, keystone passives, and itemization with interesting affixes beyond flat damage. Resistances, procs, ailments—give us crunchy choices.
• Endgame: repeatable content with escalating modifiers, leaderboards or seasons (if applicable), and a reason to theorycraft beyond credits.
• Co-op? The announcement doesn’t say. Many ARPG fans expect online or at least couch co-op. If it’s single-player only, say it plainly.
• Readability: film grain, chromatic aberration, and interlacing are cool—until they hide telegraphs or rare drops. Toggled visual filters would be essential.

I’m also watching for camera choice. “Classic ARPG” implies isometric, but Renaud’s background is heavy on first-person VR. If this leans first- or third-person, the combat expectations change drastically—more Soulslike timing and less click-to-crit, which could be great, just different.

Industry context: hype vs. history

Crowdfunding can birth great RPGs—Divinity: Original Sin and Pillars of Eternity didn’t happen by accident—but it also teaches brutal lessons about scope. Renaud’s ongoing LOW-FI is a good reminder: ambitious vision, playable builds, long runway. Persistence is there; shipping dates are trickier. If The Horror really is in the “final funding” phase, the campaign should show raw, uncut combat footage, UI shots of skill trees and loot, and a clear milestone roadmap.

On the aesthetic side, the VHS-horror wave is thriving—Puppet Combo-style slashers, Signalis’ cold retro sci-fi, World of Horror’s analog nightmares—but those skew survival or narrative. Folding that mood into an ARPG loop is new territory at scale. The upside is obvious: a unique vibe in a genre that often defaults to gothic fantasy or high-polish occult. The risk is style over substance, where filters become the headline and the buildcraft feels thin.

The gamer’s perspective: what I need to see before backing

• Five minutes of uninterrupted gameplay showing a full fight-to-loot-to-skill-point loop.
• Itemization examples: affix pools, rarity tiers, crafting or reroll systems, and how horror themes inform mechanics (curses, sanity, blood rituals?).
• UI clarity with accessibility toggles for film grain, screen shake, and colorblind modes.
• Platform clarity and input support. This feels PC-first, but controller feel matters for ARPGs.
• Co-op statement. Even “no co-op at launch” is better than silence.
• Post-launch stance. Please, no surprise live-service pivots. A premium, content-complete ARPG with optional updates would fit the pitch.

The cast is a nice plus—Erik Knudsen’s horror cred especially—but performances won’t carry an ARPG if the minute-to-minute isn’t addictive. If Titan1Studios and Renaud can stick the landing on crunchy builds and keep the camera readable through the analog haze, The Horror could scratch an itch most ARPGs ignore.

Looking ahead

Right now, The Horror is one of the more intriguing Kickstarter pitches of the year: a confident creative lead, a distinct aesthetic, and a genre foundation that rewards depth. The gap between a killer concept and a keeper in your library is all execution. Show the systems, set expectations, and keep updates steady. If you back it, do it because you want to help build something weird and specific—not because you expect a guaranteed ship date.

TL;DR

The Horror promises Diablo 2-style depth dressed in VHS-era dread. It’s a cool swing with legit talent attached, but key details—camera, co-op, platforms, and endgame—aren’t public yet. If the team proves the core loop and commits to transparent updates, this could be a standout ARPG rather than another stylish footnote.