The Occultist’s IGN Fan Fest Trailer Teases Smart, Combat‑Free Horror On A Cursed Island

A pendulum, not a pistol: why The Occultist trailer grabbed me

Horror lives or dies on restraint. The Occultist’s new gameplay trailer from IGN Fan Fest leans into that idea with zero combat, thick atmosphere, and a literal pendulum of powers that looks more detective kit than demon-slayer. It’s coming in 2026 from developer DALOAR and publisher Daedalic Entertainment, and this one caught my attention because it’s not trying to be another chase-cam scream generator. It wants you to think-then panic.

Key takeaways

• Exploration and stealth over combat: you’re prey, not a powerhouse.
• Pendulum-based abilities are the core hook-five modes teased for investigation and puzzle-solving.
• Godstone Island oozes cult horror vibes with spectral threats and cryptic mechanisms.
• Delayed to 2026: more time to polish, but a long runway in a crowded horror slate.

Breaking down the trailer: oppressive vibes and tactile puzzles

The footage leans hard on mood. Fogged streets, ritual markings in stone, and architecture that suggests a community built around secrecy, not survival. The protagonist, Alan Rebels, moves cautiously-there’s weight to the footsteps and a deliberate pace that says “you’re trespassing.” What sells the pitch is the pendulum: it’s not a prop, it’s the toolkit. The trailer hints at multiple modes—think scanning traces, revealing hidden paths, maybe “tuning” to spectral frequencies—that gate progress through puzzle doors and risky stealth routes.

There’s no gun, no last‑minute shotgun miracle. That puts The Occultist closer to Amnesia or SOMA than Outlast’s sprint-and-hide loop, because it frames the environment as a problem to solve, not just a hallway to run down. A few puzzle beats stand out: aligning occult sigils, manipulating physical mechanisms, reading the space for clues before the next haunt manifests. If the pendulum lets you peel back layers of reality—revealing echoes or altering states—that could create satisfying “aha” chains. If it’s just a glorified key scanner, though, we’re in gimmick territory.

Developer context: Daedalic’s rebuild era and DALOAR’s shot

Daedalic’s name still brings baggage after The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, but they’ve shifted emphasis toward publishing projects that lean into their roots: narrative, puzzle-forward design. The Occultist fits that lane—story-first, systems second. DALOAR is comparatively new on the scene, and that’s both exciting and risky. Fresh studios sometimes deliver the most interesting horror (see: The Chinese Room with Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs) because they’re not beholden to combat crutches.

The soundtrack by Pepe Herrero is a savvy call. Horror needs a musical spine, and the trailer’s strings-and-chant undertones suggest a score that can carry long, quiet tensions without giving away the jump. If you’re doing stealth without combat, audio design becomes your “combat” system—telegraphing threat, space, and sanity without UI clutter.

The gamer’s perspective: promises and potential pitfalls

No combat is a promise that the level design and AI have to keep. If enemies rubber‑band to scripted choke points or if stealth devolves into trial‑and‑error quickloads, the vibe crumbles. The pendulum must do more than “press to reveal sparkle.” Give us layered interactions: read a room with one mode, alter a state with another, then risk a stealth pass while a third mode distracts or suppresses a manifestation. The five mechanics teased need distinct, synergistic roles that evolve across the campaign.

Puzzle clarity matters. Horror can be obtuse, but it shouldn’t be opaque. Smart design signposts intent diegetically: scorch marks, whispered hints, ritual geometry. If we’re stuck, the pendulum could escalate hints subtly instead of pausing the mood with a menu prompt. And please, checkpoint with compassion. Long stealth sections plus one-shot kills are a fast track to controller-flying frustration.

Where it sits in the horror landscape

We’re in a good era for thoughtful horror. Alan Wake 2 pushed narrative ambition; Amnesia: The Bunker proved systems-driven dread can be thrilling; The Medium flirted with dual realities. The Occultist seems to carve out “occult investigation sim” space—more The Vanishing of Ethan Carter meets Call of Cthulhu than Outlast’s gauntlet. The island of Godstone is a strong setting choice: boundaried, storied, and ripe for hub-and-spoke exploration where returning to earlier sites with upgraded pendulum modes could unlock new horrors.

The 2026 window is a double-edged blade. Time to polish is good—especially for animation, lighting, and stealth AI—but the genre is getting crowded. If Silent Hill projects, indie darlings, and more “walking dread” experiences land in the same window, The Occultist needs clear messaging: what does the pendulum let me do that no other horror game lets me do?

What gamers need to know (so far)

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox. Launch target: 2026 (after a delay from the original 2025 target).
• Core loop: exploration, stealth, and puzzle-solving—no direct combat.
• Signature mechanic: a mystical pendulum with five distinct modes for interacting with the world and the supernatural.
• Setting and tone: Godstone Island, a cult-scarred place of fog, ruins, and spectral entities.
• Audio: original score by Pepe Herrero to bolster slow-burn tension.

TL;DR

The Occultist’s trailer sells brains-over-bullets horror with a pendulum toolkit that could make investigation feel genuinely fresh. If DALOAR nails puzzle clarity and stealth AI—and Daedalic backs the polish—the 2026 wait might be worth it. If the pendulum is just a fancy key and stealth becomes guesswork, the spell breaks fast.