This is the Zodiac Speaking announces fall arrival

Written by Jack Allin — April 7, 2020 at 12:08

While Jack the Ripper still gets the most attention among famous unsolved murders, the Zodiac isn't far behind. The latest attempt to determine the identity of the never-caught serial killer in California in the late '60s and early '70s is Punch Punk Games' upcoming stealth thriller, This is the Zodiac Speaking. 

The game casts players in the role of Robert Hartnell, a journalist for the San Francisco Times who is actively investigating the Zodiac case in 1973 when he receives a note from the killer himself, enticing him to a meeting at Mount Diablo. The secret rendezvous, however, nearly leads to Robert's death and "leaves him wounded, traumatized, suffering from depression and even more obsessed with the serial killer than before." Robert begins visiting the other crime scenes to "collect clues, solve riddles and set the right chronology of events to solve Zodiac's murder cases," even as he tries to overcome his personal trauma through therapy sessions that dredge up "disturbing memories from his own childhood." And all the while, players must "avoid the Zodiac at all cost as he follows your every step."

Created by Punch Punk Games (Apocalipsis: Harry at the End of the World) and co-written by acclaimed Polish author Lukasz Orbitowski, This is the Zodiac Speaking is a first-person 3D adventure described as a "noir, fact-based single-player psychological thriller." The settings are based on the actual locations where the Zodiac's crimes took place, presented through music and "gloomy" but stylized visuals inspired by TV footage and movies from the period. Gameplay promises both traditional detective-styled investigation and "stealth and action elements" in this deadly game of cat-and-mouse, as at times you will need to "run fast ... crouch and hide to avoid the killer." The choices you make along the way matter too, as your decisions will influence the story and lead to one of three possible endings.

If you think you have what it takes to go up against "America's most famous never-caught serial killer," then mark September 24th on your calendars, as that's when This is the Zodiac Speaking is scheduled to launch on Steam for PC, as well as PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.