Eleusis

About the Game

Eleusis is a first-person adventure horror game developed and published by Greek studio Nocturnal Works. Its first release took place on February 22, 2013 for Windows, while the Steam version followed several months later, on October 16, 2013. The game was developed using Unreal Engine 3 and combines exploration, puzzle solving, storytelling, and survival-horror elements.

The story takes place in an isolated and seemingly abandoned village in Greece. The protagonist arrives there while looking for a place of refuge and soon realizes that something is seriously wrong. The inhabitants have disappeared, while the surrounding environment contains strange clues, objects, and evidence suggesting that the village's apparent abandonment hides a much darker secret.

As he explores the area, the protagonist discovers evidence of a secret cult. The group intends to perform an ancient ritual and revive a dark force. In order to stop them, the player must uncover forgotten knowledge connected to ancient mysteries and understand how this knowledge relates to the strange events taking place in the village.

The game's title is a direct reference to Eleusis and the famous Eleusinian Mysteries, the ancient religious rites primarily associated with Demeter and Persephone. The game draws upon elements of ancient Greek religion, mythology, and history and transforms them into the foundation for a horror story. It is therefore not simply a horror game that happens to take place in Greece; its central mythology is directly connected to ancient Greek culture.

Gameplay focuses primarily on exploration and investigation. Players move through the village and surrounding areas from a first-person perspective, searching for clues that reveal the story and lead to new areas or actions. Books, notes, objects, and other texts provide information and help the player piece together the mystery.

A major part of the gameplay consists of inventory-based and information-based puzzles. Players must find specific objects, understand their purpose, and use them to unlock new areas or advance the story. The puzzles are closely connected to the setting, with several drawing upon elements of ancient Greek history, mythology, and technology.

The game also incorporates survival-horror elements. The player is not simply exploring a puzzle-filled environment but moving through a world where exploration is accompanied by a constant sense of danger. The isolation of the village, the absence of its inhabitants, and the gradual discovery of the cult's activities provide the framework for the horror experience.

The game places considerable emphasis on atmosphere and environmental exploration. Rather than relying entirely on constant combat, Eleusis uses its environments to communicate information. An abandoned building, an old object, or a written document can form part of a larger puzzle and help reveal another piece of the story.

The connection to Greece also extends to the game's presentation of ancient Greek knowledge. Texts and puzzles draw upon real historical, mythological, and technological elements from ancient Greece, creating a link between the game's modern setting and the ancient past underlying its mystery.

Eleusis Trailer