Most people know the story of Jonestown, a settlement set up by radical religious leader Jim Jones in Guyana. The settlement became internationally known when more than 900 people died there, all after willingly ingesting a drink laced with cyanide.
A new video game by Paranoid Productions, called The Church in the Darkness, takes inspiration from Jonestown, as well as other less deadly cult groups, and tasks players with infiltrating a cult in the game to uncover its truth and help save its believers.
A new teaser trailer offers a hint behind the story of this game, which finds its basis from actual historical events, as well as shows what the title's top down gameplay looks like.
"Persecuted for their radical beliefs, Rebecca and Isaac Walker lead their people into the jungles of South America," writes Paranoid Productions in a press email. "There, in the isolation of Freedom Town, they can finally escape the injustice of the U.S. and follow the true path of the righteous ... but an outsider is in their midst."
In The Church in the Darkness, players take on the role of a law enforcement officer, tasked with the mission of infiltrating Freedom Town and checking on a family member, a nephew. However, Paranoid promises that "life in Freedom Town may not be what it seems."
One unique aspect of the game is that each playthrough is different. As players come across different characters, the narrative of the game changes, with each playthrough offering a different layout, different beliefs of the cult and different motives of the leaders. Each playthrough has different allies and enemies and uncovers more of the secrets behind Freedom Town.
"No one is forced to join a cult," writes Paranoid Productions. "It welcomes you. It understands you. It envelops you until the words become more than truth - they make you whole."
Paranoid Productions wrote the roles of the cult leaders for two specific voice actors: Ellen McLain (the voice of GLaDOS in Portal) and John Patrick Lowrie (the Sniper in Team Fortress 2). The couple also assists in the composition of the game's soundtrack.
The Church in the Darkness arrives in 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
