PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The Cannibal Holocaust video game has undergone some interesting changes to its name and is now announced to be released this summer. Although quite the controversial film, we all have to admit that, for many horror writers and directors, 1980’s Cannibal Holocaust (read our retro review here) was a major influence. As a video gamer, I was beyond excited to see the announcement of this film being created into a gaming adventure back in April of 2020. Although not a direct film remake in video game form, it is a continuation of the horror.
The title underwent some significant changes recently, with the name going from Cannibal Holocaust to Borneo: A Jungle Nightmare. The project’s director, scriptwriter and original film director, Ruggero Deodato, did an amazing job making the video game its own entity while still captivating the fans of the original film.
Although it is quite graphic and often deemed offensive, one of the most disturbing aspects of Borneo: A Jungle Nightmare is the same as in the film… the dangerous situations that we humans can put ourselves in. However, many many people from Borneo have spoken out against the game, feeling it depicts their culture in a offensive manner.
With that being said, Fantastico Studio had this to say:
“Our game exploits people’s prejudices—such as, for example, the false conception of the presence of cannibal tribes in Borneo—to show the rottenness that exists in the Western world, and this is very important to fully understand the artistic choices we have made. In fact, the main theme is precisely this one. The characters will go into the jungle of Borneo in search of cannibals, but they will only find the evil they bring with them.”
They further explained that Deodato and his team did their best to research local Dayak and Bornean habits and culture while working on this project, and that any racist undertones were unintentional.
“No cannibals will be hunted; no culture will be belittled or stereotyped. There will be a deep message in the game, which we cannot explain now so as not to spoil the players’ experience.”
Up for release this summer, a new trailer for Borneo: A Jungle Nightmare has been released.
***Trigger Warning – video depicts disturbing and often offensive imagery please be advised***
Below is another video on how the studio and Writer/Director Ruggero Deodato advanced and researched the concept of the game. To me, it’s always interesting to see a video game’s process, especially if it stems from a place of myth or legend.
Announced for the summer of 2021, the long awaited Borneo: A Jungle Nightmare looks to be a shock for all who play it, and it’s going to be interesting to see how this game affects the horror gaming community.
