Cosmic horror and Metroidvania design might seem like unlikely companions, yet in the hands of Vertex Zero Studio, the pairing feels inevitable. The team’s upcoming title, Silent Planet: Elegy of a Dying World, casts players into the decaying world of Thulcandra, where beauty and grotesquery co-exist in equal measure. With Apranik, a rare female lead in the genre, at its centre, Elegy of a Dying World promises a narrative steeped in myth, melancholy, and biopunk dread. Cubed3’s Adam Riley was over at Tokyo Game Show to try out the title, and also had the pleasure of meeting with co-founder and Art Director at Vertex Zero, Virginie Cabana, and Creative Director and Game Designer, James Alex Santoro.
Cubed3 sat down with James to discuss the upcoming game in greater detail to learn more about the inspirations, challenges, and ambitions behind the project, find out about the team’s creative process and plans on the road to release.
Cubed3’s Adam Riley, Director at Cubed3: Silent Planet blends cosmic horror with Metroidvania design. What inspired this fusion, and how did the idea of Thulcandra first take shape?
James Alex Santoro (Creative Director and Game Designer): Originally, the first spark to name the planet “Thulcandra” came from a Dark Throne song found in an old demo (circa 1988). This song inspired me to read Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis, which is part of The Space Trilogy. However, the similarities end there. Over the years, we aimed to develop a story that blends our own interpretation of cosmic horror within a claustrophobic, labyrinthine world. We thought setting it in a dying planet would be the perfect background for the narrative experience.
Adam Riley: Apranik is a rare female lead in this genre. What drove the decision to centre the story on her, and how does her character shape the gameplay experience?
James Alex Santoro: We drew inspiration from notable female characters, like Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell and Ellen Ripley from Alien in our decision to centre the story on Apranik. Our main design philosophy emphasises creating a world filled with contrast. Apranik embodies this paradox: she is strong, resilient, and fierce in battle, yet she carries a pervasive melancholy stemming from her existence marked by loss and fragmented memories of a long-forgotten past. As the latest reincarnation of the Child of the Threshold, she is tied to an ancient prophecy, which further shapes her character and influences the gameplay experience.
Adam Riley: The Silent Planet: Elegy of a Dying World preview highlighted environments that feel both alive and decaying. How did you approach designing a planet that is simultaneously beautiful and grotesque?
James Alex Santoro: At the very beginning of the Silent Planet: Elegy of a Dying World project, we intentionally adopted a design philosophy that encapsulates a constant battle between contrasts, with one of our main themes being “beauty amidst horror.” We aim for the story to be conveyed not only through narrative snippets but also to be “felt” through the visuals. In collaboration with our talented art team, it’s crucial for us to communicate these concepts effectively so they translate well into the final game.
Adam Riley: Combat in the Silent Planet: Elegy of a Dying World demo felt deliberate and weighty. What was your guiding principle in balancing exploration with combat pacing?
James Alex Santoro: Our core guiding principles at the start of the project were “Space” and “Timing”. With limited space to manoeuvre in rooms, confrontations emphasise player reaction time and reflexes (whether offensive or defensive). Additionally, we established an early rule to avoid excluding players based on their skill level. It has been crucial for us to build a system where wits and a well-balanced RPG system can compensate for where reflexes may fall short.
Adam Riley: You’ve mentioned Silent Planet is an homage to classics. Which titles most directly influenced your design, and how are you modernising the formula?
James Alex Santoro: Some of the games that most influenced our early design include Super Metroid, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Demon’s Crest, Blackthorne, and Super Drakkhen (Dragon View). Additionally, we are incorporating narrative mechanics like those found in point-and-click adventure games, such as our environmental scan system. Overall, we wanted to stray away from demanding platforming mechanics and instead emphasise exploration, combat, and narrative.
Adam Riley: The Angel’s Egg is central to the story. How much of the Silent Planet: Elegy of a Dying World narrative is rooted in myth and allegory, and how much is grounded in sci fi logic?
James Alex Santoro: The name “Angel’s Egg” is a direct reference to the Japanese visual masterpiece of the same name created by the renowned Mamoru Oshii and Yoshitaka Amano. In the game’s narrative, it is described as a jellyfish-like organism that plays a crucial role in the spread of life throughout the universe. An ancient civilisation in a distant constellation harnessed the power of this life form by placing it inside an extremely advanced artefact known as the Angel’s Egg.
Adam Riley: Cosmic horror often relies on suggestion rather than jump scares. How are you using sound, visuals, and pacing to evoke dread without overwhelming players?
James Alex Santoro: A large part of our approach centres around slow discovery. As players progress through the game, they will gradually come to terms with the realisation that everything is destined to succumb to decay in a universe that seems to lack any inherent reason for existence. In terms of sound design, our main goal is to create an unsettling atmosphere, emphasising a deep sense of isolation and despair. Visually, we hint at the tragic downfall of once-great civilisations through the depiction of ruins that reflect their slow descent into corruption. We want players to linger in both moments of tension and reflection.
Adam Riley: The biopunk aesthetic of flesh fused with metal is striking. What challenges did your team face in realising this vision in a 2D side scrolling format?
James Alex Santoro: The most challenging aspect has been conveying gruesome creatures within the constraints of a limited number of pixels. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the immense talent of every artist and external teams (audio and music) involved in this project. Their skill and creativity have been one of the pillars in bringing Silent Planet to life.
Adam Riley: Metroidvanias thrive on exploration and discovery. How are you encouraging players to experiment and backtrack without making progression feel like a grind?
James Alex Santoro: One of the key aspects of our design philosophy is to encourage compelling exploration, inviting players to return to previous areas and test their newly acquired abilities. You never know when you might uncover a hidden path, or a well-kept otherworldly secret that might surprise you quite a bit! To enhance this experience, we are integrating environmental storytelling and subtle visual cues that can guide players (the scan system can offer insight or hints about the game world). Additionally, we make sure that each new ability can open up unique interactions, making backtracking feel rewarding rather than tedious (we will also unlock mid-game an ability to fast-travel between checkpoints, thus facilitating navigation).
Adam Riley: With release set for 2026, what are the biggest priorities for the team between now and launch, and what do you hope players take away from Silent Planet?
James Alex Santoro: Right now, our biggest priority is to tighten up gameplay and work towards a public demo before release. We’re also exploring the potential for a console release, but that’s still under discussion for now. Upon release, we hope players will greatly enjoy the dark world of Silent Planet in all its gothic and gruesome beauty. We want them to immerse themselves in the haunting atmosphere and experience the dark lore that surrounds it. Finally, we hope they’ll have a fantastic time experiencing Apranik’s adventures, as they navigate the challenges and mysteries of the narrative universe we are crafting for our fans!
Adam Riley: At the Tokyo Game Show, we spoke about how you were readily taking on feedback from people trying the game there. Were there some key ideas/suggestions you feel would benefit the current development? Has this made you eager to hear more feedback from a wider pool of players, or are there concerns that too many suggestions can become a distraction?
James Alex Santoro: Indeed! There were some suggestions that will help us improve the experience. In the near future, we are planning in having limited closed playtests so we can further tune gameplay for the final release. We’ll be updating our social media accounts with the pertinent information when the time comes.
Adam Riley: MercurySteam went from long‑time Metroid fans to officially developing Metroid: Samus Returns and Metroid Dread. Do you see Silent Planet as a similar love letter to the genre, and could you imagine collaborating on an established IP in the future?
James Alex Santoro: We are inspired by many great titles from the ‘80s and ‘90s, and we definitely aim to pay homage to them all while creating something that feels different. Two of the IPs we would love to work on are Demon’s Crest, developed and published by Capcom in 1994, and Chakan: The Forever Man, published by Sega in 1992. I’m also a big fan of the original comic book series created by Robert A. Kraus!
Adam Riley: Metroidvania is a genre with a strong legacy. How do you balance paying homage to the classics with carving out your own identity, so Silent Planet doesn’t feel like a derivative work?
James Alex Santoro: While developing the gameplay mechanics, we focus less on recreating what has already been done in previous Metroidvanias and more on incorporating gameplay elements that fit the game world and lore. A great example is Apranik’s psychomancy, which draws inspiration from the PlayStation 1 title Galerians, as the concept aligns well with our established narrative. Another example is our three-layer exploration system, designed to add complexity to navigation while avoiding player fatigue due to a lack of direction.
Adam Riley: If Silent Planet resonates with players in the way MercurySteam’s work did, what doors would you hope it opens for your studio – sequels, new IP, or even partnerships with bigger publishers?
James Alex Santoro: We truly hope it resonates with players to the extent that we can further explore the narrative world we are creating in the “Chronicles of the Starseer Realms.” Our goal is for players to enjoy the layered narratives within the game’s story, showcasing some very interesting characters whom we would eventually love to see featured in a prequel.
As for new IPs, we have several ideas in very embryonic stages, but nothing concrete at this time. Regarding partnerships with other publishers, we are currently very happy with Red Dunes Games, and we see this as just the beginning of a long partnership. One thing we love to emphasise is its great respect and consideration for developers. In these challenging times, that’s worth its weight in gold. We are also open to collaborating with existing IPs, so that’s definitely not out of the question. Only time will tell!
I would like to finish with a narrative passage from Silent Planet, which best describes it: “Bloodthirst begets wrath, and wrath begets torment; woe to the conquered, their glory now stained and faded once retribution lies sated.”
