Precognition Is a New Live-Action Sci-Fi Horror Game From Immortality Developer and Filmmaker Brandon Cronenberg

Half Mermaid—the acclaimed narrative studio spearheaded by visionary director Sam Barlow, known for groundbreaking titles like Immortality, Her Story, and Telling Lies—has officially lifted the veil on its next ambitious venture: Precognition. Crafted as a chilling sci-fi horror adventure, the project sees Barlow collaborating closely with celebrated horror auteur Brandon Cronenberg, the creative force behind Possessor and Infinity Pool.

True to the studio’s signature style, Precognition is an immersive, non-linear full-motion video (FMV) experience driven by live-action performances. The narrative revolves around Diana, a protagonist outfitted with an experimental neural implant that grants her haunting premonitions of the future. Players must guide Diana as she navigates these prophetic visions, isolating crucial turning points and cementing them into her waking memory. These pivotal decisions directly sculpt and alter the trajectory of the overarching storyline.

“We’ve really been trying to test the limits of non-linear storytelling, focusing on how the game feels to play, while encouraging player agency and freedom,”

Sam Barlow, Half Mermaid Co-Founder

Barlow elaborates, “We’ve pushed ourselves even harder with Precognition by bringing the tactile feel of investigation and mystery games into a dynamic world of cause-and-effect, delivering a narrative that continuously evolves as a direct consequence of your choices.”

To flesh out the game’s unsettling atmosphere, Half Mermaid brought in Brandon Cronenberg as co-developer and co-writer. Son of the legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg, Brandon has carved out his own distinct niche in modern horror with provocative features like Infinity Pool (2023), Possessor (2020), and Antiviral (2012). According to Barlow, Cronenberg was the ultimate collaborator, perfectly blending his mastery of visceral horror with an innate understanding of the interactive mechanics seen in Immortality and Her Story.

“The films I make tend to be deeply subjective and experiential, with horror emerging as one person’s reality warps around them,” notes Brandon Cronenberg. “The games Sam and his team create are inherently subjective—no two players walk away with the exact same experience. That makes this the ideal sandbox to push these thematic boundaries even further.”

Originally teased back in January 2024 under the moniker “Project C”—one half of a two-game slate alongside the yet-unveiled “Project D”—Precognition initially circulated as a Blumhouse Games publication following an appearance at Summer Game Fest 2024. However, publishing duties have since transitioned to Kinetic Publishing, who proudly showcased the title during a dedicated publisher showcase on August 12.

Precognition is slated for release in the spring of 2028, heading to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, the successor to the Nintendo Switch, and PC. For a deeper dive into the studio’s storied catalog, be sure to check out our retrospective critiques of Telling Lies and Her Story.