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Sunless Sea has cannibals and Lovecraftian horror. From the makers of Fallen London

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Nothing quite like taking a boat out with a couple of friends. Maybe having a picnic if you get hungry. Of course, on the Sunless Sea, the picnic is likely to be stocked with the other other white meat. This Lovecraftian survival game sees you trying to stay alive on an ocean where food is sparse, monsters are plenty, and your crew will turn on you in an instant.

The game it seems most similar to mechanically is Flotilla. That was a game where you took your spaceship from planet to planet, each time being presented a situation and a choice. Scientists trapped in a burning ship ask for your help, do you offer it and risk your ship or sail on by. Sunless Sea has similar situations presented to you, though this time with a more grim, Lovecraftian tone. How you handle them can see you filling your ship’s hold, your own coffers, or something quite unpleasant occurring.

You’re also managing the state of your crew. They’ll panic if morale dips. They’ll mutiny if you cannot sate their needs. They’ll eat you if you can’t feed them.

The writing should be excellent. This is a game from the makers of free-to-play social text adventure Fallen London, after all. Sunless Sea is set in the same world as Fallen London and so there will be moments of cross over but in a number of respects the games are quite different. Sunless Sea won’t be a free-to-play game. Instead, it’s a straight up purchase and download affair. It’s also being made in unity and runs in real time.

It all sounds a little excellent.

A Kickstarter to fund development has launched.

Cheers, US Gamer.