Plug In Digital, the publisher, has published a trailer for the forthcoming horror game Lempo. The video is a little under two minutes long, but it does an excellent job of conveying the scary mood, akin to the latest Amnesia: The Bunker gameplay footage. Lempo’s gaming world is unique in that it is based on Finnish folklore.
This is not the first time that video games have drawn inspiration from Finnish mythology, despite being less well-known than its Norse cousin. For example, the Rune Bears in Elden Ring were inspired by the legendary Finnish notion of bears. They were so venerated that even the name of the bear was deemed too holy to use. Even though Elden Ring’s Rune Bears were difficult to combat, bears are unlikely to be the major danger in Lempo.
The trailer depicts a faraway and malformed person moving wildly before the screen begins to distort, exposing the title card and a request to wishlist on Steam, GOG, and Epic Games. The video then cuts to a mass of writhing flesh in a church, with a voice proclaiming that their church is “a safe place for all,” followed by a revelation of many individuals with luminous eyes peering behind the player character. The voice giving announcements over what seems to be a radio lends the off-screen character a tone reminiscent of Bioshock’s Andrew Ryan, while the exploration-based gameplay resembles games such as Soma and Amnesia.
The majority of the teaser depicts the player exploring many dark and eerie locales while holding just a lighter or a lantern. The statement “obelisk activated, you feel refreshed” appears at one point, hinting that the player may need to discover safe areas or activate them as checkpoints to advance. Some viewers complain about the video’s apparent lack of action, while others commend the emphasis on atmosphere, with an emphasis on scares rather than combat. With a slew of horror games about to hit the market in 2023, it’s fair to assume that horror enthusiasts will be able to choose a game that matches their play style. While no release date has been set, it seems that Lempo’s style is heading into the unknown.
Lempo is a difficult figure in Finnish mythology. Lempo is known as the deity of love and fertility, yet he is also regarded as a devil with chaotic behaviour. Lempo, being the personification of love, is supposed to be capable of taking possession of a body and leading it to destruction. Lempo also vanquished Vainamoinen, the major hero of Finnish mythology, and his name is even regarded as a curse word in Finnish as a result of his acts. However, game developers have been known to make adjustments to fit tales, such as the changes to Freya in God of War Ragnarok, so players may experience a different image of Lempo.
