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Press release:
Denver, USA – October 4th, 2023.
The Denver-based indie games publisher Versus Evil and independent game studio Jukai Studio, today announced with great thrill and joy that their mystery-driven psychological horror game “Stray Souls“, is coming to PC (via Steam) and consoles (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and the Xbox One) via digital stores on October 25th, 2023 for $29.99.

PC players will be able to purchase the Stray Souls: Cult Classic Edition for $39.99, which includes the official soundtrack and Sacred Tome artbook. The soundtrack features legendary guest composer Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill) and veteran indie composer Pete Wicher.

The Stray Souls OST contains a total of 60 tracks and over 3 hours of music, including exclusive bonus tracks not featured in the game. The Sacred Tome is an unholy compendium that includes a gorgeous collection of gothic watercolor illustrations from the vault of artist Phil Worobey, plus a complete digital lore library encompassing all the discoverable notes, letters, and various documentation found throughout the game.

To commemorate this launch, Watcher’s popular YouTube paranormal investigation series Ghost Files is getting its own Stray Souls-inspired episode on October 20th, in which hosts Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej conduct their first private home investigation for the show. Utilizing some of the same tactics Daniel uses in the game, the Ghoul Boys attempt to make contact with the spirits who haunt both the home and the Duyck family.

More about Stray Souls:
Dive into the mind of Daniel, a teenage boy who inherits a home from his estranged grandmother. As he moves in, Daniel meets the enigmatic Martha who knows more about the house than he would expect. As night falls, dark secrets hiding within the dwelling and Daniel’s past come out of the woodworks – secrets Daniel cannot seem to outrun…

Stray Souls combines beloved elements of Japanese survival horror games with an array of new tricks, including a variety of randomized systems where enemy encounters, item placement, paranormal activity and even weather patterns are always changing so no two playthroughs are exactly the same.

Featuring new music by legendary Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka and using the power of Metahuman technology and Unreal Engine 5, characters and environments are authentically brought to life, throwing you straight into the dread and dismay of the narrative.

“We at Jukai Studio have been obsessed with horror games for seemingly our whole lives. Members of our team have contributed to titles like The Medium and Visage in the past, but Stray Souls allowed us to really flex our creative muscles and use our expertise to put our own spin on both J-horror and survival horror,” said Artur Łączkowski, Owner & Director at Jukai Studio.

“Being able to get Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka on board was a clear sign that our vision was coming through to an industry legend, so we’re excited to finally share the full game with the public just in time for Halloween!”

“Stray Souls is the first psychological horror game in Versus Evil’s history, and we couldn’t be more excited about its release,” said Dave Hulegaard, Sr. Brand Manager of Versus Evil. “The talented team at Jukai Studio are students of the genre, and their passion is on full display from Daniel’s very first chilling encounter with the paranormal.”

About Jukai Studio
Established in 2022, Jukai Studio is an independent game studio comprised of an experienced team focused on creating memorable experiences within the horror genre. Aiming to push the boundaries of what is considered possible within the indie space, the team has come together to work on its first title, Stray Souls, a genre-pushing homage to classic survival horror.

About Versus Evil
Founded in 2013, Versus Evil, LLC is the US based video game publisher behind critically acclaimed video games First Class Trouble, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and The Banner Saga trilogy. Publishing games on all major mobile, PC and console platforms, Versus Evil works with independent development studios from around the world. The corporate philosophy is to champion for the independent game developer. For more information visit versusevil.com