Dead by Daylight publisher reveals a new co-op puzzle game coming in 2023

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I'm a sucker for cinematic puzzle games set in lush worlds enshrouded in mystery: I loved The Talos Principle, and I quite enjoyed The Witness too, even though I wasn't smart enough to get through much more than half of it. And so the new thing from Lunarch Studios and Dead by Daylight creator Behaviour Interactive looks like it might be right up my alley too.

Currently known as Project S, which I suspect will not be a permanent title, the game is set in an open world filled with quests, secrets, and "a huge variety of puzzle types organically embedded throughout the landscape." It can be played solo or multiplayer—specifics on multiplayer modes haven't been shared yet—with new areas, quests, and abilities unlocking as your character progresses.

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Project S screen — (Image credit: Lunarch Studios)

Naturally, there's an overarching story to discover, too: "As a spark of wisdom gifted physical form, learn more about the being who gave you life, the origins and fate of this strange world of puzzles, and the role you have to play within it," The Steam page says.

It's not a lot to go on, but the basic promise of low-pressure wandering in a quiet fantasy game world is enough to at least grab my interest at this point. The puzzles are almost secondary: It's undeniably satisfying solving a tough riddle but I'm not really a big fan of straining my brain to excess (insert your favorite "game journalist" joke here)—it's exploring and discovering the mysteries of the game world that keep me coming back. If Project S can do a good job with that, I'm in.

Project S is currently slated to come out sometime in 2023, but you can sign up to take part in an upcoming (and, for the record, undated) playtest at bhvr.com. The page also includes a link to signup for playtesting on Behaviour's own new game, a "building-and-raiding" FPS called Meet Your Maker, that's set to begin later in August.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.