Ex-Rockstar Dev James Macleod Unveils Ritual Tides Psychological Horror Game

Vertpaint, an independent studio founded by former Rockstar developer James Macleod, has revealed its debut title Ritual Tides, a psychological horror game targeting PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X platforms with a currently undetermined release date.

Macleod, who served as creative director and CEO, revealed details during a preview session at Gamescom where the intended playable demo build was described as fundamentally broken due to event chaos. Instead, Vertpaint showcased a level design build to demonstrate the game's environment and mechanics.

The game places players in control of an amnesiac woman who awakens on a beach and must uncover her past alongside the history of a mysterious island setting. According to Macleod, the narrative explores what safety and danger represent from a woman's perspective, a theme influenced by conversations with his sister about feeling unsafe in certain environments.

Ritual Tides combines first-person survival horror elements inspired by both Silent Hill and Resident Evil 7 and Village, according to the preview. The fictional coastal town of Hortus features fog-blanketed environments and gritty visual design. Gameplay footage demonstrated a melee combat system with durability mechanics, where weapons do not last indefinitely. The developer emphasized that running away serves as a primary survival strategy, as the protagonist lacks military training.

Environmental navigation incorporates a climbing mechanic utilizing trigger buttons for handhold management, along with a sparse heads-up display. The game reportedly indicates climbable surfaces through environmental details rather than traditional visual markers, leaving white residue tips on stones to designate mantling opportunities.

Visual presentation emphasizes photorealistic environmental textures alongside hand-painted elements, with Macleod describing the project as painstakingly detailed. The development team has previously showcased hand-painted statue artwork depicting in-game creature designs.

Publishing the title presents challenges due to its subject matter, Macleod stated. The game draws from broader trends in female-centric body horror entertainment while delivering what Vertpaint describes as a deeply personal narrative experience. No specific release timeline or publisher partnership has been announced for Ritual Tides at this stage.