Bo Mathorne, known for his acclaimed animated short film The Backwater Gospel, has announced a new video game project titled Skarven, in collaboration with developer Thomas Mygind. This title is presented as a first-person shooter (FPS) that draws inspiration from narrative games of the late 90s and early 2000s, such as Half-Life. With a distinctive artistic style, Skarven combines influences from Northern Europe with nostalgia for the PlayStation 2 era.
Nostalgia for the games of your adolescence begins
The first trailer of the game establishes an oppressive and surreal atmosphere, where the player approaches a lonely rural house, with an industrial mill in the background. The short film shows a disturbing narrative, in which a television presenter in Danish provides details about a sociopolitical context that includes an increase in the retirement age and a rise in labor automation, elements that recall the dystopia presented in Children of Men. This visually striking world is complemented by an artistic design that evokes the grotesque and stylized style of Mathorne, similar to the works of Tim Burton.
Skarven still does not have a demo or a defined release window, but interested parties can already add it to their wishlist on Steam. It is worth noting that The Backwater Gospel, released in 2011, has accumulated 4.6 million views on YouTube, thus raising Mathorne’s profile in the gaming community. Those who are not familiar with his work can find the high-quality short film in his 4K re-upload, released last year.
As the anticipation for Skarven intensifies, video game fans can continue to discover other promising titles on the Steam page of the PC Gaming Show 2025, scheduled for December 4th.
