Half Mermaid has revealed the real name and premise of Project C: Precognition, a science-fiction horror thriller built around visions of the future. The announcement came during Kinetic Publishing’s inaugural showcase, where Sam Barlow’s studio closed the presentation with its first substantial details.
No footage or gameplay was shown, but the project’s central mechanic is already distinctive. The story follows Diana, a woman with a brain implant that shows her possible future. She sorts these visions into “memories” of events she has not experienced, then concentrates on particular moments to preserve them. The act of committing a vision to memory changes the future itself.
That concept points towards the kind of investigative, fragmented experience associated with Barlow’s earlier work, including Her Story, Telling Lies and Immortality. Half Mermaid describes Precognition as non-linear, with an emphasis on player choice and freedom. The presentation also hints at a notebook-style game, requiring players to record clues and work out how the pieces fit together.
Canadian writer and director Brandon Cronenberg has joined the project as a writer. His film credits include Antiviral, Possessor and Infinity Pool, making his involvement a notable match for the game’s unsettling science-fiction direction.
From a shelved FMV Metroid concept to Precognition
Barlow explained that the project began with an idea for an FMV Metroid game. He had considered the concept for years and occasionally mentioned it to Nintendo, but it never developed into a complete proposal. The idea eventually became too dark for a conventional Samus Aran adventure.
Barlow has previously identified Metroid Prime as an influence on Her Story, particularly its visor reflections. For him, those reflections suggested a way to remind players that they were inhabiting Samus while also making the fictional world feel more immersive. That interest in identity, viewpoint and the boundary between player and character carried into his wider approach to interactive storytelling.
The original concept remained on the shelf until its darker turn gave the story a clear structure. Once the themes and mechanics began supporting one another, Barlow could see the complete experience. The same development also revealed why the idea no longer suited Nintendo’s mascot-led universe: its eventual story was far more disturbing than a Samus adventure could reasonably be.
Barlow describes the early concept as a daydream about an FMV Metroid game. He says the project only became Precognition when its darker twist made the narrative structure, themes and gameplay mechanics align. That breakthrough transformed an intriguing but incomplete idea into a story he could imagine players experiencing from beginning to end.
Precognition release platforms
Precognition is scheduled for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles and Nintendo Switch 2 in spring 2028. The studio has not shown gameplay yet, so details about its interface, cast and release timing remain limited.
It is separate from Half Mermaid’s other unrevealed project, Project D. For more coverage of interactive entertainment and arcade culture, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog, browse the arcade video collection, or explore the Arcade Machine Buying Guide.
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