By El Joe (La Bóveda Podcast) / thesurvivalhorror.com

Survival horror fans have been waiting for a title that both honors the classics and dares to push the genre forward. With Becrowned, indie creator Ernest Anpilov aims to do exactly that. Drawing from the DNA of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, yet weaving in influences from literature, film, and even black metal, Becrowned is shaping up to be more than a game it’s a personal nightmare crafted with intent.

What follows is our conversation with Ernest, where he breaks down the inspirations, challenges, and design philosophy behind his debut title.

Q1. Becrowned draws heavily from classic survival horror titles. Can you elaborate on the specific games or media that influenced its development, and how these inspirations shaped your approach to design and storytelling?

Ernest Anpilov:
Naturally, during development we were heavily inspired by the classic entries in the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series. We love old-school horror, but we also draw a lot from modern titles like Signalis or Fear and Hunger.

On a more specific note, Clive Barker’s Jericho was a major influence. Surprisingly, the non-linear storytelling structure was partially inspired by Undertale. One of the asylum scenes maybe the one you’ve seen was directly inspired by the hotel escape sequence in Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth.

In terms of literature, Clive Barker (again) and Edgar Allan Poe are key references, while Dostoevsky inspired the psychological elements. Our team also pulled from old films like Jacob’s Ladder and Johnny Got His Gun. Some game sequences even contain nods to Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

As for me, I draw inspiration from almost everything I consume music included. I’m into pagan and black metal, and I’ve brought a lot of imagery from those genres into Becrowned.

Q2. The environments, such as the Karpenter Asylum, are rich in atmosphere. How did you approach environmental storytelling?

Ernest:
We don’t rely too heavily on real-world references. Most of it comes from intuition and gameplay considerations. The asylum, for example, is built around a dynamic rhythm: tight, oppressive corridors alternating with more spacious halls. The environment must serve the gameplay—everything has to work together to immerse the player.

Q3. Sound design plays a crucial role in horror. How did you craft the soundscape of Becrowned?

Ernest:
We have a fantastic composer on our team handling music and audio. Sound is absolutely vital in horror, so we stick to a distinct style. For Becrowned, we intentionally degrade audio tracks to give them a subtle VHS-like feel. Some sounds are reversed, imitating the warble of a chewed-up tape. It’s all about creating discomfort even in the smallest details.

Q4. The game offers both tank controls and modern control schemes. Why?

Ernest:
Survival horror controls should be a little clunky by design. To satisfy both hardcore and casual audiences, we implemented two schemes. Tank controls feel better on keyboard, while directional input works better with gamepad sticks.

Q5. How did you balance scarcity and player empowerment with resource management?

Ernest:
We revised the balance many times during demo development. Our approach is to give players just enough resources to perfectly eliminate all enemies in an area but hide those resources well. If everything is handed to the player, there’s no challenge.

Q6. What were the biggest challenges during development?

Ernest:
Time management. Sometimes we push through intense crunches it’s the price to get noticed. Lack of resources and the constant desire to add more content are also big challenges. Prioritization is key, especially with a limited budget.

Q7. The narrative delves into psychological themes and family trauma. What inspired these elements?

Ernest:
Dostoevsky and Stephen King were major influences. Themes of family trauma and psychological struggle are woven with religious undertones—Christianity, paganism, individualism, egoism, and self-sacrifice.

Q8. The visuals echo PS1/PS2 aesthetics. Why the retro look?

Ernest:
It’s both a tribute to classics and a practical decision for our budget. The retro style allows us to focus on scene composition and lighting. Ernest Anpilov, our lead dev, manually sets and bakes all lighting, carefully framing each shot to achieve expressive visuals. Many indie games use default lighting, which ruins atmosphere we refused to settle for that.

Q9. Unique features like the diegetic map and radio stand out. How do they work?

Ernest:
We wanted immersion to feel natural. The radio mechanic helps separate essential lore from the main storyline. Notes are more passive, but radio forces engagement it often delivers crucial hints or information. This division keeps players focused where it matters most.

Q10. How did live-action elements enter the game?

Ernest:
It started when our team finally met in person. I wrote the script, chose the location, and helped with makeup. We shot the asylum sequence in an escape room with an iPhone camera. It worked surprisingly well and the full game will include more live-action elements.

Q11. How do level design and camera placement build tension in corridors?

Ernest:
Camera placement is key. We reveal only the bare minimum just enough for players to feel uneasy, but still able to navigate. That sense of restriction fuels fear.

Q12. What’s next for Becrowned after release?

Ernest:
It’s early to say. Right now our priority is a polished release. Our publisher, Top Hat Studios, is helping a lot. Together we want to deliver what not just you, but many players are waiting for.

Closing Thoughts

As our conversation wrapped, Anpilov left a message for fans:

“Horror is an art form. With Becrowned, we’re doing everything we can to honor that.”

Becrowned is more than a retro throwback it’s a carefully constructed nightmare, stitched together with the passion of a team that truly understands what survival horror means. If Anpilov’s words are any indication, the crown of horror may very well belong to them.

Take a Look at the Trailer :

Make sure to Wishlist :

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2266890/BECROWNED

Stay Tuned until the Next Time: