ILL’s "alive and dangerous" world is inspired by horror game classics such as Half-Life 2, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil series. Read on to learn more about how the developers approached the game and a hint on its title.
ILL Deep Dive Developer Interview
Taking Inspiration from Half-Life 2, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil Series
ILL is an upcoming debut title by Team Clout, and the developers revealed that they took inspiration from several horror game classics. In a PlayStation.blog post on July 7, the developers shared their insights on their approach in creating ILL.
The new first-person action survival horror was first announced during Summer Game Fest 2025 alongside its official trailer, and fans immediately took notice of the similarities it had with several big names of the genre, such as its exhilarating combat, gruesome monsters, and disturbing environments.
As described by Team Clout Game Director and Co-founder Maxim Verehin, ILL is "A story-driven action-horror game with visceral visuals, gruesome moments, interesting inspiration, exploration, and wild ideas — a good mix of survival horror elements and first-person 3D action."
He stated that the team is balancing the moments "where players are s***ting their pants from fright" and "where players are screaming because they’re enjoying the intense action, shooting mechanics, and dismemberment."
Team Clout has dabbled in the horror experience, having worked on some TV and film projects such as Longlegs, V/H/S/Beyond, and It: Welcome to Derry. While this is their first video game title, the developers focused on making the world feel "alive and dangerous," taking inspiration from beloved horror games such as Half-Life 2, Silent Hill, and the Resident Evil series.
Verehin explained, "We were especially drawn to that feeling of being trapped somewhere real, reacting moment to moment with limited resources. From the beginning, we wanted to build something that felt grounded but deeply disturbing, an experience that doesn’t just scare you, but unsettles you long after you’ve put the controller down."
Combining Hyperrealistic Body Horror with a Reactive and Tactile World
Beyond the grotesque and horrifying visuals, Team Clout wanted to highlight the story of the main protagonist, creating a dark, twisted, and deeply rooted narrative. Verehin stated, "Broadly speaking, the world will feel isolated and hopeless. We want players to feel how dark the mood is. I hope the audience will sympathize with the main character and his personal motivations."
Furthermore, the developer’s goal is to make the audience feel "a kind of grounded, body-level discomfort" outside of the psychological tension or scripted scares the game gives. Verehin elaborated, "The main thing that sets us apart is how we combine hyperrealistic body horror with a reactive, tactile world. Enemies don’t just die – they suffer, adapt, mutate. Your actions leave a mark, and the world responds."
Nightmarish Monsters and Survival Gameplay
Much focus was also spent on coming up with the title, which is connected to the story and monsters of the game. Verehin said that they wanted a short and striking name that looks like a logo. He noted, "The word represents something horrible, something sick, something cursed. Also, it reflects the monsters — I’m not gonna spoil our monsters’ origins, but there’s going to be a cool interconnection between the name and the story of the game."
In terms of creating the monsters, Team Clout co-founder and Key Artist Oleg Vdovenko said that they were inspired by old horror films from the 1970s to the 1990s. He said, "Everything was done with practical effects and quality animatronics. The imperfections were hidden with smart lighting and strong direction."
Verehin also mentioned that they had to consider how these monsters could affect the gameplay, and said that they had to be "fun to fight." Moreover, he credited the team from Mundfish –developer of Atomic Heart and the upcoming Atomic Heart 2– for helping Team Clout navigate the intricacies of making a horror title.
Speaking of gameplay, ILL will feature survival elements such as exploration, gathering of resources, inventory management, upgrading of gear and weapons, and more. There will be environmental puzzles and interactions that can affect the whole experience.
For the variety of weapons and equipment, Verehin stated that a lot of the standards such as a shotgun, an AK-47, a sniper rifle, melee weapons, and others will be available, including "fun, crafty weapons."
Ultimately, Team Clout hopes that players enjoy their horror debut and share with everyone their experience. "We’re making our game enjoyable for different people–not only horror fans, but also players who want to experience good storytelling and cool action," Verehin stated.
ILL is in active development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
Source:
ILL - Official Trailer | PS5 Games
ILL developer Q&A: Monsters, horror inspirations, gameplay mechanics, and more
