Surreal Software

Surreal Software was an American games studio founded in 1995 in Seattle. During its existence, it gained recognition primarily for developing action games with a dark atmosphere, intricate storylines and distinctive fantasy or horror settings. From 2004, it was part of Midway Games and, following the latter’s collapse, came under the umbrella of Warner Bros. Games.

The studio’s first major success was the fantasy action-adventure game Drakan: Order of the Flame, which captivated players with its combination of sword-fighting, magic and flying on a dragon. This was followed by the sequel Drakan: The Ancients’ Gates, released exclusively for the PlayStation 2, which is still regarded today as one of the best fantasy action games on that console.

Surreal Software gained its greatest popularity thanks to the horror series The Suffering and its sequel The Suffering: Ties That Bind. These games offered a dark atmosphere, a psychological storyline and brutal combat against terrifying monsters. The studio also contributed to the development of the successful fighting game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, which brought a fresh perspective to the world of Mortal Kombat.

Later, it created, for example, the action game This Is Vegas (which, however, was never completed) and contributed to the development of Batman: Arkham Origins for the Nintendo Wii U. In 2010, the studio was closed down by Warner Bros., bringing its fifteen-year history to an end.

Nevertheless, Surreal Software left behind several unforgettable titles which remain favourites amongst fans of action, fantasy and horror games to this day.