Back at Tokyo Game Show in September, I had the chance to sit down with David Carrasco, the CEO and co-founder of Vermila Studios—and the executive producer on the upcoming Crisol: Theater of Idols. The game is a survival horror first-person shooter that leans heavily into both the survival and the horror elements.
Crisol is set on the Island of Tormentosa, a nightmarish version of Spain tainted by corrupting religion and a blood curse that fuels your weapons and health.
### On the Blumhouse Beat
Over the past two years, I’ve found myself on something of a Blumhouse Games beat. I spoke with the team behind the high school-set *Fear The Spotlight* at Summer Games Fest 2024 in LA—the same event where the new publisher made a big splash entering the industry. I’ve also interviewed the developers behind *The Eyes of Hellfire*, a gothic Irish multiplayer game.
As a big horror fan, I’m certainly not complaining. In fact, I’ve been continually impressed by how unique and singular each Blumhouse-signed game feels, despite all sitting within the same genre.
### Why Blumhouse?
When I asked Carrasco why Blumhouse, a Hollywood-based publisher, sought out his and other developers’ games, he explained:
> “I’m not Blumhouse, I cannot speak for them, but I think what is really important for them is that you have vision. That you are not just making a game, but that your game tries to explain something and has an essence.”
For Vermila, that meant bringing Spanish folklore—and its scars from a complex relationship with religion—front and center. The game explores the impact of Paganism and Catholicism on Spain, depicted through two fictionalized groups: one a “religion of the sun,” the other “the cult of the sea.”
### Navigating Controversy in Troubled Times
In an era when games are being canceled mid-development due to the “increasingly intense” US political climate, I asked if it was difficult to convince publishers to get behind a game with such potentially controversial themes.
Carrasco said,
> “We discussed [with Blumhouse] that it was [inspired by] Spanish folklore, but you didn’t need to know anything about it. That it would be interesting to you even if you didn’t study Spanish history.”
While Blumhouse was receptive, not every publisher was on board. Some wanted elements toned down or removed, fearing players without that cultural connection wouldn’t be interested.
This frustrated Carrasco. He compared it to how players engage with unfamiliar cultures in other games—like samurai or Japanese settings. If the gameplay and style are enticing, he believes players are happy to dive into worlds they know nothing about.
> “It’s a way to introduce—this is not Spain. It’s a completely twisted version, but there’s a lot of Spanish flavor. We’ve taken elements from different eras, regions, and art styles to give that glimpse, that idea of ‘Where did this come from? Maybe I can visit Spain and discover the cathedrals and how they connect with Crisol’s version.’”
### Building a Coherent World
The Spanish inspiration is immediately obvious in Crisol’s art and design. Its horror and monsters are reminiscent of *Resident Evil*, but the shooting and stealth fold in *Bioshock*-inspired gunplay and immersive sim elements.
I asked Carrasco about the less obvious influences on Crisol’s world.
> “In terms of art design, we really wanted to have coherence. Sometimes you play games that are fun, but you notice they didn’t invest the same amount of effort in art direction. One thing doesn’t feel connected to the environment, or, ‘Why is this person dressed like that?’”
To avoid this, Vermila created cultures and locations that made sense within the world and connected to each other. The “Cult of the Sea” influences everything in their domain—from color and shape to decoration—making every element feel natural.
> “Crisol means crucible, a place where you mix a lot of things. We mixed elements from different places in Spain, but we didn’t want it to feel out of place, so we spent a lot of time making it feel natural.”
### Blood as Both Lifeforce and Weapon
Crisol’s most innovative gameplay element is its health/ammo mechanic: your blood is your ammunition.
If you run out of ammo, you can sacrifice some of your health, loading it into your gold-encrusted shotgun, and hope to land a killing shot. Some corpses you find can replenish your health, turning the usual inventory management—health versus ammo—into a single resource system requiring tough decisions.
Carrasco explained the inspiration for this mechanic:
> “Survival horror games have slowly become less survival and more action. They give you a lot of ammunition, your weapons become more and more powerful, and you don’t feel that the horror is very challenging. By adding that blood mechanic, you always have to concentrate on how much health you have, which weapon is best, and how to approach situations.”
But it’s not just about gameplay. The mechanic fits thematically, too:
> “The more religious aspect is how you sacrifice your blood to your god to defeat the enemies. You are taking your blood and making it divine, so then it becomes a weapon.”
### Weapons as Sacred Reliquaries
Religious themes are woven deeply into Crisol’s atmosphere—not just in story, but in gameplay and visuals. Regular weapons become jewel-encrusted, gold-finished artifacts once infused with blood, evoking the grandeur of 16th-century religious relics.
Carrasco explained:
> “Once [we started] digging into [religious history], we were discovering how saints’ relics are preserved. Your weapons are like reliquaries—containers for the divine. They use the same materials: gold, ivory, expensive wood. The blood is what is divine, so it holds a divine element inside.”
### A Genuine Cultural Horror
Crucially, Crisol doesn’t use religious imagery as a gimmick or for shock value. Vermila Studios is genuinely invested in exploring religious and cultural ideas through immersive gameplay and authentic world-building.
The result is a survival horror game that’s deeply rooted in regional influences, unafraid to comment on history and culture, and eager to invite players into a unique vision of Spain—one that’s both haunting and fascinating.
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*This preview is based on a PC demo played on-site at Tokyo Game Show in Japan. The final product is subject to change.*
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146730/crisol-theater-of-idols-isnt-shying-away-from-its-horrific-religious-themes-and-that-is-what-makes-it-so-interesting
