STALKER devs working on survival horror spiritual successor Areal

Areal hit Kickstarter this week from former developers of the STALKER series at West Games, who are hoping to create a spiritual successor to GSC Game World's dormant survival horror franchise.

The open world game — in development for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, Linux, Mac and Windows PC with an estimated September 2015 release date — depicts a post-apocalyptic world deteriorating because of a mysterious mineral called Metamorphite. The result of a meteor strike, it "eventually spreads, corrupts and infects the whole world," Areal's Kickstarter description reads.

According to an email from the developer, which includes the former lead animator, developer and designer from STALKER, Areal includes a "non-linear and branching story-line that makes every person's experience unique."

The developers behind STALKER and Metro: Last Light are looking to raise $50,000 for the Kickstarter campaign that ends July 24, 2014 at 12:47 p.m. ET.

Developer GSC Game World's STALKER series began in 2007 with STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl. Two more entries — STALKER: Clear Sky and STALKER: Call of Pripyat — followed, while a fourth game, STALKER 2, was cancelled. You can check out West Games' Kickstarter pitch video below.