Smilegate’s flagship title, CROSS, is being reborn as a single-player stealth action game.

That’s No Moon unveiled the new 'CROSS' on the 6th during the Summer Game Fest. A reinterpretation of the eponymous 2007 FPS from Smilegate, this title ditches the multiplayer roots of the original in favour of a single-player stealth-action experience. A release date is yet to be set, with the game slated for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The game’s backbone is an uneasy alliance and survival story between two protagonists with diametrically opposed worldviews. The narrative is driven by 'Layla,' a revolutionary and mercenary dreaming of overthrowing an unjust system, and 'Cross,' a man determined to uphold order, fearing the chaos that total collapse might bring. Caught in an unknown infection crisis, these polar opposites are forced into a reluctant partnership where their true colours inevitably surface.

Director Taylor Kurosaki of That’s No Moon was quite firm, stating, "We have completely stripped away multiplayer and live-service elements." He added that there will be no branching narrative paths based on player choice or character customisation. Instead, he noted, "We’ve crafted a tight, high-quality script where the protagonist's actions feel both surprising and inevitable." The goal is to force the player to view the world through Layla’s eyes, fostering deep engagement through her interactions with others.

Combat moves away from the gun-toting, full-frontal assaults of the original, focusing instead on tactical stealth using cover. With damage scaling set quite high, you’ll need to be strategic—hiding behind terrain and exploiting enemy blind spots is less of an option and more of a necessity.

The most striking technical feature is the 'Adaptive Cover' system. Unlike titles that limit you to pre-defined crates or specific walls, this new project features complex, organic environments like mountainous terrain. You can use almost any piece of geometry as cover, and the system intelligently analyses the surroundings and enemy sightlines in real-time to trigger the most realistic defensive stance.

The team describes the Adaptive Cover as a "linchpin that ties gameplay and narrative together." By blending realistic environmental interaction with cinematic flair, they aim to convey the psychological pressure on the two leads directly to the player, elevating tactical action to a new dimension.

For those unaware, the developer, That’s No Moon, is an independent studio founded in 2021, primarily staffed by Naughty Dog alumni. It’s a collective of veterans who helped build the likes of Uncharted and The Last of Us, and Smilegate backed them with a strategic investment of approximately $100 million (approx. 150.6 billion KRW) back when the studio was formed.