Game Rant recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Emmett Nahil and Son M., co-founders of studio Perfect Garbage and the lead developers of the hotly anticipatedGrave Seasons. Billed as a “half farming sim, half murder mystery” experience,Grave Seasonsstrikes a balance between romance and horror. Players will spend time romancing their fellow townspeople while trying to discover which of them is the killer in each playthrough.
What’s more, each playthrough of theStardew Valley-like gamegenerates a new killer, so it’s never the same person. Players will have to discover who it is, while romancing others and, of course, tending to their crops. It’s an exciting prospect, with Perfect Garbage detailing its approach to both romance and horror.
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Grave Seasons Balances Romance and Horror Evenly
When asked about the proportion of romance to horror, the developers emphasized that the goal is a true 50/50 split. They want players to feel equally engaged with the life anddating simelements as they do with the tense mystery adventure. Rather than sacrificing any part of one aspect for the other, the studio plans to weave them together while playing to the strengths of both. When asked about this topic, Son M. had this to say:
“…for us, there are a lot of cool elements that we’re utilizing to blend the genres while still playing to the strengths of both. There will be plenty of horrifying moments, but there will be cozy elements as well, and neither will detract from the other… I think there’s a really pleasant blend of enjoyable, softer content with these extreme feelings and emotions that players are going to find really fun.”
This balance of genres should come as no surprise, as genre blending is Perfect Garbage’s specialty. According to Son, their goal as anindie gamestudio is always to bring pre-existing elements from different genres and bring a new perspective to them. The studio’s other title,Love Shoreis a dating simulator that similarly balances the romantic subtext of its many relationships with the horrifying elements of its setting.
Grave Seasons Has Something in It for Everyone
Son also asserted that dating sims, or more broadly relationship systems, are “some of the most compelling features in games.” The act of relationship-building is inherently compelling and engaging and can be a great storytelling vehicle. The game will boast a robust cast ofcharacters likeStardew Valley,but this time around, players will have to navigate their web of relationships while always being on the lookout for signs of malicious intentions, adding another layer to that relationship system.
When asked about the studio’s unique approach to genre-blending, Emmett Nahil emphasized that romance and horror are powerful tools for storytelling that tap into raw, instinctive emotions that resonate with players everywhere. Nahil believes that fear and love are universal sentiments that draw from the wellspring of human experience, benefiting the replay value of theupcoming farm sim.
“I think you may better appreciate the more cozy or wholesome moments when you have something stressful to compare them to. We want to give a lot of tonal difference in an interesting and story-driven way. That balance is going to be highly tuned, but also will be what makes the gameplay loop interesting, and will give that kind of replay value that everyone’s looking for.”
Keep an eye on@perfectgarboon Twitter for more information as it comes to the development ofGrave Seasons.
