Amanita Design, the indie studio behind games including Samorost, Botanicula, and Chuchel, is going somewhere a little different in its next game. The new project was revealed today as Happy Game, and it looks to be anything but happy.
Happy Game is a "psychedelic horror adventure" about a a young boy who falls asleep into a horrific nightmare and must navigate three unique worlds in order to escape. To help him find his way out, you'll have to solve "deeply disturbing" puzzles while dealing with various unpleasant characters in the game's many bizarre environments. (That last bit is actually par for the course when it comes to Amanita, but this one sounds a lot darker the its predecessors.)
Unlike previous Amanita games on Steam, this one actually has a "mature content description," and it gets right to the point: "Happy Game contains depictions of various fantasy characters participating in comical violence. You'll often see blood on the floor (best case scenario), witness the decapitation of adorable bunnies, and more. Be careful if you are photosensitive and/or sensitive to blood and violence."
The studio also warned separately that Happy Game "departs significantly [emphasis theirs] from Amanita’s charming, family-friendly style."
Sounds like a hoot! Happy Game will also feature "creepy songs and screeches" from DVA, the two-person Czech alt-rock band who previously composed the soundtracks for Botanicula and Chuchel. It's set to come out in the spring of 2021,
