GamesSimulationThis upcoming “thirst-person shooter” takes inspiration “from a wide range of reality shows” like Terrace House, The Real World, and Love IslandWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesSimulationThis upcoming “thirst-person shooter” takes inspiration “from a wide range of reality shows” like Terrace House, The Real World, and Love IslandWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
“The original inspiration for The Crush House was actually a show that is very tonally different from what our game is now. It’s called Terrace House, and it was a Japanese reality show my friends and I were obsessed with a few years back,” He says. “It was about strangers cohabitating in a beautiful house, living their lives - sometimes with romance, sometimes with drama, but in a way that felt more authentic than many American shows at the time.”
“The idea started when my friend and collaborator Arnaud De Bock and I thought, what if we made a Terrace House inspired game? Just that concept already felt like we were on to something, but the big early decision was to move away from the more obvious idea - playing as a cast member - to something we felt was more interesting, which was playing as the producer.”
Network numbers
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
Playing as a producer certainly promises to present us with some unique challenges as we try to run The Crush House. As He explains, the Network you’re working for requires you to “satisfy a specific number of niche audiences” - such as “Suburban Moms, Gym Rats, and Conspiracy Theorists” - each season. In order to do that, you have to film things those audiences want to see, and as the game progresses, these Network requirements will only get harder. Additionally, you’ll have to incorporate ads to earn money for more props for the house.
Making movies(Image credit: Activision)Almost 20 years later, I still want a remake of the PC simulation game that turned me into a Hollywood movie mogul and rocked my world
Making movies
(Image credit: Activision)Almost 20 years later, I still want a remake of the PC simulation game that turned me into a Hollywood movie mogul and rocked my world
(Image credit: Activision)
Almost 20 years later, I still want a remake of the PC simulation game that turned me into a Hollywood movie mogul and rocked my world
“Of course, the audiences don’t like to watch ads,” He says, “so it’s a tradeoff and a decision you constantly have to make in order to be strategic. I wanted the player to have a feeling of pressure while trying to do their job, so these mechanics [ads and requirements] are about adding complexity to the core mechanic of filming the show, and making it a bit of a fun puzzle to figure out how you can make it through each day.”
Before you begin this juggling act, you’ll have 12 potential cast members to choose from who “all have some conformity to reality TV archetypes”. He says the team decided to make it a narrative focus to highlight their personality flaws, but they also felt it was important to ensure every cast member is fully fleshed out with believable motivations for being on the show, as well as “vulnerabilities and redeeming qualities”.
“One of the biggest technical systems in the game is something we internally call Rigmarole,” He says, “which is essentially a reality TV simulation system that looks at who you cast, their personalities and attractions, and semi-procedurally generates the scenes that play out. This makes it such that every run is unique, and even for me playing now, I’m always seeing things happen that I’ve ever seen before.”
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“Ambiguous Edge”
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
“Of course, we also have many game inspirations,” He adds, “ranging from The Sims for simulation, Pokémon Snap for gameplay, Hitman for level design, Doki Doki Literature Club for surprises…”
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
“The truth is that there’s a lot of darkness in reality TV"Nicole He, game director
“The truth is that there’s a lot of darkness in reality TV”
“The most compelling part of reality TV is that ambiguous edge where the “realness” bleeds into the “fakeness”, and you’re always wondering how much of what you’re seeing is authentic vs. scripted,” He says. “I think a lot of people have a power fantasy about being behind the scenes in these types of shows, knowing what’sreallygoing on, and even having a hand in the manipulation of that reality that others see.”
“The truth is that there’s a lot of darkness in reality TV - even Terrace House ended abruptly due to the suicide of a cast member, which happened while we were prototyping the game,” He continues. “I felt that we couldn’t make a game about reality TV without referencing the dark side of the subject. But with the benefit of making fiction, we can come up with a story that is surprising, a bit out there, and also with the edge of dark humor that I always enjoy tonally in my work. There are basic two sides to the narrative of The Crush House - the day to day silly reality TV shenanigans, and the mysterious secrets that the player discovers at night.”
I can’t wait to delve into the world of reality TV and explore both sides of the experience, from the lighthearted simulation shenanigans, to the mysterious secrets lying within the set. It sounds like the perfect cocktail of ideas, and while it doesn’t yet have a release date for its PC launch, it’ll firmly remain high on my wishlist.
“The core gameplay is about making your show successful in the eyes of your employer, the Network,” He says. “But this goal is made more complex as things start happening at night time, where you’ll find out that there are other things you’re going to have to do if you ever want to get to the bottom of what’s really going on at The Crush House…”
Look ahead to more exciting releases with our roundup ofupcoming indie games.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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2
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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3
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5
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1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
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3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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3
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”