Hello there, it looks like you’ve clicked on a preview for the upcoming musical interior design indie game, There Are No Ghosts At The Grand, and want to know what it’s all about. Would you like some help with that?
I can’t quite sell this not-so-subtle nod to There Are No Ghosts At The Grand’s Celtic paintbrush companion, as my Derry accent doesn’t quite double up as a Scottish brogue, but then again, I’m not a sentient paintbrush and I’m not speaking out loud, so I suppose we can all suspend disbelief for a minute.
I’ve probably already lost you with this rather quirky opening, but I assure you, it sets the tone. As There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a peculiar game that embraces the weird and wonderful in a brilliant and rather British way.
Coming to you from plucky indie developers, Friday Sundae, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand promises a game that marries hotel management with pseudo-FPS gameplay, interior design, clean-up detail, and a rich narrative peppered with west-end musical-style performances.
It sounds like a surreal gameplay cocktail that is far too busy in the glass to go down a treat. But, against the odds, from the short snippet we had the luxury of playing, we found this quirky little number to be just as delightful as we had hoped.
But forget The Grand for a second, and join us as we take a trip to Cranmond Island, as we explore the surreal and spooky world beyond the doors of your newly acquired hotel.
Chores That Aren’t A Bore
For those that aren’t interested in nuance, I can boil the gameplay of this title down to one simple, sentence-long elevator pitch. There Are No Ghosts At The Grand is essentially a blend of Powerwash Simulator, House Flipper, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, and a West End musical.
I can’t speak a lot about the gameplay mechanics tied to the narrative as, aside from one decision made in the demo that appeals to a character you don’t even meet, there isn’t much to report on. But what I can report is that the gameplay has a certain pseudo-FPS feel to it, akin to Portal and the aforementioned Powerwash Simulator.
Your multi-functional decorating tool has many uses, functioning as a sand blaster, a paint gun, a vacuum, and a furniture dispenser. But it can also double as a blaster to fend off creepy spiders, or a fun comedy prop to allow for silly gags as you wander the world set out before you.
As with any game that glorifies chores, it’s important to make sure that these mundane tasks feel rewarding and offer that sense of accomplishment and validation at regular intervals, and this title does that, as each task can be performed with ease, but also has a light puzzle element and a hint of customization to each.
That might involve determining which setting will best aid you in a particular scenario, using a scanner to locate an elusive object, or adding your own personal touch of flair to a room you are designing. But, whatever the scenario, it always feels engaging without ever feeling dull or overwhelming, essentially offering that same feeling of an adult coloring book in video game form, like Powerwash Simulator does so well.
The Foundations of Feng Shui
On the subject of personal touches and becoming a revovator to the stars, it has to be said that, while the demo is slightly limited in scope in this regard, it shows promise and potential. Just like The Grand, this game has good bones.
Throughout this demo, you’ll be asked to clean up the lobby of The Grand, and later, you’ll be able to design a pre-war bunker to serve as a luxurious campsite, providing shelter so you don’t die abandoned on a deserted island.
These portions of the game showcase what I can only imagine will serve as the meat and potatoes of the gameplay experience for the full game, offering bespoke areas to design as you see fit, after you clear them of all the dust, debris, and destruction, of course.
However, the options within this demo are very limited, serving as more of a proof of concept than a set of tools that really allow players to create without limitations. But, I see that as more of a teething issue as the game goes through development rather than a problem that will persist.
I do hope that the game, upon release, does allow for more emergent gameplay rather than a checklist to tick off, as this quirky, zany setting is deserving of a toolkit for the player that can do that justice. But, purely as a teaser of what’s to come, it leaves me excited for more.
Why Talk When You Can Sing?
There have been literally hundreds of games that have given players the ability to renovate dilapidated buildings, clean up dirty settings with industrial power tools, and flip them for a tasty profit. However, very few, if any, of these games offer anything in the way of a tight and engaging narrative. Something which this game does, and then some.
As mentioned, there is something inherently British about the setting, with legally distinct Walkers crisp packets littering the ground, and just about every distinct accent in the Commonwealth featuring in one way or another, whether it’s a Scottish paintbrush, or a talking cat from down under.
However, the most standout aspect of the game, despite only offering one musical number in the demo, is the moments where dialogue gives way to song. We have seen games in the past that have made music and rhythm a core component of the gameplay, and we have seen games that have produced award-winning soundtracks to support excellence on screen.
However, aside from a few notable titles like Alan Wake or Conker’s Bad Fur Day, there has been a severe lack of jaunty musical numbers in video gaming. Something that There Are No Ghosts At The Grand aims to remedy.
But if we can put the show tunes aside for a second. In terms of the narrative on show in this short demo, the game flexes its muscles by also showcasing silly but sharp writing that isn’t afraid to break the fourth wall, be playful, and lean on humor. But equally, it introduces a bunch of key characters, and gets across the supposed occult nature of your newly acquired asset, and the simple fact that everything isn’t exactly normal at The Grand.
This is hammered home when you get to the island, and you’ll encounter wispy figures and flashbacks that remind me of my time playing Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture, but using your trusty decorating tool, the game adds interactivity to these moments rather than just serving as set dressing.
They serve as light puzzles, asking the player to alter the environment to reveal secrets, and progress the flashback to get the full picture. It’s a novel tweak, and one that helps establish that surreal, occult feel to the setting.
In short, in such a short space of time, the game endeared me to the members of the cast I was given the luxury of meeting, it established a jovial, lighthearted tone that cozy game fans will vibe with, and it had me shaking my tailfeather as I sailed the high seas as a glorious vocal performance played out over my shoulder.
Oh, and you can pet the ad, which always adds brownie points.
There Are Glitches At The Grand
My one worry, having played this short but sweet demo, is that this game isn’t exactly as polished as it could be, especially considering the very intentional and bite-sized snippet of the game showcased here.
Throughout the short run, the game stuttered more than I do while trying to conduct an interview, froze on numerous occasions, locking me in place, and dialogue fell out of sync with the actions on screen and played over the top of other dialogue at times.
Which is a little concerning, as the game isn’t a taxing one on your system, offering visuals that are stylized and inviting, but on the other hand, wouldn’t be pushing the envelope even a decade ago.
Admittedly, the demo is a little more robust compared to the floor version at Gamescom, as in that instance, I wandered into the bunker during the daytime segment and needed to be no-clipped right out of there.
It’s not a huge concern, but it does give me pause, as this is a small team of developers taking on a monumental and ambitious project. So, when the time of full-fledged release comes around, I wouldn’t be surprised if this were a game that had a lot of heart and charm, but would have a lot of rough edges you would need to overlook.
That said, based on the short snippet we played, I’ll be more than willing to overlook them.
Closing Comments
” There Are No Ghosts At The Grand is a game that feels familiar, yet wholly unlike anything we have ever played. Familiar in the sense that it feels like a mash-up of ideas popularized by chore-focused games like House Flipper and Powerwash Simulator, and familiar in the sense that it feels akin to a walking simulator like Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture. Yet, this game feels like a breath of fresh air, thanks to its musical focus, the quirky, inherently British setting, and the colorful cast of characters and sharp writing that bring them to life. It’s a little rough around the edges at the moment in places, but it has good bones, much like The Grand itself. So, we have every confidence that Friday Sundae can take this fixer-upper and give it a new coat of paint, while still keeping all the quirks and oddities that make it unlike anything else on the market.”
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Author: 360 Technology Group
