Video Games
‘We Happy Few’ Making-of Doc Released; Compulsion Games Founder Talks The Future
As was reported a month ago, Compulsion Games have released a new making-of doc for We Happy Few entitled “The Cost of Joy”, a free 40 minute documentary that gives insight into We Happy Few’s development.
In addition, in an interview with US Gamer, founder Guillame Provost talked about how the team plans to use what they’ve learned from We Happy Few (which admittedly didn’t turn out as the team had hoped) as they start working on their next project.
According to Provost, part of what made We Happy Few disappointing to some was that, given its Orwellian story and feel, many compared it to BioShock. “Everybody said, ‘BioShock, BioShock, BioShock,'” Provost tells me. “And I went, ‘Whoa, wait a minute.’ BioShock is [Irrational Games], that’s $80 million that’s a budget. That’s way more people than we have. And it’s also expertise that we didn’t have to fulfill those expectations.”
Another part of the game’s setbacks was “scope creep”, where as new team members joined and offered new ideas, those ideas kept pushing things far beyond what the team was capable of doing/properly executing. That being said, it was also a plus for Compulsion, as the new members had the experience and skillset to craft these ideas, flawed as the final result might be.
“Each time we onboarded a new person who would be one of the kind of directors of the game, there was a bit of a gravity shift of what the game became,” Provost says. “Because that person came in with their expertise, their baggage and experience, which would ultimately help us craft a better game but also create some instability in terms of the direction of the game when you’re onboarding them.”
In spite of the setbacks, Provost feels Compulsion is in a much better place now, especially now that they’ve partnered with Microsoft. “Things feel like they’re gonna get a lot easier for us to succeed [in the future],” Provost says. “If we don’t make something much better than the last game, then something is uber-wrong with my direction for the studio.”
We Happy Few is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Video Games
Definitive Edition of Throwback Survival Horror Game ‘Doctor Viscera’ Launches June 23 [Trailer]
For those who enjoy their survival horror gaming with a side of old-school cheese, you have Liminal Road’s Doctor Viscera. Released last October on Steam, the game is set to receive its Definitive Edition next week on June 23rd, with plans for a release on consoles to be shared soon. The Doctor Viscera: Definitive Edition will include a variety of improvements, adjustments, and new content designed to make the experience even more intense. All of this content will be available free to existing owners.
For those not in the know, Doctor Viscera is a throwback survival horror title with PSX-inspired visuals, where you must escape the abandoned GrimmHaus Asylum. You must explore the asylum’s various rooms, find useful items, and solve puzzles to unlock new areas and discover escape routes. At the same time, you’ll need to be on the lookout for the Doctor and his grotesque experiments.
The biggest addition to the Definitive Edition is the Nurse, a brand-new enemy who will actively pursue players throughout the campaign. Although slower than the eponymous doctor, the nurse introduces a completely different gameplay dynamic by using ranged attacks with a firearm, forcing players to rethink their routes, strategies, and survival tactics.
Under certain circumstances, you can disarm the Nurse, creating entirely new situations and possibilities within the game.
Doctor Viscera: Definitive Edition also introduces a new area to the map, featuring a tram system. In addition to serving as a new exploration route, it can also be used to quickly escape pursuers and travel between different sections of the asylum.
The update also brings improvements across multiple aspects of the experience, including:
- Level design changes
- Puzzle redesigns
- Performance optimizations
- New immersive audio system
- Controller support
- New menu interfaces
If you’re looking to check out the game before buying it, you can check out the demo that’s also available on Steam.