Chuchel creators turning to horror in Happy Game

The makers of joyful adventure games like Chuchel last night announced Happy Game, and it most certainly is not so. They're going grim 'n' gory with this "psychedelic horror adventure" next year, bursting with blood, bone, guts, grinders, guillotines, and even a skellington. But it still looks like an Amanita adventure game, even if you maybe shouldn't share it with the kids. See for yourself in the trailer below.

"This time, players will find themselves playing as a little boy who experiences a terrible nightmare, passing through three unique worlds filled with playful tasks and puzzles," Amanita said in the announcement. "He won't be all alone on this trip, though - there are many smiley faces to meet, adorable bunnies to slice with a guillotine greet, or an elusive football to chase."

That football's going to be a severed head, isn't it. Or some guts. Or guts fed to a head.

While Amanita did dabble in horror this year with Creaks, that was made by a team who'd started it before joining the company; Happy Game is very much people associated with feel-good Amanita vibes. It's directed by Jaromír Plachý, the designer, animator, and artist behind Chuchel and Botanicula. The music's by Dva too, who put such lovely sounds into those two.

Happy Game is due in spring 2021 on Steam for Windows and Mac. It'll also hit Nintendo Switch.