If Game Grumps was looking to create the antithesis to its vibrantly wholesome and daft dating sim Dream Daddy, it’s very much succeeded with Homebody.
It’s a psychological thriller and Game Grumps’ second collaboration with publisher Rogue Games. Homebody puts you in the shoes of Emily, solving puzzles to try and stop your old college pals from getting murdered, all while unravelling Emily’s shaky past. It’s very PS1-era FMV, drawing inspiration from 80s slasher films and retro horror games for some perfectly spooky vibes.
Dialogue choices will shape the story’s direction, and a “surprising and responsive enemy AI system ensures no two encounters will ever be the same.” An in-game journal will keep track of all the little mysteries you solve, slowly helping you to outwit the killer and keep you and your buddies alive.
I’m not much of a horror gal myself, but I’m really digging Homebody’s look and feel. I was a huge Dream Daddy liker, something which Hannah Dwan agreed with in her review (opens in new tab). “Each dad is complicated and flawed in some way, and you don’t ‘fix’ them, but you help them in some way,” she wrote. “The relationships you make end up improving the lives of everyone involved as these dads forge a support network.
Dream Daddy narrative designer Jory Griffis is on this one as game director. There’s no firm release date yet, but the game will be arriving on Steam (opens in new tab) and the Epic Games Store. (opens in new tab)