Uncovering the 'Cozy Chaos': Grave Seasons Devs Dish on Relationships and More

Perfect Garbage's upcoming game, Grave Seasons, combines elements of a murder mystery with a farming simulator similar to Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley. The game has already generated significant interest since its reveal on Twitter, and Game Rant recently had the opportunity to speak with studio co-founders Son M. and Emmett Nahil about the game's development. The twist in Grave Seasons is that one of the villagers is a serial killer, and players must uncover their identity before it's too late. The developers had much to say about the unique approach taken in creating the game, and the following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.

My name is Son M. and I am one of the co-founders of Perfect Garbage, a studio I started with Emmet Nahil in 2018. Our debut game, Love Shore, is set to launch this May on Xbox and we are also currently working on our next project, Grave Seasons. As the studio and creative director, I oversee various aspects of the game development process.

Emmett: And I’m Emmett, co-founder as Son said, and I act as narrative director.

I was specifically inspired by Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland for the PS2. As someone who loves farming and life simulation games, I also care deeply about plotlines. Unfortunately, many life sims tend to focus too heavily on the management aspect and neglect the narrative aspect. That's why we at Perfect Garbage set out to create a game that not only incorporates the life and management sim elements, but also has a clear, definitive end.

As horror writers, Emmett and I draw inspiration from various horror tropes, and we wanted to incorporate the elements we love - the eerie and the unsettling - into a space that doesn't overpower the genre's aesthetic but rather complements it. Our aim was to create a game that blends the thrill of uncovering a killer with the joy of courting a cute shopkeeper, for instance. It was important for us to avoid the need for a "hot mod," as we wanted everyone in the game to radiate attractiveness by default.

Emmett explains that he and Son come from a horror background, and he himself wasn't particularly interested in farming sims. As a narrative-focused person, he's thrilled about the chance to create more in-depth storylines within this genre, which he believes will appeal to players like himself who aren't naturally drawn to farming sims.

Our goal at Perfect Garbage is to bring a fresh perspective to traditional open-ended games by providing a purposeful narrative. We strive to merge different game structures to create a unique gaming experience. The farming sim genre, in particular, is well-suited for this approach as every action has a clear purpose, whether it's farming, earning money, or building relationships. Our aim is to intensify this purpose and provide players with an exciting and immersive experience, unlike anything they've seen before. It's been gratifying to see players embrace this approach and seek out a new level of excitement in a genre that typically lacks it.

Q: Perfect Garbage seems to have a penchant for blending genres, as you said - specifically romance and horror. What interests you about these elements in particular?

Personally, I find that incorporating elements of romance, horror, and comedy - all of which can evoke strong gut-reactions - can greatly enhance any game. While some may argue that there is such a thing as "elevated" romance or horror, these are raw emotions that can easily be drawn upon, as everyone has experienced genuine fear or love at some point. By tapping into these universal experiences, we can create games that resonate with a wide audience. In our games, we have found that combining these elements can yield something truly innovative.

Furthermore, Love Shore, in particular, showcases how dating systems can be incredibly compelling in games. Whether it's building romantic or platonic relationships with characters, these systems provide a great opportunity to tell engaging stories. With Love Shore, we wanted to pay homage to the dating sim genre while also exploring the darker side of relationships, such as those influenced by capitalism, cyberpunk, and nature. By using dating sims as a vehicle for genre-specific storytelling, we hope to shed light on themes that are often overlooked in this space. Ultimately, incorporating relationship dynamics is something we always strive to do in our work.

Emmett: Grave Seasons aims to blend the cozy atmosphere of a life sim with the thrilling tension of a murder mystery, recognizing that the spectrum between love and horror is not a straight line but rather a horseshoe with complex emotional interplay.

Our approach to game development is to blend genres in a way that highlights their strengths. While we're not ready to reveal too much about our current project, we're excited about the positive reception it's received so far. Our game will feature plenty of terrifying moments, but we'll also incorporate cozy elements that complement the gameplay without detracting from it. We refer to this balance as "cozy chaos," and it's been a guiding principle for us throughout development. We believe that players will appreciate the contrast between softer, more enjoyable content and extreme emotions and experiences. Ultimately, finding the right balance will be key to creating an engaging gameplay loop and offering replay value.

Q: You spoke about Love Shore before. I wanted to ask what you have learned from the development of Love Shore that has translated to the development of Grave Seasons.

We found the stat system to be an integral part of Love Shore, and it has become one of the core foundations of Grave Seasons. Our team keeps track of everything from planting to selling to gift-giving, ensuring that players have a clear understanding of their in-game progress. Additionally, the day and night cycle feature in Love Shore was something we experimented with and plan on expanding upon in Grave Seasons.

We learned the importance of having a strict approach towards pre-production and scope, especially since Love Shore was our first title as a self-publishing studio with support from Xbox. As a fully remote team, we gained a better understanding of our capacity and how to effectively communicate with each other. In terms of indie development, the most surprising aspect for us has been the level of creativity and innovation that can come from working with limited resources and budgets.

One aspect that fascinates me about indie studios is how they manage their business development. It's surprising how much knowledge is required in areas such as tax law, legal structure, funding, and milestone distribution. It's important to have someone dedicated to this aspect of the business, yet it's not talked about enough.

Furthermore, the success of a game can never be predicted. My friend and I are interested in marketing and often discuss what makes a game successful, whether it's through luck or strategic use of algorithms. This is something that indie studios need to be aware of, especially with the current state of Twitter.

It has been a pleasant surprise to discover how open and generous indie developers are when it comes to sharing their processes. From assets to scriptwriting, it's easy to communicate with fellow developers. There's a lack of secrecy in the community which is incredibly beneficial for growth in the indie space.

Q: What do you think are challenges unique to indie development? As opposed to a large studio under a major publisher.

Both: Funding.

Funding in the indie game industry operates on a different level, with varying tiers depending on the experience and connections of the team. For new studios without veteran members, the funding process can be more challenging compared to those who have established connections. Additionally, team size also plays a role, as a small team may not be able to justify asking for more advanced support or infrastructure. As such, indies should be more aware of funding and business finance in general. There is an unspoken flow between AAA and indie, and networking plays a crucial role in securing funding and connections. Developing these skills can be challenging, especially for newcomers without a hot game demo or concept. Indie developers should invest time and labor into cultivating relationships, as these are essential to the success of their projects.

I am thrilled for fans to have their first replay of Grave Seasons. While I understand that it can be challenging to expect players to replay a game, I believe that those who do will be rewarded with a unique experience. I am particularly excited for fans to discover the differences between subsequent playthroughs, as we have intentionally designed the game to have a level of depth that cannot be fully appreciated in just one playthrough.

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In terms of gameplay, Grave Seasons strikes a balance between life simulation and murder mystery. We have put in a lot of effort to develop fleshed-out characters that engage with players and the town in an interesting and enjoyable way. Players can even romance the priest if they wish. We are excited for players to experience the dynamics of the game, especially their first death. It adds an element of unpredictability, and who knows what might happen if you're romancing someone you really love. As for the ratio between life simulation and murder mystery, we aim to ensure that it is balanced and enjoyable for players.

Answer: Our goal with Grave Seasons was to create a game that seamlessly blended the elements of a murder mystery with the immersive experience of a life and management sim. We wanted players to feel motivated by the mystery aspect while still being able to enjoy the various other aspects of the game. We aimed to create a cohesive experience where every aspect of the game, from farming to character interactions, would be interconnected and work together to drive the story forward. As for the reception of the game, we were pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback and enthusiasm from the community.

We were pleasantly surprised by the success of our quiet side project. The positive reception has been thrilling, especially because we're offering something unconventional in this space. Our natural inclination towards horror and unsettling elements seems to be resonating with a community that typically enjoys more cozy games. It's wild how many people want to romance a serial killer! [laughs] One of the best things about the reveal is that people seem to immediately understand the general path forward, which is both fun and encouraging.

Son expressed gratitude for the interview and conveyed excitement for their upcoming releases. He mentioned that they will be sharing their work through their Twitter account @perfectgarbo and plan to set up a mailing service in the near future. He also teased the development of a Steam page and invited everyone to follow their Twitter for updates on their dev log. Son concluded by promoting Love Shore, a cyberpunk visual novel thriller with a noir theme, set to launch in May on both PC and Xbox, and encouraged people to wishlist it on Steam.

Emmett: For folks who are not big on Twitter, our TikTok, @perfectgarbage, is also going to be a great resource for keeping up with us.

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