Unveiling the Comic Magic: Sludge Life Devs Reveal the Recipe for a Hilarious Game

Undoubtedly, Sludge Life 2 is dedicated to providing players with a continuous stream of laughter. This unconventional indie game is filled with an abundance of jokes and comedic situations that can be discovered in every corner as players navigate through Ciggy City Suites, searching for tagging spots to leave their mark. The developer's main objective revolves around entertaining players, whether it's through defying expectations and gaming norms or incorporating amusing features like a dedicated "fart button," granting players the opportunity to entertain themselves at their leisure.

In a recent interview with Game Rant, Terri Vellmann, the developer of Sludge Life 2, and composer Doseone revealed their personal brand of humor, which is intricately woven into every aspect of the game's surreal, low-fidelity dystopia. They discussed how the game's humor draws inspiration from peculiar encounters among strangers in urban environments and shared insights on their approach to creating comedic scenarios and characters within the game's expansive open world.

Sludge Life's Comedy Comes From Real-Life Experiences and The Element of Surprise

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Various comedic video games employ different approaches to comedy, each with their own unique style. For example, games like Borderlands embrace a dark and exaggerated form of comedy, while fellow Revolver Digital title Cult of the Lamb humorously combines cute animals with brutal violence. Sludge Life, on the other hand, derives its humor from the peculiar encounters one might have at a bus stop in a bustling city.

Vellmann: The element of surprise and subverting the expectations of typical video game activities are integral components of comedic gaming experiences.

Doseone believes that one of the enchanting aspects of Sludge Life 2 lies in the NPCs talking at the player, rather than to them. Growing up in Jersey and Philly, Doseone experienced people randomly sharing information and saying things that left him without a response. The dialogue in Sludge Life aims to capture that unique dynamic.

Surprise and defying expectations are also key components of Sludge Life's humor. Players may find themselves wandering through a normal apartment complex, only to discover a room filled with a massive baby. These peculiar moments are scattered throughout the game and serve as a major incentive for players to thoroughly explore its open world.

Sludge Life's Jokes Took a Lot of Trial and Error

The Sludge Life team had to adopt an iterative approach when determining the placement and delivery of each joke in the game due to its abundance of comedic encounters. Since humor is subjective, the goal was to create gags that would evoke laughter from the developers and hopefully resonate with players who shared their sense of humor. If a joke did not meet this criteria, the team would consider revising or rewriting it entirely.

According to Vellmann, the process is highly iterative. The team initially blocks out spaces and experiment with different arrangements, waiting for inspiration and considering how each idea fits within the game world. Sometimes, certain areas remain empty for a while as the team focuses on other tasks, only to be filled in later when a new idea arises.

Content: The process of creating humor in our game is quite complex. Sometimes ideas or humorous elements come to us before we even create the assets, and other times we discover funny aspects after placing a room or NPC in the game world. As a result, our humor is a combination of intentional and situational funny. When neither of us laughs, we know something isn't working and we have to change it by creating new assets or refreshing the writing.

However, our game is not solely focused on crude humor and fart jokes. Players with different sensibilities will find something amusing, whether it's a funny message in the game's retro-style menu or the unexpected encounter in a hidden location. With many serious games dominating the gaming scene, like Elden Ring, Sludge Life offers a refreshing and light-hearted experience in its strange world.

Sludge Life 2 is available on PC.