I’m not going to sugarcoat it: I have developed what might be described as an unhealthy obsession with certain reality TV shows. 1999 was integral when it comes to some of the shows that I’m still watching: it was the year Big Brother was created, and The Real World and Road Rules were continuing to dominate MTV alongside the second season of The Challenge (it was still called Real World/Road Rules Challenge). So just imagine my excitement when darkly comic reality TV thirst-person shooter The Crush House was announced today. Set in 1999 Malibu, the game has players produce each season of a reality show. It should be chaotic in the best of ways!
Jae has just become the producer of the hottest reality show around, The Crush House. But just because it’s her dream job doesn’t mean it is easy. The demands are high and the stakes are even higher. She has to cast, film, and produce each season of The Crush House while also capturing all the things that make reality TV great/messy: drama, tension, and romance.
Choose from 12 eccentric personalities to find a four-person cast each season. By mixing and matching the personalities, sparks may fly or tensions may run high. But be sure the capture the best moments on camera, because what good is it if the fun stuff can’t make it to air?
It’s no secret that audience reaction often influences the direction of a television show, and that’s no different with The Crush House. It seems like everyone from Foodies to Pharologists is watching, and they’ve basically split into dozens of micro-audiences that need to all be kept entertained. Ideally that would happen for everyone all the time, but since when it life ideal? Do the absolute best job possible because if it’s not good enough the show could be cancelled.
Money matters. Period. And good entertainment is rarely cheap. (I’d argue with that, but it does matter in The Crush House.) Get companies on board with airing ads during the show to keep money flowing. Ads may lose the show some viewers, but it could be worth it since the extra cash can be used to furnish the house and mix things up for the cast/audience.
And if all that isn’t good enough… there’s also a mystery afoot! And it’s a sinister one. Jae explores the mansion at night when the show is off-air to engage in forbidden conversation with the cast. Maybe they can reveal some clues. This could even be related to the cast’s dependence on something called Crush Juice or where the Success Slide goes.
Developed by Nerial (the team behind the iconic Reigns series) and published by Devolver Digital, The Crush House will be released for PC via Steam sometime this year.
Buy the hottest games with Amazon.
By purchasing from this link, you support DDNet.
Each sale earns us a small commission.
I like the idea of this, but the character designs are horrendous. It looks like Corporate Memphis: The Game.
Yeah I’m really hoping the game makes up for it. I am fairly certain it will, but not a fan of that art direction either.
I actually like it, though I may be blinded with my love of the colour scheme lol
I think the colours are *absolutely lovely.* I’m a big fan of saturation and the retro vibe. Big-time agree with you on that.
I just wish they hired the Dee Dee artist instead for the character designs (actually no wait I don’t since that would mean I wasn’t able to hire them <_<)