New Game Announcement – Dead Pets Unleashed + Demo Review!

“Performance-wise, you really need to be down in the trenches; you need to do the hard work, for a lot of reasons: To build yourself as a performer, to get a sense of the audience, to work hard and to wonder, ‘Do I really want to do this?” – Joan Jett

New Game Announcement

Game developer Triple Topping (Welcome to Elk) has unveiled its upcoming game, Dead Pets Unleashed, a punk rock story about a band making one last effort to get big or grow up.

Dead Pets Unleashed follows the punk rock band Dead Pets, who have been in the music scene for a decade. Set in the world of Ether, Gordy and the band live in New Void City. An entirely new world, the planet is inhabited by different species of demons. Players will decide if Gordy, the band’s lead singer, will follow her big plans to get the band’s big break or decide to put away childish things after turning 30. While the game does deal with some heavy topics, Dead Pets Unleashed will run players through several fun slice-of-life mini-games, let them listen to a real punk rock EP played live during the game, and engage in Gordy’s daily schedule to determine the future of the band.

Inspired by cartoons Bojack Horseman and Tuca and Bertie’s colourful, surreal worlds, complicated adult friendships, and zany, offbeat humour. At its core, Dead Pets Unleashed is a game about friendship. The band have all been friends for a very long time, and the game explores how to manage old friendships that are taking different paths.

Being about a band, music is incredibly important to the game. However, the punk rock music of the game isn’t too heavy and is intended to be enjoyed by everyone with other music genres also intertwined in the game. You can listen to Dead Pet’s full single featured in the trailer, I Own My Smile. Inspired by female-fronted punk bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile, I Own My Smile is Gordy’s ode to catcallers.

The Demo

The Dead Pets Unleashed demo will take around an hour to play and is an intriguing introduction to the game. The hand-drawn art has a vibrant, cartoon-like aesthetic that brilliantly matches the eclectic punk soundtrack and the various tasks and mini-games are sure to keep the player entertained.

Players experience the first episode of the game in the demo and see Gordy wake up and start her day and go on to meet her fellow bandmates. Gordy must carry out everyday tasks such as watering her plant (named Satan) and cleaning her vibrator, all whilst managing the band and going to work at a diner. There are various choices to be made and each will affect scores for Gordy, Band, and social, players can choose to maintain some life balance or throw all their eggs into one basket! There are also finances to manage and it is up to the player whether Gordy can afford the band’s studio rent by the time it’s due!

This is a fantastic example of a game demo and has lots to offer. Players can see various aspects of the gameplay and get a real feel for the tone and themes of the game. There are even some fun easter eggs to be found. Overall, I highly recommend checking it out and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the game’s full release in June 2024.

Support on Kickstarter!

Those who enjoy the demo or who want to follow and support the game’s progress can register on Kickstarter with a range of tiers and different rewards available. According to Triple Topping, “By running a Kickstarter campaign, this extra budget will allow us to bring on more team members to help create the game of our dreams.“

Playthrough

You can also watch a full playthrough of the Dead Pets Unleashed demo on the Indie Hive YouTube channel!

For more from Triple Topping take a look at:
Triple Topping: Developer Interview – Spitkiss: The Hygienic Way to Share Body Fluids with Friends! – Welcome to Elk Review – Upcoming Games: Eleven Great Demos and Prologues

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