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There Are No Ghosts at the Grand – stripping back the physical and metaphorical layers of a haunted hotel
Independent Bristol-based developer Friday Sundae has revealed There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, a game blending home renovation, ghost-hunting and musical theatre within a distinctly British ghost story. Creative director Anil Glendinning explains that the concept grew from visits to National Trust stately homes, where half-restored, half-derelict rooms inspired the idea of letting players strip back a crumbling hotel's layers using power tools. The game stands out for combining genres rarely seen together, offering something fresh amid an industry often dominated by sequels and remakes.
Players take the role of an American man renovating a hotel he has inherited from an absent father, using tools including a talking, Scottish-accented paintbrush character named Robert C McBrushy to strip wallpaper, rearrange furniture and repaint rooms by day, while fighting ghosts by night. The game incorporates unexpected musical numbers, voiced by performers including Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice the Musical) and Marcia Richards of the Skints, though players can opt to skip these. True to its British sensibility, the developers have chosen not to include a glossary for regional slang, allowing actors to improvise dialogue in their own natural speech patterns, including an unannounced British-Jamaican voice actor.
In short
- Friday Sundae's new game mixes renovation, ghost-hunting and musical theatre
- Concept was inspired by visits to National Trust stately homes
- No slang glossary included, preserving authentic British dialogue and humour
Explained simply
There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a new video game combining home renovation, ghost-hunting and musical theatre within a British ghost story setting. Developed by Friday Sundae, an independent Bristol-based studio, the game represents an unusual blend of genres that is rarely seen in mainstream gaming.
The player assumes the role of an American inheriting a crumbling hotel from his absent father and must renovate it to uncover its secrets. Gameplay involves stripping wallpaper, rearranging furniture and redecorating rooms during the day using tools including a talking, Scottish-accented paintbrush character, whilst fighting ghosts at night.
The game features unexpected musical theatre numbers performed by actors from well-known stage productions. In keeping with its British sensibility, the developers have chosen to preserve regional accents and dialogue without a glossary, allowing performers to use their natural speech patterns rather than standardising their voices.
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