Grave Seasonsmade a surprise appearance at this week’s Summer Game Fest presentation, where the title was featured during the official reveal of Blumhouse Games.Grave Seasonswas first announced in April 2023 but has been largely quiet since. However, the title’s re-emergence under Blumhouse’s banner has thrust it into the mainstream conversation, makingGrave Seasonsone ofSummer Game Fest’s most talked about titles.Grave Seasons’ disturbing mix of horror and coziness is unlike any title seen before, and with Blumhouse looking to deliver its unique vision of horror in the gaming field, the two are a match made in heaven.
Grave Seasonswas announced while still very early in development. However, itsStardew Valley-like gameplay, mixed with visceral horror visuals and themes, quickly gained the attention of horror fans worldwide. The title is the second developed by Perfect Garbage, whose debut, the visual novelLove Shore, combined monstrous horror and cyberpunk aesthetics. WithGrave Seasons, the studio is looking to take itself to the next level following its announcement alongside Blumhouse Games.
Grave Seasons is a Cozy Farming Sim with a Killer Twist
Grave Seasonswill feature everything gamers love about cozy farming sims. Set in the small community of Ashenridge, players will have the opportunity to farm, build, and create, as they interact with the community’s inhabitants. However, the main focus of the title is to romance other inhabitants, as the title’s primary goal is to explore the relationship between horror and relationships. While romance in farming sims is nothing new,Grave Seasonsoffers a unique twist, with one inhabitant harboring a terrible secret.
Each time players begin a new game ofGrave Seasons, one NPC will be randomly chosen to be a serial killer. Players will be tasked with figuring out who the killer is before it’s too late. Perfect Garbage has stated that they wereinspired byHarvest Moon: Save the Homelandwhen coming up with a unique twist. Everything players do will have a focus, and the finite nature of its central mystery is the developer’s way of flipping the script on the typically open-ended farming sim genre.Grave Seasonsis built for replayability, offering fans a plethora of murder mysteries to solve.
Blumhouse and Grave Seasons are the Perfect Package
Blumhouse Games made its big debut at this week’s Summer Game Fest presentation, revealing the first slate of games to be released under its banner. The presentation featured titles across various genres, each from a unique indie developer, butGrave Seasonsstood out as one of its biggest reveals. Thepartnership between Blumhouse and Perfect Garbageis mutually beneficial, as both provide the means for the other to make a huge entrance into the mainstream gaming sphere.Grave Seasonsgenerated a ton of hype with its initial announcement, bringing an already-formed fanbase to focus on the publisher.
Likewise, the enormous name and reputation of Blumhouse ensures thatGrave Seasonshas a ton of hype surrounding it in the approach to release.
Grave Seasonsand Blumhouse Games will be the center of horror fans' discussions for quite some time, and the response to this week’s announcement bodes well for their partnership. However, little is known about the title’s current stage of development or planned release date.
Blumhouse has stated that its first release will be developerCozy Game Pals’Fear the Spotlight, so fans may have to wait quite some time for the next update onGrave Seasons. When it does arrive,Grave Seasonspromises to reinvent the cozy farming sim genre and, with Blumhouse offering its full support, the title is looking to be well worth the wait.
