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Acclaimed Author Neil Gaiman Announces First Game Project
The Neverwhere writer is creating Wayward Manor, a macabre puzzle/adventure game developed in partnership with the indie studio The Odd Gentlemen.
The author, who's well known in comic and fantasy circles for many books including Neverwhere, American Gods, and the classic comic book series Sandman, has been a lifelong gamer and is now trying his hand at making them. Inspired by early 20th century farces like Arsenic and Old Lace, Gaimen envisions Wayward Manor – which casts the player as a ghost trying to scare people out of an old mansion – as a hybrid of the puzzle and adventure genres.
We'll leave it to Neil himself to give you the pitch in the video below. While the game is not doing a Kickstarter, they are raising money through tiered pre-orders that come with perks (essentially a Kickstarter not on Kickstarter). One of the pre-order bonuses is dinner with Gaiman himself, for only $10,000 (though you have to provide your own travel). Whadda guy.
Our Take
While Neil Gaimen is not a game developer by trade, he's certainly landed with a good partner: The Odd Gentlemen, who created the excellent The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, among other games. Their offbeat, old-fashioned visual vibe perfectly suits Gaiman, and their skill as a developer is not in question. Their expertise coupled with Gaiman's writing could be a very good combination.
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