Sludge Life
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Devolver Digital
Artist(s)Terri Vellmann
Composer(s)Doseone
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Windows, Nintendo Switch
Release
  • Windows
  • 28 May 2020
  • Switch
  • 2 June 2021
Genre(s)First-person shooter, sandbox
Mode(s)Single-player

Sludge Life is an indie first-person video game oriented toward graffiti. The game was designed by musician Adam "Doseone" Drucker and artist Terri Vellmann following their release of High Hell on Devolver Digital. Sludge Life was released in 2020 for free for the first year. It has been released along with a soundtrack EP and digital album.

Gameplay

Sludge Life is an open-world adventure game based on graffiti, parkour, and urban culture.[1] Initially equipped with nothing more than a spray can and laptop,[2][3] the player must leap and climb to find preset locations for tagging in order to further explore the environment.[4][5] Tagging (especially difficult tags) enables the player to gain respect from other taggers and eventually allows the player to co-operate with a series of murals.[6] A handful of items found around the world can provide the player with new gameplay features: a camera that can - aside from taking pictures - reveal tagging locations, a glider that can extend the player's airborne distance, a teleporting device called the "warper" that allows the player to place a marker down and teleport back to it any time, and a pair of "vandal eyes" floating in a jar that always look towards the closest tagging location.[4][5] The laptop can also be updated with 7 apps (music, video, a minigame, etc.),[3] and the player can play basketball, smoke cigarettes, eat some of the food lying around, and "zoom" (the term for using psychedelic mushrooms).[7] There are 100 tags to spray and there are three possible endings.[1] The player cannot die, although there are a handful of environmental hazards - such as fall damage - that will knock the player out causing them to reawaken in a hospital bed.

Plot

Sludge Life is based on the efforts of a graffitist to be recognized by his peers. Set in a fictional 1990's-era oil rig/shipyard,[3][8] the main character, Ghost, spends time meeting inhabitants, exploring, and spray-painting tags and murals. Exploring the rig and talking to other characters can reveal some of the world's backstory, including secrets about the megacorporation Glug, and revealing a strike against Glug protesting the death of the corporate mascot, Ciggy.[6][9][10]

While climbing and exploring the rig, its environs, and the buildings on it, Ghost is able to find three possible endings:[11]

  • Finding a large bomb in a bunker, Ghost can blow up the entire world, corrupting the game in the process.[lower-alpha 1]
  • Finding the Glug CEO's escape pod, Ghost can leave the shipyard for good.[lower-alpha 1]
  • Collecting 100 tags and one of the personal items of another tagger will cause Ghost's eyes to be ripped out of their body and enter a psychedelic hallucination.

Development

Sludge Life was developed by Adam Drucker AKA Doseone and Terri Vellmann from Devolver Digital. Previewed at 2020's PAX East (29 Feb - 1 Mar), the game demonstrated an emphasis on graffiti, music, resistance, grime, and crass humor.[12][13] Notably, however, the game was dramatically less violent than the developer's previous High Hell (and later Disc Room).[9] In fact Vellmann's first conception of Sludge Life would be to remove guns entirely.[14] Focusing on NPCs rather than enemies, Drucker and Vellmann began to develop personalities in the new game. Characters were designed based on real people the developers encountered.[10] As ludic aspects developed, Drucker drew from activities of his youth including running, climbing, and street art.[14] To emphasize the visual aspects of graffiti and its spatial relationship vis-à-vis the observer, parkour became a primary theme.[15]

Music and visuals also began to be emphasized. In adopting psychedelic and vaporwave elements, Vellmann developed an aesthetic style including Ghost's laptop, hallucinogenic "zoom" trips, and the smoggy backgrounds.[16] Drucker developed the music along with Big Mud (Drucker's in-game alterego) and DJ Dead, and a 45rpm EP was released within the laptop as well as in reality on Bandcamp.[17][18] Sludge Life was released by EpicGames on 28 May 2020 and was offered for free for the first year. The Switch and Stream versions were released as soon as the EpicGames version was sold on 2 June 2021. A physical version was planned for Switch.[15][19]

Reception

After its initial 2020 release as a free game on Epic Games Store, numerous reviewers encouraged players to test Sludge Life. The second release (allowing Switch and Steam) in 2021, provided additional reviews to examine the game again. Recognized for its laissez-faire exploration which the developers described as a "walking simulator",[14] early reviews emphasized the humor in the game as well as its strange mood/atmosphere.[1][6] The game was compared to 2000's Jet Set Radio in its themes,[14][24] but otherwise more similar to visual media like the programming from Adult Swim[3][5] or Liquid Television from the mid-1990s.[1][8]

From the initial 2020 release from Epic Games Store, reviewers emphasized the game as having a niche[16] and unique/eccentric[5][25] vibe.[26] The 1-year free price was also broadly appreciated,[4][27] and the game was praised for its gameplay[16] and the music.[25] Criticism was primarily limited to controls which were found to "wonky",[5] however additional criticisms came in the form of its relatively short length[5] and the inelegance of developing its uniqueness.[16] Hardcore Gamer gave the game a score of 4/5.[5]

Reviews of 2021 from Switch, Steam, GOG, etc., were similarly positive with Nintendo Life describing the game as "visually striking", "genuine", and "vibrant",[1] Eurogamer describing it as "astonishingly clever",[6] and Nintendo World Report claiming it as "wild and truly unique. There's really nothing like it. Sludge Life is a vibe".[8] Complaints were limited to the visuals and mechanics which Nintendo Life found to "feel inconsistent" and to potentially cause "confusion between which objects can be climbed like ladders and which cannot".[1] Nintendo World Report also worried that the non-linearity of the game might be off-putting for gamers.[8] Scores of 8/10 were awarded from both Nintendo Life and Nintendo World Report.[1][8]

Controversy

Sludge Life was banned by the Australian Classification Board after rating the game a "refused classification" (RC) in June 2021.[28] Although details from the Board were scant, the May 2021 review and re-rate of Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (banned in March 2021) suggested that the reason for Disco Elysium may have been for the same reason: "use of drugs".[29] Similar rating boards like the ESRB (USA) has given Sludge Life similar mature rates such as Mature 17+ (M).[30]

Sequel

Sludge Life 2 has been announced on March 23, 2023, with its launch slated for later the year.[31][32] It has been well received in its preview version.[33] A demo for the sequel called "The Big Mud Sessions" was released on June 8;[34] it acts as a bridge between the two episodes, where Ghost, now a manager of rapper Big Mud, must help Mud perform on a recording in the studio by getting him a Ciggy Cig to ease Mud's anxiety. The sequel was released on June 27.[34]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 In the sequel, both endings are referenced, making them both canon.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gipp, Stuart (June 2, 2021). "Sludge Life Review (Switch eShop)". NintendoLife. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ↑ Chalk, Andy (February 28, 2020). "High Hell dev's next game is a vandalism-and-photography sim on a world of sludge". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Walker, Austin; Jackson, Gita; Cado, Cado (May 29, 2020). "Episode 317: That Child Has Three Mortgages - Sludge Life (28:08-33:15)". Waypoint (Vice Media). Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Livingston, Christopher (May 28, 2020). "I came to Sludge Life for cool graffiti but I'm staying for its brilliant, oddball characters". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LeClair, Kyle (June 3, 2020). "Review: Sludge Life". hardcoregamer.com. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Purchese, Robert; Donlan, Christian (June 8, 2021). "Vandal sim Sludge Life has the makings of a classic". Eurogamer. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  7. ↑ Brown, Fraser (May 28, 2020). "Sludge Life is a funky vandalism sim and free on the Epic Games Store". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Orona, Alex (June 11, 2021). "Sludge Life (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Gach, Ethan (March 5, 2020). "Sludge Life Feels Like Playing Hooky From Late Capitalism". Kotaku. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  10. 1 2 Rosenberg, Jared (March 19, 2020). "We Played Sludge Life at PAX East 2020". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  11. ↑ Romano, Sal (May 28, 2020). "Sludge Life for PC now available for free". Gematsu. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  12. ↑ McFerran, Damien (February 27, 2020). "Sludge Life Is Quite Unlike Any Game We've Seen, And It's Coming To Switch This Spring". NintendoLife. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  13. ↑ O'Connor, James (February 27, 2020). "Sludge Life Brings Graffiti, Cat Butts, And A Fart Button To Switch And Epic Store". GameSpot. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 4 LeClair, Kyle (March 6, 2020). "PAX East 2020: Devolver Digital Keeps it Simple and Simply Amazing". hardcoregamer.com. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  15. 1 2 Olson, Mathew (May 28, 2020). "Sludge Life and Borderlands Handsome Collection Are Funny, First-Person, and Free on Epic". US Gamer. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Leah (March 3, 2020). "Sludge Life Is A Quirky Graffiti Simulator That Might Just Be Too Weird". Kotaku.com.au. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  17. ↑ Clayton, Natalie (May 28, 2020). "Borderlands: The Handsome Collection and Sludge Life are free on the Epic Games Store". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  18. ↑ Martin, Matt (February 27, 2020). "Check out this cat with two assholes in weirdo graffiti game Sludge Life". VG247. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  19. ↑ Doolan, Liam (May 17, 2021). "Devolver Digital Brings Sludge Life To Nintendo Switch Early Next Month". NintendoLife. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Sludge Life". Metacritic. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Sludge Life". Metacritic. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  22. ↑ Scaife, Steven (May 31, 2020). "'Sludge Life' Review: Indulge Your Spirit of Rebellion". Slant Magazine. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  23. ↑ Morics, Peter (May 28, 2020). "Sludge Life Review". Screen Rant. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  24. ↑ Vincent, Brittany (June 8, 2020). "Sludge Life is free now via the Epic Games Store". Shacknews. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  25. 1 2 Staff (May 28, 2020). "Sludge Life". Gry-Online. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  26. ↑ Clayton, Natalie (February 27, 2020). "Tag your way to the top of Sludge Life's filthy little island this Spring". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  27. ↑ O'Connor, James (May 28, 2020). "Sludge Life, A Brand New Game, Is Free On Epic Game Store Right Now". GameSpot. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  28. ↑ Walker, Alex (June 3, 2021). "Another Game Has Been Refused Classification In Australia". Kotaku. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  29. ↑ Doolan, Liam (June 2, 2021). "Devolver Digital's New Game Has Been Banned In Australia". NintendoLife. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  30. ↑ Staff. "Sludge Life - Devolver Digital". Entertainment Software Rating Board. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  31. ↑ Romano, Sal (March 23, 2023). "SLUDGE LIFE 2 announced for PC". Gematsu. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  32. ↑ Sludge Life 2 - Official Announcement Trailer, IGN, March 23, 2023, retrieved March 24, 2023
  33. ↑ Donlan, Christian (March 24, 2023). "An hour with Sludge Life 2: more jokes, more graffiti, more cynicism, more brilliance". Eurogamer. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  34. 1 2 "SLUDGE LIFE 2 launches June 27, demo now available". Gematsu. June 8, 2023.
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