Carnity

Carnity: A Stealth Game Where You Are the Weapon (and the Victim)

Carnity, a 2D stealth game developed in just eight days for the Pirate Software Game Jam 16, takes the theme "You are the weapon" to a chillingly literal extreme. Players embody a genetically modified being, a product of a horrifying scientific experiment, who must use stealth and cunning to escape their creators while battling a primal hunger and the decaying effects of their creation.

A Disturbing Origin Story: The Horrors of the Cibous Project

Carnity's narrative unfolds through environmental storytelling and audio logs, revealing the disturbing details of the Cibous Project. This project, intended to solve human hunger through the artificial production of meat, involves implanting catalysts into living organisms to accelerate cell growth. These organisms, including humans and various animals, are kept in a state of near-constant anesthesia while tumor tissue is grown on them, sometimes up to 20 times their original flesh amount. The process turns their skin black and creates grotesque, oversized masses of flesh.

However, some subjects, including the player character, awaken with a terrible hunger for meat. These beings, known as "Carnity," begin to decay rapidly once outside their containers, their flesh melting and dripping away. Originally intended as a solution to hunger, they become a terrifying consequence of unchecked scientific ambition.

Gameplay: Stealth, Survival, and a Moral Dilemma

Carnity's gameplay focuses on stealth. Players must navigate the facility, avoiding detection by their creators while managing their character's hunger. The protagonist, a human whose body has been genetically modified with predator DNA, possesses enhanced abilities that aid in stealth and evasion. However, the decaying flesh mechanic adds a constant sense of urgency and vulnerability.

The game also presents a moral dilemma. While driven by a primal hunger, the player character retains a sliver of humanity. Violence is not always necessary, allowing players to choose a more merciful approach to their escape. This adds a layer of complexity to the gameplay, forcing players to consider the ethical implications of their actions even as they fight for survival.

Uncovering the Truth: Audio Logs and Environmental Storytelling

The story of Carnity is primarily told through audio logs and environmental details. These elements reveal the background of the Cibous Project, the horrifying nature of the experiments, and the tragic fate of the Carnity subjects. The logs, narrated from the perspectives of the scientists involved, offer glimpses into their motivations, their growing unease with the project's consequences, and the desperate measures they take to contain the Carnity threat. The environment itself tells a story of scientific hubris and the grotesque results of tampering with nature.

A Short but Impactful Experience:

Despite being created in just eight days, Carnity delivers a compelling and unsettling experience. The combination of stealth gameplay, a disturbing narrative, and a morally ambiguous protagonist creates a unique and memorable game. The limited development time meant some features, like subtitles for the audio logs, were cut, but the core experience remains impactful. Carnity serves as a powerful reminder of the potential consequences of unchecked scientific ambition and the importance of ethical considerations in research.