Mouthwashing is one of my favorite horror games ever, and a lot of that is due to its heavy focus on writing and atmosphere, prioritizing narrative. It’s surprising, then, that developer Wrong Organ’s next game, Carcass Clad, is so different. Shown off at today’s PC Gaming Show, it’s a multiplayer tank game, where three players each take a different role to guide a tank called Yksiö through the streets of Vhorgorod. I had lots of questions about this new project, most of them around how and why it’s so different from Mouthwashing. Thankfully, they reached out and offered to answer them over email.
Game Informer: After such a heavy emphasis on narrative in Mouthwashing, why pivot to this gameplay-focused game?
Gameplay lead Jeffrey Tomec: After our first title, How Fish Is Made, it felt obvious that the next step was just to do the same thing but bigger. There was so much more we wanted to explore in the walking-simulator side of horror. But now we’re pretty content after Mouthwashing. It fills that hole, and we don’t want our next game to just live in its shadow. So we’ve decided to swing hard in the opposite direction. We want to try and pursue that distinct Wrong Organ charm and atmosphere through a gameplay-led experience. Stretch our legs a bit y’know. We’re definitely not done making narrative games, but we’re determined for our next game to be a big swing. My philosophy is that Wrong Organ should never be making what you expect us to.
Why is it called Carcass Clad?
Tomec: Well the simple answer is that the vehicles your enemies ride in will be clad in carcasses. Half-dead conjoined farm animals that serve as armor. But there’s always more to it than that. Mouthwashing’s namesake isn’t just Dragonbreath Mouthwash, of course.
Are the players in Carcass Clad named characters in the story, or more avatars that players inhabit?
Writer and art director Johanna Kasurinen: The player characters have names and have defined personalities and backgrounds in the world of the game, but the game is not focused on telling their stories outright. You could draw some comparison to something like Left 4 Dead. You can find out some lore details and light interaction in sections of the game but the focus will always be on the gameplay within the tank itself. We considered using just sort of “faceless” avatars for the player characters but having a dynamic between the crew, even to a minimal degree, was more fun and I just like designing characters at the end of the day.
How does the gameplay differ between the three roles? Is the whole game set in the Yksiö, or are there moments when you leave?
Technical and tank designer Dave van Egdom: In gameplay terms, the Yksiö is divided into asymmetric functions where all crew members are responsible for managing these functions through weighty, physical controls. The driver is responsible for maneuvering the heavy vehicle through the streets of Vhorgorod, among other things. As Erkki, the gunner, your main responsibility is controlling the Yksiö’s turret and 158mm cannon. Lastly, the commander is responsible for making navigational decisions and being the eyes and ears of the tank, considering she has the best vision from her cupola. The success of your crew, of course, depends on how well each individual manages their stations, but even more so on the ability to communicate information clearly and effectively with each other.
As of right now, players will spend most of their time inside the Yksiö. We are still exploring if there are moments in the game where the crew can leave the vehicle, though this is very subject to change. It would be cool!
Are there any elements of storytelling or worldbuilding you’re able to achieve in Carcass Clad that you couldn’t (or didn’t want to) attempt in Mouthwashing?
Kasurinen: In Mouthwashing, keeping the mention of the larger outside world to a minimum was to keep the immediate narrative as claustrophobic and focused as possible. In Carcass Clad, we have a more defined idea of the larger world outside of Vhorgorod, but the scope of where we can or want to add in more narrative detail is much, much smaller. It’s a very different beast overall from a writing perspective, both projects have been challenging in their own distinct ways. Narrative largely preceded everything else in Mouthwashing, and now we’ve gone for the exact opposite.
How has Mouthwashing’s success affected Wrong Organ’s future?
Sound designer and composer Martin Halldin: With the success of Mouthwashing, we are privileged to find ourselves in a position where we can truly focus on creating bold and unique experiences. We have brought on some extra people to help bring our ideas to life as well, a luxury that was hard to imagine before the release of Mouthwashing. Knowing that the sustainability of Wrong Organ doesn’t singlehandedly hinge on whatever our immediate next project is has been amazing and we can only hope we continue to find ourselves in that position. All the doors that have opened and all the people that we’ve met, we’re grateful for, and we’re looking forward to bringing you more games in the future!
