Years ago I would have never imagined being able to put on screen everything I had in mind. Octopus Goulash is not a game for everyone.
I still remember the first time I showcased the game in Rome. A kid sat at my desk to try the demo. The project was still in its infancy: a bare city and an introductory quest. That kid completely ignored the quest and wandered around the city instead. I think he stayed there for at least an hour and a half.
Only later did I realize how much that moment struck me. It reminded me of the first times when, as a child, I played video games. I remember the awe of immersing myself in those worlds made of rough 3D blocks and pixel corners. I remember how my imagination filled those spaces, to the point that I still carry the memory of graphics that felt “spectacular”. Then you look at them today, compare them to modern titles, and wonder how it was even possible to play something so jagged. But the truth is that we were the ones completing the world.
OG’s gameplay is a bit of a gamble on this idea. It is a playground for our inner child: it does not force you into a story except your own. Within a world of rules you can take different paths. Explore a city made of places, characters, and a detailed history. An economy with its own hierarchies. A network of relationships shaped iteration after iteration. Through the dialogue system you can weave these relationships, discover new topics, and alter your story.
The question is not “what is the goal of the game”, but “what am I looking for?”. Adventure? Mystery? Wealth? Power? Love?
Until now I have deliberately kept the “gameplay beneath the gameplay” under wraps. If you are interested, I think in the coming days I’ll start talking about it a bit more on Discord or on the website.
That said, the date is:
31.01.2026
I am a bit tight on time, so it might slip by a few days, but I will try, once in my life, to be on time.
I cannot wait for you to play it.
Happy new year everyone
Alessio