Neil Gaiman - of Sandman, Neverwhere and wearing black fame - is making a game. Not by himself, of course - he's teamed up with The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom/Flea Symphony devs The Odd Gentlemen. The result is Wayward Manor , a multi-part puzzle/adventure game where you play as a ghost trying to rid an old house of its living occupants. Gaiman cites classic films like Blithe Spirit as inspiration in his introductory video, but the premise reminds me of Capcom's excellent Gregory Horror Show , which sadly never made its way to PC. The first part's due this Autumn.
The pre-order tiers, for that is a thing now, range from $10 for a basic digital copy to $10,000 for dinner with Neil himself. You'll have to provide your own accommodation and travel to LA (!), but you and up to nine others will be able to "converse with Neil. Eat and drink with Neil. Try to convince Neil to include you in his next novel" in, as Neil puts it, "the single spookiest dinner anyone has ever had". I think I'll just hit him up on Twitter instead.
As the FAQ puts it, "Wayward Manor is a puzzle/adventure game hybrid that invites players to solve the mysteries of the mansion any way they choose. You play as a disgruntled ghost, trying to reclaim your house from its newfound owners. This dysfunctional family of misfits and eccentrics have stifled your power and brought their own abysmal possessions into your humble abode. Each level is a playground for scares where players absorb fear to take back control of the room. If you want free reign over your mansion once again, you must uncover their deepest anxieties and drive them mad with fear using your wits and their hideous belongings."
