Unraveling the Bizarre: Why the Weirdness of ‘There Are No Ghosts at the Grand’ Makes It a Must-Play

In a gaming landscape often dominated by predictable genres and recycled mechanics, a title that truly dares to be different is a rare and welcome sight. Enter There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, a game that defies easy classification. Billed as a spooky, cozy, musical mystery, this game is an utterly bizarre blend of renovation simulation, first-person horror, and a narrative-driven adventure set in a dilapidated English seaside hotel. The game’s pitch alone—inheriting a crumbling hotel, restoring it with talking power tools by day, and battling supernatural entities by night—is enough to pique the curiosity of any gamer looking for a truly unique experience. And it is this very weirdness that has critics and players buzzing with excitement.

Developed by Friday Sundae, the game follows Chris David, an American who unexpectedly inherits the titular hotel and is tasked with restoring it within 30 days and nights. This simple premise quickly unravels into a rollercoaster of genre shifts. One moment, you’re using a furniture cannon to place a bed in a room, and the next, you’re blasting away at a monstrous, spider-legged armchair. The game doesn’t just embrace its strangeness; it weaponizes it, using the jarring shifts in tone and gameplay to keep the player on edge and constantly guessing.

The game’s success lies in its ability to make these disparate elements feel cohesive rather than scattered. The same tools you use for renovation—a paint sprayer, a vacuum, and the aforementioned furniture cannon—transform into your weapons against the supernatural at night. This clever mechanic ties the two core gameplay loops together, creating a unified experience that is as satisfying as it is strange. This is not just a game with a horror element or a musical number thrown in; it is a horror musical adventure that uses renovation as its central system.

What Makes ‘There Are No Ghosts at the Grand’ So Great?

The game’s charm comes from a number of highly unusual, yet masterfully executed, design choices:

• The Musical Numbers: This is arguably the game’s most memorable and unique feature. Characters, including a sardonic, Australian-accented cat named Mr. Bones, will suddenly break into song. These aren’t your typical Broadway show tunes; they are a mix of genres, from spooky ska to wartime jazz, and they are often interactive, with your choices during the song affecting your relationships with the characters. This unexpected element adds a layer of surrealism and charm that sets the game apart.
• Narrative-Driven Gameplay: While the renovation aspect is a major draw, the developers have stated that “story is king.” Every action you take, from restoring a room to exploring the wider village of Kingswood-on-Sea, is in service of a central mystery. You’re not just flipping a hotel; you’re unraveling a supernatural mystery tied to the hotel’s past and your character’s own hidden history.
• Genre Blending: The game shifts seamlessly from a cozy renovation sim to a light horror experience. The contrast between the bright, whimsical daytime decorating and the creeping, atmospheric horror of the night is incredibly effective. The game is a constant push and pull, a dance between comfort and terror that keeps the player engaged. You might be carefully placing a vase, only to return to the room at night to find something horrible slithering in the shadows.
• Unconventional Tools and Mechanics: The talking power tools are more than a gimmick. They’re a source of humor and a core gameplay loop. The game subverts expectations by making mundane tasks, like sandblasting a wall, feel incredibly satisfying. When night falls, these same tools become your means of defense, adding a fun and quirky combat system.

A Bold Step for Indie Gaming

In an industry that often favors mass-market appeal, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a testament to the power of creative independence. It’s the kind of game that could only be made by a studio with a clear and unwavering vision, one that’s unafraid to mix genres and subvert player expectations. The game’s success, both critically and in terms of community buzz, sends a clear message: players are hungry for something different. They are tired of the same old formulas and are willing to embrace games that are unapologetically weird.

Ultimately, the game’s title is a lie. There are absolutely ghosts at The Grand, and they are the memories, mysteries, and horrors that you must face. By embracing its eccentricities, the game has carved out a unique space for itself, promising an adventure that is as unforgettable as it is bizarre.