Hangry snack ‘n slash action RPG debuts at The Mix show

Game Pill, a Canadian game studio with over 100 game credits, announced an original “snack ‘n’ slash” action RPG called Hangry.

In this all-new adventure, players take on the role of the titular character, Hangry, on an intergalactic quest to hunt down, carve up, and devour countless delicious beasts spread across a wide assortment of exotic locales.

Game Pill will show the game at The Mix ahead of GDC (and during it) in San Francisco and it will showcase the game during the GDC Expo briefly at the Canada booth near the GDC Play area in the North Hall on Wednesday, March 20, from 12 p.m. Pacific to 2 p.m. I think it deserves attention for its name alone.

What’s unique?

Hangry is a third-person action RPG with over-the-top fast-paced combat and visuals powered by Unreal Engine. The diverse landscapes are like nothing you’ve seen before from the BBQ’d woodlands to candy-coated caverns littered with monsters waiting to be your next secret ingredient.

Given the name, Hangry uses a unique “hunger” mechanic that you must balance while playing. You’re a hunter that must bring back parts for preparing meals and the “hangrier” the character gets, the more violent and uncontrollable he becomes.

You’ll need to balance this surge of power with not wanting to destroy your targets completely because they still need to be salvageable for meals. Satisfying your immediate hunger/rage and eating your prey is a key balance of the game. They used the Hulk as a key reference for influence.

“We’re honestly salivating at the thought of people finally getting the chance to sink their teeth into this game, puns intended,” said Mike Sorrenti, president of Game Pill, in a statement. “Our team has worked on dozens of licensed games over the years that we’re immensely proud of, but we can’t wait to show off more of our original IP and deliver something deep and rewarding for RPG fans, but also light-hearted and fun enough for anyone that appreciates a tasty pun.”

Hangry is focused on a gameplay loop of hunting, eating, and evolving. You’ll set out on hunts to track down creatures to check off your recipe, then you’ll cook and serve the dishes to grow your character, upgrade stats, and unlock new weapons.

The inspiration

The game came about through a joke.

Sorrenti said in a message to GamesBeat, “My family jokes and calls me Hangry a lot. I sometimes have a bit of a temper, especially when I am hungry. You know that feeling of when you have a whole cake in front of you and you eat the whole thing…and then after you feel kind of bad? Or if some jerk cuts you off in traffic…what do you do? Do you honk or let it slide?”

That was the inspiration for Hangry the game.

“We wanted to make a character who is overly wild but wants to remain more civil and in control. This game is about that insatiable hunger that permeates your personality and changes the way you act,” Sorrenti said. “Using that core idea as an inspiration to build from, we created a sci-fi world ruled by food. A fantastical galaxy where we explore how the main character’s constant cravings drive him to new adventures. In this fictional galaxy, there are monsters, robots, intergalactic crime families, and entire planets styled on specific themes of food and cooking.”

The main character, Hangry, must hunt, cook, and eat to evolve and unlock new exciting abilities.

“We have developed an innovative Hangry Mode that requires you to delicately balance the push-and-pull dynamic between Hangry’s hunger and rage versus his need to carefully acquire targets without mangling them too much,” Sorrenti said.

Origins

In a message to GamesBeat, Sorrenti said he started out as a brand manager with a creative streak.
He felt constrained by the corporate world, and really wanted to contribute in a way he felt he could only do if he ventured off on his own.

After gaining some experience and developing his skills at Warner Bros, Sorrenti realized that the large corporate structure of a film studio, while fun, was not what he wanted. He wanted to make meaningful change quickly, and with a large corporate structure, this proved difficult.

So, with all of the knowledge he gained while working as a brand manager, he decided the best way to make the content he wanted was to start his own company, and so he cofounded Game Pill with his wife Mary Sorrenti, who took on the role of managing teams, projects and budget. Game Pill was founded in 2008 and is based in Vaughan, Ontario, near Toronto. Starting from e-greeting cards to original IP games, Game Pill has come far since its inception.

After several years of working with some of the world’s most well-loved brands and companies, they decided to delve into the world of original intellectual property. The goal was to create an original world, with original characters and stories. They’ve worked with Disney, Nickelodeon, Mattel, Google, Dreamworks, Marvel, Discovery, and many others. Now it has more than 10 million play sessions over 15 years. And it has 20 employees.

To date, the company has raised about $1.5 million (Canadian currency) from Ontario Creates (OMDC) and the Canada Media Fund (CMF).

Beyond Game Pill, Mary Sorrenti is a dedicated advocate for the gaming industry. She actively participates in Interactive Ontario as a board member, and frequently lends her voice as a speaker and panelist, sharing her insights and expertise on the constantly evolving gaming landscape. She is steadfast in her mission to lead, inspire and mentor the next generation of creative visionaries and industry leaders.

“Success is not measured by numbers alone; it’s the people and passion that truly elevate us,” she said in a message to GamesBeat.