A New Comedy Adventure With Classic Point and Click Vibes
Earth Must Die is an upcoming comedy adventure game from Size Five Games, the team behind cult favourites like Ben There, Dan That and Lair of the Clockwork God. If you enjoy funny story driven games with lots of character, clever writing and strong voice performances, this one should be on your radar.
In Earth Must Die you step into the rather luxurious shoes of Vvalek Lizardtongue, an alien nepo baby who has just inherited the kingdom of Tyrythia from his father. The celebration does not last long. Robotic invaders known as Terranoids storm in, kill his father and instantly throw his empire into chaos.
Vvalek’s response is not exactly heroic. Blaming Earth for his problems for reasons that will unfold during the story, he decides that the best course of action is simple: destroy our planet. The game follows his over the top mission of planetary destruction wrapped up in sharp comedy and plenty of sci fi nonsense.
Earth Must Die is heavily inspired by classic 1990s point and click adventures. Expect a focus on dialogue, jokes, puzzles and exploring quirky locations rather than twitchy action or fast reflexes. Compared to its inspirations, though, it uses a modern animation style that gives the characters and environments a smoother, more contemporary look while still feeling nostalgic.
A Seriously Impressive Voice Cast
One of the big talking points around Earth Must Die is its cast. Size Five has assembled an unusually strong lineup of British and gaming talent to bring its world to life. For a comedy adventure, where timing and delivery matter as much as the script, that is a big advantage.
Some of the names involved include:
- Ben Starr, the lead from Final Fantasy 16, bringing serious game acting chops.
- Alex Horne, creator and cohost of Taskmaster, known for dry, offbeat humour.
- Matthew Holness, creator of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, a cult classic horror comedy.
- Tamsin Greig from Black Books and Green Wing, both beloved British comedies.
- Joel Fry, who voices Vvalek himself, previously seen in Game of Thrones and Our Flag Means Death.
There are more names beyond that list, including British comedy regulars and even former games journalist Jon Blyth, who also appeared in the well received slapstick platformer Thank Goodness You Are Here. It all adds up to a cast that feels closer to a TV comedy lineup than a typical indie game.
This focus on voice talent reflects a wider trend in games. After the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, where memorable performances helped characters become instant favourites, more developers are putting serious effort into casting. Strong acting can turn a funny script into something unforgettable when every line is delivered with the right timing, accent and personality.
Recent games like Dispatch have shown how powerful this can be. Dispatch brought in Hollywood actors, streamers and members of Critical Role for its superhero narrative adventure and earned a lot of attention partly because of that roster. On a smaller scale, the dating sim Date Everything built its hook around letting players flirt with their favourite voice actors disguised as household objects. It is weird, but it worked, and it proved that fans really do show up for voices they love.
Earth Must Die seems set to follow the same path, using its cast to give every character a distinct identity and to sell the jokes and story beats. For players who enjoy narrative games, that could be a major reason to check it out.
Release Date, Demo And Why It Matters
Earth Must Die is scheduled to launch on January 27, which means the wait is short. If you want to get a feel for its style and humour before release, there is a free demo available on Steam right now. That is a great chance to see whether the puzzles, jokes and tone click with you before you commit to the full game.
The game aims to blend nostalgia for old school point and click adventures with modern presentation and a very current sense of comedy. Expect:
- Plenty of dialogue options and character interactions.
- Story driven gameplay where choices and exploration matter more than combat.
- Light puzzle solving in the spirit of classic adventure games.
- A strong focus on humour, from throwaway one liners to bigger set pieces.
For indie game fans, Earth Must Die also shows how smaller studios can punch above their weight. Size Five Games has a long history of creative, low budget adventures that win players over with personality rather than raw graphical power. By combining that experience with a big voice cast, Earth Must Die has a real shot at finding a dedicated audience.
If you are into narrative games, British comedy, sci fi silliness or you just want something different from the usual action heavy releases, this is one to watch. Fire up the Steam demo, meet Vvalek Lizardtongue and decide whether you want to help him annihilate Earth or just enjoy laughing at his increasingly ridiculous attempts to do so.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/earth-must-die-in-this-adventure-game-boasting-a-dispatch-like-voice-cast-of-british-comedy-superheroes-and-it-releases-later-this-month/
