Barf and Beer

Description

Barf and Beer was Highbrow Games’s first project, and the one for which the company is aptly-named.  Starting off as a joke (who woulda thought?!), featuring the faces of the first coworkers I could find (fortunately all of whom are very-good looking AND graciously acquiesced to be in the game!),  I hemmed and hawed (and played Fallout 3) a few months before deciding to publish it.  After barely-passing review in 2009, it has since sold over 6,000 copies on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace, and was recently awarded a coveted spot on 1UP.com’s Top Ten Most Offensive Indie Games list.  Sadly it has not yet garnered any awards for box art.

Fun Facts

  • The hurridly-taken, disparatly-lit face pictures for the original demo are the final ones used in the game.  Why mess with awesomeness?  (Nice tan, player two)
  • This may come as a shocker, but there was some debate during the peer-review process as to whether such a game should be allowed on the service.
  • The bar background picture was taken at the Red Door in Seattle, whose owner awesomely allowed this. (Update – the Red Door tragically closed in the spring of 2020)  Not coincidentally, the Red Door has also helped me indulge in plenty of personal debauchery.  These things make the ‘Door one of my favorite places in Seattle!
  • I originally wanted the box art to show someone actually vomiting, however a review of the submission rules reminded me that box art must be suitable for everyone, so I decided to play it safe, since the rest of the game was controversial anyway.  I know… weak sauce!
  • All of the vomiting sounds are straight-up legit, courtesy of my buddy Darren, me, and a bucket of water.
  • The 10-second background track of “Drink Drink Drink!” is me singing and playing the guitar.  Take that, James Silva! 🙂
  • Besides making a videogame about drinking, selling a product with my own “music” is one of the proudest accomplishments of my life, probably much in the same way that Pete Carroll was proud of the 7-and-9 Seahawks making the playoffs in 2011!

You can view the aformentioned vomit box art sketches, props, and the awesome Barf and Beer clock over at the Facebook page.

About the Author

Danimal is the resident code monkey, artisan, musical director, and PR shill for Highbrow Games. Enjoy his ironic mustache.