New round of screens and art released for Serial Cleaners, plus another batch of gameplay details

Draw Distance is a Polish indie games development studio and publisher, creator of Serial Cleaner, Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York, Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York, Halls of Horror for Mixer, Ritual: Crown of Horns and other multiplatform games. We are proud to reveal more information on upcoming Serial Cleaner sequel Serial Cleaners.

New game details

Serial Cleaners is a standalone experience, loosely tied to the events of the first game so that it can be fully enjoyed without having played the original title. Serial Cleaners will be a fully-fledged stealth-action crime story with complexity and challenge increased from its predecessor. The sequel is built around a strong narrative, this time drawing upon the spirit of New York City in the ‘90s and the cinema of the decade.

Rather than figuring out a predesigned puzzle, the challenge in Serial Cleaners revolves around choosing the right tools for the job, and the world provides the player with a toolkit that supports several different playstyles. The baseline mechanics were expanded with additional focus on movement and environment awareness, while also increasing the importance of blood – for example now it can be smeared all around the crime scene.

Cleaners

Player will take on the role of four distinct cleaners, differentiated by their abilities, perceptiveness, available environmental interactions, and personality. Each of the cleaners plays by the same general rules, but differ in a unique approach to the job. Depending on character used cabinet cab be a hiding place, movable obstacle to block your pursuers or storage for bodies.
For example Bob “The Cleaner” Leaner, the protagonist of the first game and mentor to the other cleaners is most experienced and well rounded in his abilities. His playstyle revolves around the slow and methodical approach, using his keen senses to pinpoint the places to hide from unwanted eyes. But when push comes to shove, Bob can quickly retreat by sliding over the pools of blood in quite a funky manner.

One of the new additions to cleaner roster is Lati. She’s a hopeless recluse who tries to look after her hood, too often against her better judgment. She’s smart, witty, and conflicted... or at least she was before she nearly got busted for a murder she didn't commit. Being left by her friends among a pile of dead bodies didn't sit well with her future plans, but despite the odds, she managed to keep her cool and started cleaning. That singular act of grit captured Bob’s attention, and he quickly took her
under his wings.

When the job goes smoothly, Lati pops her headphones on and blasts some alternative rap. But when things got hot, her almost instinctual spatial awareness kicks in. Unlike Bob, she prefers to hightail rather than hide. She uses surroundings to her advantage by jumping, climbing, and sliding over obstacles, which makes her the most nimble among the cleaner crew.

90s and cinema inspiration

Lati is an example of our attempts to mix and match cinematic inspirations for a narrative purpose. Her character is heavily inspired by ‘90s Black cinema: the works of Spike Lee, the filmography of the late John Singleton (such as 1991's Boyz n the Hood) and other classics such as Fresh (1994). The first crime scene she gets to clean up is a twist on the screenplay of Juice (1992) and should feel familiar to the fans of Kevin Smith and his movie Clerks (1994).

Each crime scene in the game is a love letter to different movies of the decade, and a piece of a larger story shared among the cleaners on New Year’s Eve 1999. Together, the plot will make for a healthy mix of dark comedy and mature themes, told in a self-aware and pulpy tone.

Game synopsis.

New York City, New Year's Eve 1999. An unlikely team of four professional cleaners for the mob gathers to drink and reminisce about their careers at the turn of the millenium. As the details of their stories stop matching up, the ugly truth behind their cooperation begins to reveal itself. What starts as a celebration of a decade of shared history slowly turns into a tense and dangerous standoff.

Move without sound. Clean without emotion. Disappear without trace.

Take control of one of four characters, four perspectives, four play styles. Street smarts, brute force, cutting-edge tech skills or good old fashioned tricks of the trade: each will allow you to tackle a similar obstacle much differently. Choose your path through the non-linear story by picking the part of the narrative you want to hear next, and then approach each mission as carefully or brazenly as you like. Utilize stealth, exploration and speed as the situation - and your preferred experience - warrants it. Get rid of the bodies and other damning evidence to wipe the decade's slate clean before the new millennium comes!

Serial Cleaners is an homage to 90s cinema - from Tarantino’s classics through cult crime thrillers to B-movie action favorites and more - Serial Cleaners remixes those familiar places, characters and scenes into its own unique spin on a decade full of brightly colored optimism... and the grime underneath it all. The game soundtrack is composed of many genres that defined the end of the 20th century, from East Coast hip hop to industrial metal and rave. Doesn’t matter if the sound of “your” nineties was defined by the clubs, the festivals, or the radio - we’ve got you covered.