Reading the brief for “The Crush House” by game developer Nerial, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the early 2000s when Big Brother Australia first hit our TV screens in 2001. It offered a voyeuristic glimpse into people’s lives, compelling viewers to tune in every night to catch up on the day’s events. However, as the seasons went on over the years, I gradually lost interest in the concept.

This is the basis for “The Crush House ”, You step into the roles of both Producer and Cameraman in this new reality show, tasked with keeping your audience entertained. From a pool of twelve unique participants, you can only select four for the show, each with distinct characteristics. The choices you make matter as you unlock rewards and gain viewers based on the characters’ interactions. Can I make my first season a success in the house? Let’s head down to Malibu and find out.

Time to choose the cast, A production tip from the dev’s “Cast members with conflicting personalities”, makes sense to me, as the more viewers you gain and the more you listen to what the viewers want on social media, the higher your ratings. When looking for the conflicting personality traits, I didn’t realize until everyone was in the house, that I chose all females, let’s hope for some good fights. I grab my camera after a quick walk-through of the key components and back room.

I headed to the pool area to film my contestants’ arrival. As I film, a pseudo-Twitter feed appears on the right hand of the screen which is the viewer feedback. This is how you make a successful season, give the fans what they want, and don’t forget to sneak in some ads for revenue. The more successful you are with the fans, the more money you make and the more items you can buy for the house for a more engaging view – various furniture, dance floor, fancy fridges, there are just too many to list.

The game never has an ending as you can always start a new season and change who you bring into the house and what props you give them, giving this game some good longevity as you are only limited by your imagination. You can change the difficulty as well as you go along, a hard mode is where if you don’t get the required viewers for the day, the show is cancelled, or an easy mode is where you continue regardless of the show’s rating.

The graphics suit the game perfectly, reminiscent of The Sims but with a simplified, cartoonish twist. Despite the cartoonish style, the game still has detailed facial expressions and a way of immersing the characters in the house, even with its limited spaces. The game developers Nerial have labelled the game as a “third-person shooter” genre which suits the game perfectly.

Like the graphics, the sounds are simple, you read all the dialogue from the characters on the screen while watching the visual interactions from the viewers, characters’ interactions, and movements around the house. When the cast decides to split up this is the true test, making you choose which way to go to follow the drama.

“The Crush House” is a must-play game for anyone who enjoys human interactions and making choices that can lead to the show’s success or failure. With its unique blend of playful graphics, numerous upgrades for the house, and engaging gameplay, it offers a lighthearted fun experience, if you want to cause conflict or encourage love – the choices are all there for you depending on who you send into the house.

If you thrive on creativity, a touch of voyeurism, or even want to start some good arguments, “The Crush House” is a game you simply can’t miss. Are you ready to see if you can make the show a success for the network? Then jump on in as the choices make this game endless.

Written by: Mikey B