Devblog #10 - References and Pop Culture in Space Prison
Space Prison - Holo Dancer · published
Welcome, Space Adventurers, to the tenth installment of our dev blog series!
But first, we have an amazing sale starting today with a 40% discount on the game and 10% on the Supporter Pack until the 27th of January!
Today, we’re peeling back the layers of Space Prison to reveal the rich tapestry of inspirations and pop culture references that make up its DNA. From intergalactic drama to quirky Easter eggs, let’s take a deep dive into the galactic soup that flavors Space Prison.
Narrative Inspirations
Every epic idea starts somewhere, and for Space Prison, that “aha!” moment came from the unforgettable prison break scene in the first Guardians of the Galaxy. Imagine a blender where that scene, along with the tangled webs of loyalty and betrayal from Orange Is the New Black and Prison Break, were mixed into a narrative smoothie—voilà, the cosmic chaos of Space Prison was born.
But wait, there’s more! Players have pointed out that our game gives off vibes reminiscent of Citizen Sleeper and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. We’re over the moon to hear that because who doesn’t want their creation to stand alongside classics of existential sci-fi and absurd interstellar wit?
Easter Eggs Galore
Pop quiz: How many Easter eggs can fit into a maximum-security space prison? Answer: more than we can count (or remember). We’ve hidden so many nuggets of nerdy joy throughout the game that even we’re sometimes surprised when we stumble across them.
Why did we do it?
- Sci-Fi Love Affair: We’re die-hard fans of everything sci-fi. Leaving these little breadcrumbs is our love letter to the genre.
- Brain Tickles: Few things are as satisfying as spotting a sly reference, like finding a $20 bill in an old jacket pocket. It’s our way of winking at our fellow geeks.
Some Easter eggs are cheeky nods, while others are more like secret sauces that marinated our storytelling. For example, our collectible posters from the fictional Steamy Games platform include "totally legit" titles like Manner Lords, Cult of the Limb, and Baldur’s Lace 3.
And then there’s the Frankenstein-inspired quest where you help an inmate piece together their “friend” from spare body parts. Or how about Lois, the investigative journalist who deliberately got locked up to expose prison secrets (yes, a nod to Superman). Let’s not forget Loretta, a gender-bending space pirate, a nod to Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Even our prison metal band poster of the horned duo Horny Destruction shouts out to Metallica’s Ride the Lightning. The prison is littered with nods like these, but we’ll leave the rest for you to discover. After all, a little mystery keeps things spicy.
Visual Inspirations
If Space Prison had a mood board, it would be a collage of bold lines, brooding shadows, and vibrant colors. Our art director, Basia, channeled the spirit of Mike Mignola’s comics and mixed it with the graphic flair of Darkest Dungeon, Hades, and Griftlands. The result? A visual style that’s one part graphic novel, one part fever dream, and 100% cosmic cool.
Players have called it "Darkest Dungeon in space," which we take as the highest compliment. But where Darkest Dungeon embraced its gothic gloom, we’ve thrown in a splash of galactic graffiti to give it that extra interstellar edge.
Gameplay Influences
Designing Space Prison’s gameplay was like building a spaceship: every bolt and rivet had to fit just right. We pulled inspiration from several legendary titles, but only when it made sense for our vision of life in a high-stakes space prison.
Darkest Dungeon:
Our combat system borrows its tight, turn-based tactics from Darkest Dungeon, but we cranked it up by adding environmental hazards like acid pools and alien eggs. These aren’t just obstacles—they’re tools for clever players to exploit. Think of it as a chessboard where the pieces occasionally explode.
Don’t Starve:
Managing resources in a prison is no picnic. Inspired by Don’t Starve, we’ve made survival all about scrounging and crafting. Add in the prison twist—scarcity, contraband, and crafting stations hidden across the facility—and you’ve got a system that’ll keep you on your toes.
Mass Effect & Shadow of Mordor:
Social dynamics are the lifeblood of Space Prison. Taking cues from Mass Effect’s loyalty quests, we crafted personal storylines for inmates. Meanwhile, Shadow of Mordor’s hierarchical nemesis system inspired our gang mechanics, where alliances and betrayals can make or break your climb to the top.
A Galactic Melting Pot
Space Prison is more than just a game—it’s a mosaic of the stories, styles, and systems that shaped us as creators. From the cinematic chaos of Guardians of the Galaxy to the tactical brilliance of Darkest Dungeon, we’ve taken the best bits of our favorite works and, hopefully, spun them into something uniquely ours.
We can’t wait for you to dive into the prison and uncover all the nods, winks, and surprises we’ve hidden inside. Got a favorite reference? Spotted something we missed? Let us know—we’re all ears (and maybe a few tentacles).
Until next time, keep your cell key close and your enemies closer.
- The Space Prison Team -