‘Viscera Cleanup Detail’: A hidden gem in South African gaming

South Africa’s video game industry is a small but steadily growing community. Some might be familiar with titles such as Boet Fighter that have found mainstream popularity while still having a uniquely South African flair. While the industry might not be big enough to compete with larger developers, it has produced many notable games that deserve attention. One of those is Viscera Cleanup Detail. 

What is ‘Viscera Cleanup Detail?’

Viscera Cleanup Detail is a local science-fiction video game developed by RuneStorm and released in 2015. The game uses a first-person perspective and has players assume the role of a janitor who is tasked with cleaning up bloody scenes with lots of bio-waste.

Although the subject matter of Viscera Cleanup Detail is gross, the cartoonish way everything is presented prevents it from being too gruesome to play. Hence, even the most squeamish should be able to enjoy the game. 

What do you have to do?

Gameplay involves exploring and cleaning up disaster scenes. Items to clean up include corpses, bullet shells, debris and glass. Once these items have been cleared and thrown into an incinerator, players will have to clean up the remaining bloodstains using mops and brushes. 

This may seem exceptionally tedious and, to some degree, it is. However, for those who enjoy games that feature micromanagement, Viscera Cleanup Detail offers interesting challenges. For example, mops and brooms need to be cleaned regularly or else instead of cleaning they will make a bigger mess.

Furthermore, it is possible to leave tracks if you step in blood puddles, hence it is important to mop these up before you step in one. 

Disaster reports

For more detail-oriented players, there is also the option of filing disaster reports which outline the deaths which have occurred in a level. However, this requires you to pay careful attention to details in the environment. 

One gripe I had with the game is that it can sometimes be hard to pick up the specific item you want when there are many items which can be manipulated lying next to each other. This can lead to frustrating situations where you pick up the wrong objects or have to have to move a lot of things out of the way just so you can pick up the item you want.

However, none of this is severe enough to be a game ruining experience. 

What does it look like?

Each level in Viscera Cleanup Detail takes place in a science-fiction setting in the aftermath of a bloody battle. The locations are varied and imaginative enough for each level to provide a unique experience.

Locations include an excavation site found underground. This features several tunnels where the player can fee debris to a many-toothed monster. Another level takes place in a research facility. Here, the walls have growths sprouting from them, which breathe and look like a science experiment gone wrong. 

The game looks good and manages to retain a cartoonish quality to it while still feeling realistic thanks to lighting effects and detailed environments. 

Should You Play It?

For some, especially those who love action games, Viscera Cleanup Detail might too a bit too slow-paced and uneventful. However, that is not a good reason for everybody to disregard this amazing game.

There is a place for games that do not raise your adrenaline level and instead allow you to relax. It may be strange to describe a game about cleaning up blood in this way, but Viscera Cleanup Detail is a calming experience that allows you to turn your mind off as you tend to mundane tasks.

This can be a satisfying experience, especially when you can look back at all your hard work and appreciate how your once-bloody environment is now spic and span. 

• Visceral Cleanup Detail is available on Steam.