Coal Supper, consisting esentially of two talented creators;  James Carbutt and Will Todd, are getting a lot of attention for their surreal and comedic game Thank Goodness You’re Here first developed a very similar game, The Good Time Garden.  I had the pleasure of playing this “point and slap” 2D adventure game before the hit release of Thank Goodness You’re Here and it was, without question the most perverse video game I’ve ever played, which is in itself comedic if you share the view of my co-host on The Game Under Podcast who believes the game has biblical inspiration.

From the opening title card, it was clear to me that whoever was behind this game had a tremendous appreciation and ability to execute style. I’m challenged to come up with a better opening sequence. The hand-drawn cartoon-like art is visually jarring, in a good way, as is the subtle, but at the same time obvious pink and throbbing theme of genitalia. Phallic and yonic symbolism abounds while a sprarse soundtrack plays.  

Your mission is to feed a centrally located entity (perhaps a small “d” deity). You collect the food for this creature (whatever lifeforms you can come across) by whatever means necessary. Infanticide is your first, and oft repeated sin, taking newly born offspring and delivering them to an increasingly hungy vaginal life form.  If this was a triple AAA game from Activision, Fox News would be labelling the it an “infanticide simulator” rotting the brains of our youths.

But infanticide is just the beginning, as you commit several sinful acts to satisfy the hunger of your new overlord. Those that you betray reveal no animus, shock or outrage, which is perhaps the first clue as to what this place is. The Good Time Garden, under some interpretations is a version of the biblical Garden of Eden, which had no sin before the fall of man. In the absence of sin, why would a parent question you leading away their child? Why wouldn’t a newly made friend follow you innocently to their death? It is a thought exercise I had never indulged, and this game is a wonderful way to explore how someone can be doing these horrible, perverse things without moral or legal judgement.

Inevitably, you have to sacrifice yourself to the entity leaving the good time garden, perhaps to come to an understanding of your sins.

The Good Time Garden does not wear out it’s welcome, clocking in at just under 30 minutes of playtime, but no-one can argue it’s not a great value at a cost of just $0.00 on both Steam and itch.io. At $30 it would have been good value.

Listen to our impressions of this and other works of Coal Supper here.

• Phil Fogg

10/10