There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a game that defies easy categorization. It's a renovation ghost story, a musical adventure, and a surreal journey through a small English town. With a unique blend of renovation mechanics, quirky characters, and unexpected musical moments, it promises to be a standout title in 2026. As I played through the demo, I was immediately drawn into its eccentric world, where a talking paintbrush mascot, McBrushy, guided me through renovation tasks, and a mysterious yellow moped with a black cat in the basket added a touch of whimsy to my journey. The game's story takes precedence over renovation tasks, with characters like Maddie pulling you away from your work to explore the town's secrets and supernatural elements. What makes this game truly fascinating is its fusion of renovation mechanics with a musical narrative. Players can sing back to the locals, creating beautiful and tense duets, a unique twist on dialogue choices in narrative adventure games. The game's music, inspired by UK bands like The Clash and Madness, adds to the game's surreal identity, reflecting the characters' fears, ambitions, and anger. The renovation features in the game are equally quirky, allowing players to create their ideal rooms, from garishly decorated bedrooms to pool rooms and arcade rooms. The game's developer, Friday Sundae, aims to recreate the games of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox eras, where genres were less defined, and players were left to explore and uncover the game's secrets. With its unique blend of renovation, music, and storytelling, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a game that defies easy categorization, and I can't wait to see what unexpected turns and surprises await me in the full version.
