Sludge Life Is Incredible, Kinda Gross, And Also Free

Tag, you’re it

Sometimes gross things are good, I’m struggling to think of any examples right now, but it’s true for Sludge Life at least. Sludge Life came out last week, in one of those “surprise, I’m out, and also, I’m free” kind of game releases, you know the ones. Anyway, it’s got an aesthetic that is perfectly described by its title, and I really really like the game, even though it makes me feel like I need to have a shower every 15 minutes or so.

It puts you on an island being overrun by corporations and you play as a graffiti artist looking to expand their range and grow their rep. You can do this by just being all creative, but you can also help take down the evil corporations. That feels incredibly cathartic at the moment as many of us struggle with the world being evidently at the behest of those with too much money and a lack of empathy, so it is, in its own way, kind of a wholesome game.

Sludge Life definitely has some Jet Set Radio vibes to it, and I think we could all do with returning to that kind of feeling. It’s got an excellent soundtrack, the world and the characters within in are all absurdly wonderful, and it’s good fun. Also, once again, it’s free, and you can’t put a price on free, because then it wouldn’t be free anymore. Is that deep? Nope, it’s just facts, and it’s all my sleep-deprived and Sludge-infused brain can deal with. Fight the power.