Official ‘Jigsaw Puzzle Villa’ artwork

By Dexter Woltman

Who doesn’t love snuggling on the couch with their favorite furry (or not-so-furry) friend? Pets play an important role in our lives, and most of the team at Brunette Games find ourselves fortunate enough to own one. Whether our pets are scratching at a toy, napping beside their owner, or—in my case—trying to crawl on my shoulder while I write, pets are a source of comfort and levity. When we’re designing ways to engage audiences with our games, we often translate that familiar sense of animal companionship into the stories we see onscreen.

Across Brunette Games’ 35 released titles and counting, we’ve featured a wide range of lovable pets. Some of our titles include a more traditional choice when it comes to our characters’ animal friends, such as Tiffany’s endearing-yet-sassy cat in Magic Tavern’s Machington Mansion. But whether it’s a cat, dog, or goat, each takes a unique role in their owner’s life.

When Justine travels to Spain in ZiMAD’s Jigsaw Puzzle Villa, she’s surprised to find the owner of the villa she’s staying in hasn’t given her cat a set name. Much like in Machington Mansion, this allows players the opportunity to name the cat themselves, building a deeper connection between the player and the animal.

Jigsaw Puzzle Villa also brings pets into the forefront of its gameplay by allowing players to solve animal-themed jigsaw puzzles. These adorable puzzles feature dogs, birds, horses, cats, and more!

Traveling beyond Spain, Justine isn’t the only woman in our games who meets animal friends abroad. Even acclaimed actor Jane Seymour sets out on a quest to rescue exotic animals with her loyal pet companions in “Into the Islands,” a time-limited event in Playtika’s Solitaire Grand Harvest.

Sometimes, the roles of pets in our games is even more involved. In Jam City’s Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, the family dog Brian is the (literal) voice of reason. When he’s not busy ranting about politics or his superiority complex, he’s steering the dysfunctional family out of harm’s way.

Speaking of the “voice of reason,” when handyman Emilio’s feeling down in Jigsaw Puzzle Villa, his goat offers him valuable advice like “Bleat!” and “Bleaty! Bleat! Bleat!” Did we mention the goat is also nameable?

But the fun doesn’t stop there. While the goat in Jigsaw Puzzle Villa helps Emilio find himself, the dog in Sparkling Society’s City Escape helps the family in the game find… their rival? City Escape follows the Filburns' move to the countryside, where the parents quickly enter into a feud with their neighbor, Owen Timmons. When the Filburn kids—Ben and Chloe—find a lost dog, they’re surprised to discover he belongs to Owen. They return the dog to his home, marking the first step in healing the relationship between the Filburns and their disgruntled neighbor.

But not every dog who wanders feels lost. In Uken Games’ Ava’s Manor, the lead character is a mystery-seeker whose loyal dog Marlowe joins her on adventures. Marlowe’s larger-than-life presence is felt throughout the game as he points Ava in the direction of clues. Marlowe’s even voiced by our very own Andy Mack, who brings life to the dog’s many yips and barks.

Pets bring out the best in the characters we write. In a way, they’re humanizing and allow our characters to see themselves through the animals’ eyes. Whether you’re a longtime pet owner or admire animals from a distance, our games have four-legged companions for anyone to fall in love with—and these pets don’t require vacuuming loose hair! Be sure to check our Brunette Games’ expanding catalog of titles, where we continually find new animals to add to our growing roster of beloved pets.

The not-so-annual Clam Fest returns to Quahog!

By Dexter Woltman

An all-new celebration is coming to a shore near you! Join the residents of Quahog in celebrating Clam Fest, a brand-new, time-limited event in Jam City’s Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff. Written in collaboration with the writers of the hit TV show, Brunette Games brings plenty of mollusk-themed shenanigans to the wacky world of Family Guy that fans have grown to love. 

Inspired by a classic episode from the TV show, the event’s storyline follows Mayor Wild West as he runs a themed festival called Clam Fest to boost the town’s revenue. Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff has always used golden clams as a means of currency in the game, but now we bring them to the forefront.

Are you tired of the word ‘clam’ yet? I’m not!

With support from the talented team at Brunette Games, I designed this new event for Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff. But what not everyone may know is that I’ve been waiting to pitch this event for years, and it all goes back to a unique—if not outright weird—obsession: clams!

Storytelling has always been a passion of mine, and when I was a kid, clams stood out to me for their peculiar form. It was fascinating for me to think a shell could be alive. I wrote short stories titled “Planet of the Clams” and created a 12-part series of animations. These videos followed the clams’ inevitable takeover of the world and included lovable favorites (of mine) such as the Clampocalypse and infamous Clamzilla. Trust me; if there’s anything I’m good at, it’s making clam puns.

These childhood stories acted as a springboard for what would eventually lead to a career in narrative design. They helped me realize how much I enjoyed writing stories with exciting worlds and engaging characters. Growing up, I drew comics, made games, and wrote books. It all led me to a major in scriptwriting at Webster University, where I met the one-and-only Lisa Brunette—later, I joined Brunette Games.

Since entering the game-writing industry, my passion for clams hasn’t waned. In fact, Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff isn’t the only title where I've featured clam-related storylines! To start, there’s Redemption Games’ Sweet Escapes, where the lovable cast of characters deals with a clam infestation during the second season.

Joy faces the giant clam in Sweet Escapes!

The clams pop up all across Dessert Island, and the bunny Joy and her friends must find a way to deal with them before they take over their sweet shops! Normally, clams aren’t a key interest for target demographics, but Sweet Escapes drives it home with its quirky antics guiding the way. It became a beloved storyline in the second season, and received positive feedback from players!

Redemption Games supports the clam storyline with incredible world design. They created unique clam assets to scatter around the island, including some which players could interact with by tapping on them.

But the fun doesn’t end there! When designing the storyline for Gear Inc.’s Animal Island, we featured Shelly, a soft-spoken clam. Over the course of the game, she takes a central role in protecting the island from a swarm of locusts.

With Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, Sweet Escapes, and Animal Island, I had exciting opportunities to incorporate my unique interests into my professional work. Continue following Brunette Games, and you’ll be sure to find the occasional clam reference or two. And check out Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff’s Clam Fest! The time-limited event runs through August 24th, 2022.

You can download Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

We're excited to share a new piece from team member Sara Hardin, recently featured on ironSource LevelUp! In her article, Who Goes There? The Importance of Writing Distinct Character Voices, Sara explains why distinct character voices are a must for telling an engaging story:

The importance of creating an appealing experience where all storytelling elements work in harmony cannot be overstated, and character voice is a huge — and often overlooked — piece of the puzzle.

Read the full article on ironSource's Medium page.