Full disclosure: I didn’t play much of the Dishwasher games prior to visiting Ska Studios at PAX East but me and the team were looking forward to Charlie Murder. A four player brawler with RPG elements is the next game for James Silva and it looks mental. Conceived originally as a super short game for XBLIG, Microsoft really wanted it on their XBLA platform, James said he could make it bigger than a short 20 MB.


The plot of the game involves the punk band Charlie Murder resurrected from the dead after being killed by a rival death metal band, Gore Quaffer. They fight through swarms of freaks and punks to fight and this is when that punk stole my heart. The fighting engine in the game is not only simple but deep. Going from simple button presses to ending up with full air combos. It’s like punk rock Guardian Heroes with its depth.

James is always looking for fan input. At PAX Prime last year, a person suggested he put in a curb stomp and now it’s in the game and it rules. Other attacks include team-ups where you’ll jump on the back of another player and cause double damage. Even the special attacks rule with buzzsaws to giganticism.

We didn’t get too much into the demo but James promises a pretty hefty amount of content for the game. There’s fast-paced levels like the highway and a scene where you’ll be flying on a broomstick. The amount of items you can pick up in the game is immense. You can find find short and long-ranged weapons like guns or brooms and depending on the character, you’ll be able to pick up cars.

James didn’t say when this game would come out but “someday” from the trailer remains the same. He wants it out as much as possible but we’re probably looking at a 2013 release but who knows. One thing’s for certain, we know what he’ll be working on next.

We talked to James about his slide at GDC regarding a third Dishwasher game and he still remains happy about the prospect. He’s pretty staunched on making that his next project after Charlie Murder. One thing’s for certain, we can’t wait to get our hands on this punk-rock brawler.

Check out more awesome XBLA game previews and impressions from PAX East 2012!