WHO would ever think that selling balut can be so scary?
A Filipino indie game has been making rounds online, scaring both the Pinoy gamers and the foreign ones, and earning over 100,000 downloads and millions of views on social media.
Hapunan, made by a single Filipino developer Josef Yenko (more famously known online as Yikon), is a first-person Filipino suspense game. In it, you play as Niko, a balut (fertilized duck egg) vendor who sells his goods in a quiet corner of Barangay Sakdudol.
It seems like a simple game, one that doesn’t naturally arouse suspicion.
But like in every horror game, something is afoot. A seemingly harmless job becomes dangerous.
Niko, who chose to move his hawking spot closer to home, was repeatedly asked by people about his decision. An elderly woman even warned him to be cautious. Then, there’s the brutal ‘Pay to Kill’ scheme, which finally arrived at the doorstep of their barangay.
The game takes place over three consecutive nights, where the player must complete tasks—like selling balut to customers—while navigating the dangers that arise. As the nights progress, the player uncovers a dark secret hidden by some barangay citizens and the barangay captain himself.
Hapunan is a Filipino game through and through. But what it emphasizes is the common lives of the Filipino people.
Filipino culture in video game
Hapunan, created using the Unity Game Engine, marks Yikon’s first official game release. While its presentation may not rival the grandeur of other well-established titles in the industry, it has still garnered recognition for its authentic portrayal of Filipino culture.
From the barong-barong house of Niko and his family, the meal of tuyo and kanin, the blue-and-yellow colors of the barangay hall, to the occupation of Niko as a balut vendor, the game highlights the unique experience of being a common Filipino.
Because of this, it also became effective in building suspense and horror throughout the game. The game puts Filipinos in a place that is familiar to us, which aids it in heightening the anxiety of the player.
The story can be improved but this leaves a lot of room for development, which, according to Yenko, is part of his plan as he’s planning to extend the game.
Meanwhile, Yenko announced on his Facebook page Yikon Dev that he’s currently working on a Filipino horror game series called Gabi ng Lagim, and which was inspired by Fears to Fathom.
As of today, the game is available in itch.io and is available on Steam for the price of $3.99 or around PHP234.
