‘There Are No Ghosts At The Grand’ looks glorious — I’m more excited than ever for this upcoming Xbox Game Pass release

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One unique standout from this year’s Xbox Games Showcase was “There Are No Ghosts at the Grand,” a peculiar blend of first-person hotel decorating, shooter gameplay, and music, with a touch of Lovecraftian influence. This UK developer Friday Sundae creation is an intriguing mix yet to fully unfold.

During Gamescom 2025, I was fortunate enough to witness a hands-off demonstration where creative director Anil Glendinning showcased a sneak peek into the player’s experience as they assume the role of Chris David and embark on restoring the Grand hotel, solving mysteries, and maintaining survival against pursuing hordes of monsters.

By the way, Chris has exactly one month with no days off to finish his task, which means… there’s a sense of urgency! On a brighter note, I’m thrilled and eager for There Are No Ghosts at the Grand’s premiere next year. Incidentally, it will be available on Xbox Game Pass at that time.

Cleaning up and setting the stage

The peculiar blend that Glendinning takes great pride in is influenced by the music of the ’80s and ’90s, as well as classic Hammer Horror films and British science-fiction shows such as Doctor Who and Red Dwarf.

In the demo I was presented with, Chris David embarks on renovating the Grand hotel. Equipped with AI-assisted tools (not the type of AI you might be thinking of), Chris swiftly strips away old wallpaper and repaints the room. This experience somewhat resembles games like PowerWash Simulator, albeit without the same level of precision demand. Glendinning clarifies that the developers aimed to prevent the process from becoming too challenging or frustrating.

Throughout the renovation, Chris can hang portraits and rearrange furniture, allowing players the freedom to customize and style rooms according to their preferences, within certain limits. Soon after starting the renovation, Chris receives repeated calls for help from the mayor, prompting a trip to the docks to board a boat.

The drive is steered using regular yellow navigational markers, but players have the option to disable them if they want to wander off course without being directed towards their destination.

The boat is activated after solving a straightforward puzzle that requires finding the correct combination. This puzzle is revisited during the demo, and Glendinning mentioned it will be more challenging in the complete game.

Throughout the journey, the musical aspect of the game becomes apparent as Chris and the Mayor exchange songs while arguing about why Chris is there. Of note, Chris has various dialogue choices that lead to different lyrics being sung; upon completing the duet, I observed that he had earned the mayor’s approval.

Glendinning provided additional insights into the approval system when I inquired about it. He disclosed that players can check their relationship with all the characters they’ve encountered at any moment through the menu. He further added that it’s advantageous to win over the locals, but achieving everyone’s favor might not always be achievable.

Regrettably, there’s no more performance right now as the boat collides against an island, leaving Chris stranded through the night. While investigating a deserted bunker, Chris stumbles upon what he calls “memory spheres,” revealing remnants of the past and offering some insights into peculiar occurrences.

I won’t disclose the intriguing details of his discoveries, but it’s at this point that the game’s survival-horror elements start to unfold. His useful tools morph into weapons essential for fending off hordes of ominous creatures. However, as things worsen, Chris is ultimately compelled to flee.

Hopefully not too long of a wait

The thrilling trailer for the game, which initially piqued my interest, has now left me eagerly anticipating more after experiencing it in action, complete with a cliffhanger ending.

The game “There Are No Ghosts at the Grand” appears to be an intriguing blend of mystery, terror, and humor, a combination I hadn’t realized I was missing.

Although I still have some questions about how everything will fit together, I can’t wait to see it all come to life and get the chance to play it myself.

I hope the developers take their time perfecting the game, but I’ll also be eagerly waiting for a release date to be announced.

“There Are No Ghosts at the Grand” is scheduled to launch in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC (Steam and Xbox PC). It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from the start. You can add it to your wishlist on Xbox and Steam right now.

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2025-08-27 14:39