Summary
The new horror gameBye Sweet Caroleby indie studios Little Sewing Machine and Meangrip Studios is drawing comparisons to popular Disney animations. First revealed over a year ago,Bye Sweet Carolefeatures hand-drawn characters and environments inspired by “the greatest animation movies,” includingDisney, which brings a unique take to the narrative horror genre.
From the mind ofRemotheredseriescreator Chris Darril,Bye Sweet Carolefollows young Lana Benton as she finds her missing best friend Carole Simmons, while also uncovering the dark secrets of Bunny Hall orphanage. Throughout her journey, Lana switches between the real world and the fantastic yet terrifying kingdom of Corolla, where she needs to survive against the forces of Mr. Kyn and Velenia the malevolent owl, and colonies of tar bunnies.
In a new trailer revealed during Indie Horror Showcase 2024,Bye Sweet Carolereveals more gameplay mechanics, such as the ability to transform into a rabbit to get up on platforms, and holding one’s breath while hiding. The enemies also range from a young man to spooky specters that come out at midnight to chase down Lana in both Bunny Hall and Corolla. Gamers also get to see more of its unique art style, which gives off the same vibe as Disney cartoons likeAlice in WonderlandandSnow White.
Bye Sweet Carole Trailer, Release Date, and Platforms
Bye Sweet Caroleis slated to come out in 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X/S. As early as now, many people online are looking forward to experiencing Lana’s adventure, and admiring the uniquehand-drawn and painted art style.
As mentioned,Bye Sweet Caroleseems to take inspiration from a number of popular Disney animations and fairy tales that many people grew up on.Alice in Wonderlandis a clear inspiration with its dark fantasy themes, offering a fresh take on games with similar themes, like theAmerican McGeeAlicefranchise. It also takes beats fromCinderellawith imagery of a clock striking midnight andSnow White’s animal companions. The characters' clothing, which is based on early 1900s America, also looks similar to animations likeBeauty and the BeastandPrincess and the Frog. It’s likely that gamers will discover more inspirations once they play throughBye Sweet Carolenext year.
There are a number of upcoming games inspired by Disney media, like the noir shooterMouseand theSteamboat Willie-inspired horrorInfestation: Origins, which both use imagery similar to Mickey Mouse.Bye Sweet Caroledefinitely stands out with its storybook-style environment and gameplay, pulling players into a false sense of comfort before diving into its horrors.
