By La Bóveda / TheSurvivalHorror.com

Welcome back to La Bóveda:

Welcome back to La Bóveda, where history, horror, and immersive gameplay collide. Today, we’re diving into No Vacation for an Executioner, a dark and atmospheric survival horror game set in the late 17th century. Players take on the role of a morally complex executioner, navigating a world filled with political intrigue, twisted creatures, and haunting secrets.

It’s a story about a frustrated executioner in late 17th century. He felt sickat his job and ran away from the gallows. It aroused a riot of monsters, he
had to clean up this cruel mess, and find out the truth about the “Gloomy Oil” of this crazy world. It’s a Retro PS2 style Survival Horror Action-RPG, you will use various skill to survive, beat your enemy and explore forward.

From inspiration drawn from Claude Cueni’s The Hangman of Paris to the grotesque, surreal influence of Beksiński, the game combines historical detail, Baroque aesthetics, and tactical survival horror gameplay. With PS2-style combat, deep crafting mechanics, and multiple endings shaped by player choices, this title promises a unique journey through fear, strategy, and moral complexity.

Joining us to discuss the world, the story, and the design behind this ambitious project is Jay, the visionary developer of No Vacation for an Executioner.

About the Game & Story

Q1: No Vacation for an Executioner explores the story of a frustrated executioner in the late 17th century. What inspired this unique narrative, and how did Claude Cueni’s The Hangman of Paris and Beksiński’s art influence the story and atmosphere?
Jay: At the end of 2023, when reading The Hangman of Paris, I was drawn to the fate of the Sanson family, inheriting the executioner’s role generation after generation. Charles Henri Sanson didn’t want the job, desiring to become a doctor, but replaced his uncle to finish a cruel execution. I imagined what would happen if he ran away, and that triggered the story. I created an anonymous executioner in a remote town, 100 years before Charles Sanson’s era.

I also love Beksiński’s work. His surreal, freaky, malformed aesthetic inspired the game’s environment and monster design, aligning perfectly with the Baroque atmosphere we wanted to create.

Q2: The “Gloomy Oil” seems central to the world. Can you explain its significance and how it ties into the plot?
Jay: The Oil is the major plot driver. In the demo, it infects everything in the world, but by the release version, players will uncover its connection to a deep political conspiracy. Your understanding of the Oil will evolve from start to finish it’s a game about secrets.

Q3: The executioner is morally complex. How did you approach writing his personality and inner conflict?
Jay: The executioner’s job is paradoxical prestigious yet despised. Citizens loved public executions, yet executioners bore societal pressure. I made our protagonist frustrated, hunchbacked, and disillusioned. Only crows are his friends. He’s not a perfect hero; first, he must redeem his dereliction of duty. This complexity carries through the entire game, making designs rational yet freaky and nightmarish.

Gameplay & Mechanics

Q4: The game blends survival horror with PS2-style action RPG mechanics. Why a slower, tactical combat system over fast-action gameplay?
Jay: I wanted a balance between horror and action. Inspired by Bloodborne and Resident Evil 4, with a nod to old-school survival horror like Silent Hill, the slower combat encourages tactical thinking, parries, and timing rather than just mashing attack buttons. This makes battles dangerous and tense.

Q5: How do you balance challenge and accessibility for veterans and newcomers?
Jay: That’s been the hardest part! Feedback is mixed some players find it difficult, others too easy. It depends on skill and preference. I’m continually tweaking mechanics to satisfy both action game players and old-school survival horror fans.

Q6: Can you explain the crafting and item transfer system and its impact on survival strategy?
Jay: You collect raw materials from enemies and craft advanced items in the workshop. Limited crafting points force players to choose between fighting and exploration. Supplies aren’t rare, but they maintain life and encourage strategic exploration to uncover secrets.

Q7: The attire system is unique. How does it influence gameplay, and why include fashion?
Jay: Clothing and hats have minor functional effects and enhance the Baroque aesthetic. Styles from the 16th–18th century were practical yet flashy, giving a fantastic, imaginary feel to the world while maintaining gameplay relevance.

Art & Atmosphere

Q8: The art style mixes sketch and realistic rendering. How did you achieve this Baroque-era immersion?
Jay: Last year, I experimented with shaders to render unique 3D visuals. Inspired by The Hangman of Paris and Baroque times, I combined action horror with strong, freaky atmosphere. Each element visuals, story, environment supports immersion.

Q9: How did you balance PS2-era nostalgia with modern rendering and gameplay?
Jay: Initially, I tried single-joystick controls like RE4, but it risked alienating modern players. We now use third-person RPG-style controls while keeping retro PS2 polygon counts, shaders, and post-processing effects for authentic survival horror tension.

Q10: How did sound, environment, and enemy design create fear and unease?
Jay: Beksiński inspired our monsters malformed, twisty, unpredictable while buildings and items remain historically grounded. We used free-commercial sound clips and a talented composer for an immersive, terrifying audio environment.

Controls & Accessibility

Q11: The game supports multiple input methods. How did you design smooth controls across them?
Jay: Using Unity’s new Input System and Cinemachine, I improved controls and player experience without getting bogged down by technical problems. Modern tools help focus on design over tech issues.

Q12: Any accessibility tips for new players to experience the story fully?
Jay: Don’t treat it as a souls-like. You don’t need to kill every enemy. Explore strategically, gather information, and uncover secrets to guide yourself toward different endings.

Final Thoughts

Q13: What’s the biggest development challenge, and how did you overcome it?
Jay: Balancing veterans and newcomers is the toughest challenge. I focus on creating a compelling story with more than four endings, each guided by choices and secrets, keeping players engaged regardless of skill.

Q14: What do you hope players take away emotionally, mechanically, or aesthetically?
Jay: By reaching the A-ending, players will rethink the game and uncover a vast conspiracy. Historical European context enriches the narrative, giving players new perspectives.

Q15: Looking forward, will you expand the world, create sequels, or explore other dark historical survival horror themes?
Jay: It depends on the reception. Console launch is the next step. Future projects will likely remain in action horror or survival horror, though themes may differ.

Trailer: