Magic Design Studios Reveals the Origins of Have a Nice Death's Quirky Characters

Game ZXC

indie games

By Matti Robinson

Published Feb 1, 2023

Have a Nice Death from the French independent game studio Magic Design Studios was released for Early Access on Steam last year. As the team is working hard on making the final version available on Steam and Nintendo Switch, they are also working on a video series to lure fans into the netherworld of Death Incorporated. The hack-and-scythe roguelike unveiled at The Game Awards 2021 invites players in with a rich world of quirky characters and an unconventional story about Death.

The studio took its time developing a robust set of characters that not only fill in the necessary game structural roles, such as introductory characters and quest NPCs but also create a one-of-a-kind environment with Tim Burton-like visuals. The story of Have a Nice Death is all about interesting and complex characters, whether it is the player-controlled Death, loyal employees of Death Inc., or the Sorrows that are creating all the havoc in the company. Game ZXC recently spoke with Magic Design Studios' Lead Game Designer Simon Dutertre and Narrative Designer Meredith Alfroy about how all of these characters came to be.

Have A Nice Death's Characters Came First

For the development team at Magic Design Studios, the creation of characters became naturally from the beginning. The team started working on concepts as one of the first steps in the process. The artists were drafting ideas on plausible characters with which Dutertre envisioned gameplay mechanics. As the characters started forming, the team went on to work on narrative choices led by Alfroy to offer more diversity to the experience.

The work that went into the character development bears fruit in the end product. The team has managed to create a whole corporate structure with multifaceted characters that are endearing, annoying, lovable, loud, or all of the above, all at once. The personalities are made to fit, and exaggerate, the office dynamics, whether it is the gossiping receptionist, the dry and dreary HR boss, or the excited intern. The intern, Pump Quinn, who just joined Death Inc. was actually considered at one point to be the main character for Have a Nice Death. In the end, some of the work that went into the pumpkin character originally became both the cute trainee and a skull-faced union rep Jerry, and Death remained as the sole player character of Have a Nice Death. Speaking of Death, Alfroy added that,

"We didn’t want the player to perceive Death as some sort of brutal taskmaster, bullying his employees into forced labor. On the contrary, Death is actually a kind-hearted boss who tries his best to look after his employees."

Making the environment feel familiar to those that have worked in an office or perhaps just watched The Office seemed to be at the core of Magic Design Studios' approach. The complex characters and an inviting story open the possibilities for the player to grow with the cast of Have a Nice Death. Learning about the flaws and assets of each person journey and builds a more complete picture of Death Inc., and why Death wants to save it from the disarray it is under.

The Personalities of Have a Nice Death

Death Inc. comes with a variety of personas, as does any workplace. Alfroy created the unique personalities, backstories, and lines for each of the characters with the help of writer Hugues Tourneur. The reception desk is occupied by the gossiping receptionist Patrick, who is one of the studio crew's favorites. Patrick is an absolute stickler when it comes to company protocols and policies and became one of Alfroy's four most beloved workers at Death Inc. alongside Muriel, Pump Quinn, and Jerry. He also takes the top spot for Dutertre, who has some similarities with Patrick and loves the funny remarks Patrick gives each time he launches the game.

The characters' similarities with real people don't end there, though. The character design draws a lot of inspiration from cultural icons and even Magic Design Studios' employees. The character Harriet is based on Alfroy, both of whom are into keeping fit and like to push their coworkers to better themselves. Harriet, or Arlette in French, is Death's skinless business coach and physical trainer, who is present in the game's tutorial. The character's lively side came from Alfroy, but the name was taken from a French politician, Arlette Laguillier, who resembles the loud and tenacious character. As Alfroy put it,

"The dialog came naturally because, well, I recognized myself in parts of this character. I’m always trying to get those around me to be more active"

Another character with heavy influences is Muriel, another one of Alfroy's favorites. This short and stubby lady might resemble Edna from Pixar's The Incredibles, but the concept came from the French artist Brigitte Fontaine. Fontaine is an eccentric, free-spirited artist, whose iconic fan, fez, and sunglasses inspired Muriel's attire.

In addition to the visual side, some of Have a Nice Death's characters are also voiced by the Magic Design Studios team members, including some of the deadly and delicious bosses.