Marmormaze turns Mustamäe into a horror game

Musician and rapper Marmormaze has released Mount Noire, a survival horror game inspired by Mustamäe, a district of Tallinn, ERR reported. The game transforms the district’s apartment blocks, streets and landmarks into a surreal nightmare.

Inspired by the visual style of computer games from around the turn of the century, Mount Noire challenges players to survive for eight weeks as the district becomes increasingly dangerous. Marmormaze said the game reflects real life in Mustamäe, though its bleakness is deliberately exaggerated.

“The game is about an addict who has to withdraw cash every week, meet a dealer to get medicine and then make it home,” Marmormaze said.

The game features landmarks familiar to Mustamäe residents, as well as threats including aggressive dogs, people collecting deposit bottles, addicts and police. Development took a year.

Marmormaze produced the music and scanned models for the game while walking around Mustamäe. He said a program turns photographs into semi-photorealistic models.

The game is for people who have wondered why Estonia has not had its own Grand Theft Auto, Marmormaze said. He is also open to featuring other Tallinn districts. Õismäe could become “Mount Blossom”, he said, adding that he would like to expand the game’s universe if it does well.