IllFonic used UE5 dynamic lighting and Nick Castle mocap for Halloween: The Game

IllFonic says Unreal Engine 5's dynamic lighting was the biggest change for Halloween: The Game. In an 80 Level interview, Chief Creative Officer Jared Gerritzen said the studio had used baked lighting for years, which cannot change mid-match. Dynamic lighting that could ship in a game was a major step for the team.

Gerritzen said the new lighting lets the game alter its look during a match. Power boxes can affect large areas, and the Shapejump world that Michael moves through gets new lighting treatments.

For Michael's movement, the studio worked with Nick Castle from the start and had him wear a mocap suit to capture how he actually moves. The animation team also spoke with Castle and the IP holders about Michael's movement and how he might kill. Gerritzen said the team watched all the films repeatedly and gave a lot of feedback.

The game is based on the original 1978 film. Gerritzen said the film's clothing, hairstyles, lenses and steadicam movement were well documented, but the team had to learn what the 1970s looked like. He described drawing on his own childhood memories, the film and online searches. He said the goal was to make Haddonfield feel like any ordinary American town.

Halloween: The Game was released on September 8 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It pairs a standalone single-player story with 1v4 multiplayer matches in a town with reactive NPCs. Civilian players protect residents, arm them and alert the police, while Michael hunts them using darkness, stealth and supernatural abilities. Gerritzen said the NPC and AI interaction is what sets it apart from other asymmetrical games, and that killed players can take control of cops late in a match to pressure Michael.

Gerritzen said playtesting and data capture drive development, and that this is IllFonic's fifth asymmetrical game. He said the studio's small size lets it work out systems quickly and keep releasing patches and content after launch.