Day 4 Night Studios has unveiled Bradley the Badger, an action‑adventure video game that aims to revive the charm of mascot platformers with an unexpected twist. Announced during The Game Awards on 12 December, the game combines live‑action footage with in‑game graphics and draws inspiration from classic and contemporary video games alike. Its creators describe Bradley the Badger as both a tribute to and a satire of beloved titles such as Bloodborne, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us.
At the centre of Bradley the Badger is the eponymous character, portrayed by actor Evan Peters, known for his roles in X‑Men: Days of Future Past and American Horror Story. Peters appears in live‑action segments and provides the voice for Bradley, a former star of a once‑popular game franchise who becomes lost in a series of strange and surreal worlds. The blending of live‑action elements with interactive environments sets Bradley the Badger apart from more conventional platformers.
The game’s first trailer offers a glimpse of several themed worlds that Bradley explores, including Badgerborne, Cyberbadger, and The Last Badger. These settings play on familiar video game tropes, reimagined with a humorous edge. Rather than simply guiding Bradley through these worlds in a traditional manner, players will use a development‑inspired tool known as the Kit. This innovative device allows Bradley to manipulate unfinished assets within the game, much like a developer working on a live build. The Kit’s capabilities include altering scale, adjusting gravity, and editing other environmental properties to solve puzzles, traverse obstacles, and engage in combat.
Bradley the Badger’s unique mechanic encourages players to approach challenges creatively. By giving players the ability to reshape elements of the world around them, the game blends puzzle‑solving with exploratory platforming in ways that reflect the creative process behind game development itself. While platforming remains at its core, the ability to edit digital objects adds an uncommon layer of strategy to the genre.
Development from industry veterans
Day 4 Night Studios comprises a team of developers who previously worked on major AAA titles, including Red Dead Redemption and Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. The studio’s collective experience feeds into Bradley the Badger’s design and narrative. According to Christian Cantamessa, co‑founder of Day 4 Night, the game’s story draws heavily from the team’s personal experiences in the industry.
Cantamessa said in a press release that Bradley the Badger is “part love letter to video games and part satire of them.” He added, “Games are an art form, and this is a story inspired by our adventures making them. From the inner turmoil of self‑doubt to the joy of building worlds, we set out to transform those experiences into a game that anyone can get lost in.”
The game’s narrative explores the emotional highs and lows familiar to developers and players alike. By placing a character who once dominated the gaming world in unfamiliar, unfinished environments, the developers have crafted a story that explores themes of reinvention and rediscovery. Bradley’s journey through these strange realms mirrors the uncertainty and excitement that often accompany creative endeavours.
Gameplay mechanics and artistic vision
Alongside the high‑tech Kit, players will also encounter a more traditional tool: a frying pan. Davide Soliani, co‑founder of Day 4 Night, said in a statement that the inclusion of contrasting tools was intentional. “We wanted our mechanics to be the perfect bridge between the past and the future,” Soliani said. The frying pan, a humorous nod to classic adventure mechanics, serves as a simple but effective weapon in Bradley’s arsenal.
The interplay between the futuristic Kit and the humble frying pan reflects the game’s broader vision. It merges the nostalgic appeal of older platformers with the innovation of modern game design. This duality is evident throughout the trailer and suggests a game that will shift fluidly between different styles and tones. In one moment, players might be editing the physics of an environment to navigate a tricky puzzle, and in the next, they may find themselves using the frying pan to fend off enemies.
The hybrid nature of Bradley the Badger’s mechanics makes it difficult to neatly categorise the game. It straddles genres, combining elements of action‑adventure, platforming, puzzle‑solving, and satire. By leaning into its varied influences, the game promises an experience that challenges conventions while still appealing to classic-gaming fans.
Bradley the Badger’s visual identity further underscores its creative ambition. The juxtaposition of live‑action sequences with stylised game environments creates a distinctive aesthetic. It recalls experimental titles that blend reality with digital worlds, inviting players to question the boundaries between what is part of the game and what lies outside it. The result is an experience that feels playful, reflective, and at times surreal.
Release and platform plans
Bradley the Badger is currently scheduled for release on Windows PC via Steam. Day 4 Night Studios has indicated that it is exploring additional platforms and consoles, though no further details have been confirmed. The announcement has already generated interest within the gaming community, with many observers intrigued by its unusual blend of mediums and mechanics.
As the game progresses through development, more information about gameplay systems, world design, and platform support is expected to emerge. For now, Bradley the Badger stands as one of the most imaginative and talked‑about announcements of the year, promising a fresh take on familiar genres.
Bradley the Badger merges satire with heartfelt homage in a new action‑adventure title that reimagines platforming through creative mechanics and a distinctive narrative.
