Brooke Martin
Red Candle Games is a Taiwanese independent video game development studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. The studio is most well-known for developing the critically acclaimed psychological horror games Detention (2017) and Devotion (2019). Detention is a 2D atmospheric horror side-scroller set in the 1960s during Taiwan's White Terror period. The game incorporates religious elements based on Taiwanese culture and mythology. Devotion, the studio's second release, is a first-person 3D horror game set in a 1980s Taiwanese apartment. The game explores ideas about religious belief and includes references to East Asian culture in its lore and horror elements.
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What You'll Learn
Red Candle Games' Detention
Red Candle Games is an independent video game development studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. The studio was founded on September 1, 2015, by six individuals from diverse backgrounds who shared a common vision to create the psychological horror video game "Detention". Set in 1960s Taiwan under martial law, "Detention" incorporates religious elements and East Asian cultural references, particularly from Taiwanese, Chinese, and Buddhist traditions. The game was released in January 2017 on Steam and received positive reviews from critics and players alike.
"Detention" is a 2D atmospheric horror side-scroller with point-and-click mechanics. Players navigate the main characters in a classic point-and-click fashion to explore a high school beset by supernatural events and evil creatures. The game builds a sense of dread and incorporates a few well-placed jump scares that are meaningful to the story. The loneliness of exploring a place meant for many people, now empty and haunted, adds to the uneasiness. The game also includes puzzles and item collection, with the second part of the game focusing more on these aspects, allowing the story to develop and unfold its historical context.
The story of "Detention" centres around students Wei and Ray, who find themselves trapped in Greenwood High School, located in a remote mountainous area. The school serves as a metaphor for the shared human experience, with the game's setting and name resonating with audiences. The game begins with Wei falling asleep in class and then awakening to a deserted campus due to an incoming typhoon. He encounters Ray asleep on the auditorium stage, and they decide to wait out the storm together. However, the game takes a dark turn as Wei leaves to look for a telephone, and Ray wakes up to find herself in a nightmarish version of the school, with Wei's corpse hanging upside down from the stage ceiling.
Ray, a bright student who developed depression due to personal problems, must now navigate the school, avoiding ghosts and uncovering the dark past of the cursed school. She performs a ritual with Wei's body, collects items to interact with in the otherworldly rooms, and slowly pieces together her own story and that of the school. The game's ending is described as beautiful and emotionally complex, blending horror with sadness and small beautiful moments hidden within the dread.
"Detention" has had a significant impact on the gaming industry and popular culture. It was adapted into a novel, a live-action film distributed by Warner Bros. Taiwan in 2019, and a TV series in 2020. The game and its novel adaptation have received critical acclaim for their storytelling and unique cultural references. In 2020, "Detention" was selected for preservation at the Harvard–Yenching Library, the largest collection of East Asian works at an American university.
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Red Candle Games' Devotion
Red Candle Games is an independent video game development studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. The studio was founded on September 1, 2015, by six individuals from diverse backgrounds. Their initial project was "Detention," a psychological horror video game set in 1960s Taiwan during the White Terror era. "Detention" received positive reviews from critics, who praised its blend of religious and thematic East Asian references with modern elements. Following the success of "Detention," Red Candle Games commenced work on their second game, titled "Devotion".
"Devotion" is a psychological horror video game set in Taiwan during the 1980s. The game draws inspiration from atmospheric first-person horror games like "P.T.," "What Remains of Edith Finch," and "Layers of Fear". Red Candle Games created "Devotion" with the narrative goal of introducing players to Taiwanese culture, which they felt was underrepresented in video games. The game was not initially intended to be political but rather to explore the theme of "religious fanaticism".
"Devotion" received positive reviews upon its release in February 2019, with critics praising its environmental storytelling and attention to detail. However, shortly after its release, Chinese players discovered hidden references within the game that were interpreted as insulting to the Chinese Communist Party and its general secretary, Xi Jinping. Specifically, a fulu talisman within the game included the words "Xi Jinping Winnie the Pooh" and other phrases that, when interpreted together, were seen as mocking the Chinese leader.
As a result of these hidden messages, "Devotion" faced heavy review bombing by Chinese gamers, causing its overall rating on Steam to drop from "Overwhelmingly Positive" to "Mostly Negative". Red Candle Games responded by removing the offending art and issuing an apology, stating that they had no immediate plans to re-release the game to prevent further misconceptions. Despite the controversy, "Devotion" was selected for preservation at the Harvard-Yenching Library in February 2020, recognising its cultural significance as one of the largest collections of East Asian works in an American university.
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Red Candle Games' Nine Sols
Red Candle Games is a Taiwanese independent video game development studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. The studio was founded on September 1, 2015, by six individuals from different backgrounds. They are known for developing psychological horror video games such as Detention (2017) and Devotion (2019).
Detention is Red Candle Games' first release, a psychological horror video game set in 1960s White Terror-era Taiwan. The game received positive reviews from critics, who praised its elegant blend of religious and thematic East Asian references with modern aspects of the mid-20th century. Following its success, Detention was adapted into a film in 2019 and then into a TV series in 2020.
Devotion is Red Candle Games' second release, another psychological horror game set in Taiwan in the 1980s. The game drew inspiration from atmospheric first-person games and aimed to introduce players to Taiwanese culture. Devotion received positive reviews, with critics praising its environmental storytelling and attention to detail. However, the game also faced controversy due to hidden easter eggs that were interpreted as insulting to the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. As a result, the game was heavily review-bombed and pulled from the Chinese market.
In December 2021, Red Candle Games announced their next project, Nine Sols, a 2D hand-drawn action-platformer with Sekiro-inspired deflection-focused combat. The game is set in an Asian fantasy-inspired, futuristic, cyberpunk world, or what the developers call "Taopunk," a mix of cyberpunk, Taoism, and Far Eastern mythology. In Nine Sols, players embark on a journey of eastern fantasy, exploring the land once inhabited by an ancient alien race, and following a vengeful hero's quest to slay the 9 Sols, the rulers of this forsaken realm. The game features meticulous hand-crafted, anime-style landscapes, sprite-based hand-drawn animations, and Japanese manga-inspired cutscenes.
Nine Sols received positive reviews, with critics praising its cohesive and complementary lore-rich narrative and stunning visuals. The game offers a rich and immersive experience, blending intense combat with exploration and discovery.
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Detention's critical acclaim
Red Candle Games is a Taiwanese independent video game development studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. The studio is most known for developing Detention, a psychological horror video game set in 1960s White Terror-era Taiwan.
Detention received positive reviews from critics, with Polygon's Ashley Oh noting that it "elegantly blends religious and thematic East Asian references with modern aspects of the mid-20th century". The game was also praised for its tense and nightmarish atmosphere, as well as the historical significance of its plot. The eerie soundtrack, which heightens tension and fear, was also well-received.
Detention is a side-scrolling point-and-click horror game set in a fictitious world in the 1960s in Taiwan under martial law. The game incorporates religious elements based on Taiwanese/Chinese culture and mythology, providing players with a unique gaming experience. Players navigate the main characters in a classic point-and-click fashion to explore a high school where evil encroaches. The game builds a sense of dread in a masterful way, with a few justified jump scares that feel meaningful and related to the story.
The game received an "Award for Best Design" from the Taipei Game Show in 2017. It was also nominated for Best Narration from BIG Festival, Best Game Award from IndiePlay China, and Best Audio from IndiePlay China. As of 2021, Detention has been selected for preservation at the Harvard–Yenching Library, the largest collection of East Asian works maintained at an American university.
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Devotion's controversy
Red Candle Games is an independent video game development studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. The studio gained popularity for developing the critically acclaimed psychological horror game Detention (2017), set in 1960s White Terror-era Taiwan. After the success of Detention, Red Candle Games began working on their second release, Devotion, another psychological horror game set in 1980s Taiwan. Devotion was released in February 2019 to positive reviews. However, shortly after its release, Chinese players discovered hidden messages in the game that were interpreted as insults to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The controversy began when players found a fulu talisman in the game that contained the words "Xi Jinping Winnie the Pooh" in Chinese seal script, referencing an internet meme comparing the Chinese leader to the Disney character. Additionally, the talisman included transcribed words that sounded similar to an insult in Taiwanese Hokkien. As a result, Chinese gamers review-bombed Devotion on Steam, causing the game's overall rating to drop from "Overwhelmingly Positive" to "Mostly Negative".
Red Candle Games responded to the controversy by patching out the offending art material and replacing it with a talisman that read "Happy New Year". They also issued an apology, explaining that the original talisman was a placeholder that was meant to be replaced and that they had no intention of staging a publicity stunt. Despite their efforts, the damage to the game's reputation was significant, and publishers Indievent and Winking Skywalker cut ties with Red Candle Games, leaving them without a publisher outside of Taiwan.
The Devotion controversy also had political ramifications, with Taiwan's Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai speaking out in defence of the game and stating that "Only in countries with democracy and freedom can creation be free from restrictions." Meanwhile, Red Candle's Sina Weibo account was blocked by Chinese censors, and posts containing the hashtag #Devotion were hidden, preventing hundreds of millions of views. The Chinese government also revoked the business license of Indievent, Devotion's publisher, citing violations of relevant laws as the reason.
In the aftermath of the controversy, Red Candle Games expressed hope for a second chance, stating that they wished to rebuild trust with their players and that they had no plans to re-release Devotion in the near term. However, they left open the possibility of reconsidering a re-release in the future if "the public would be willing to view this game rationally." Despite the controversy, Devotion and Detention were selected for preservation at the Harvard–Yenching Library in February 2020, recognising their cultural significance.
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Frequently asked questions
Red Candle Games is an independent video game development studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. The studio was founded in 2015 by six individuals from different backgrounds.
Red Candle Games is known for developing "Detention" (2017), "Devotion" (2019), and "Nine Sols" (2024). "Detention" and "Devotion" are psychological horror games, while "Nine Sols" is an action-platformer.
Red Candle Games' horror games are known for their atmospheric sense of dread, immersive storytelling, and exploration of Taiwanese culture, history, and mythology. "Detention" is a 2D side-scroller set in 1960s Taiwan under martial law, while "Devotion" is a first-person 3D game set in 1980s Taiwan.
