Flesh and Bones

$5,000,000. All for the head of one man.

## System requirements

Windows XP or better

Flesh and Bones is a first person shooter developed by Bullhead Grantsville, created for the Themed Horror Game Jam #9 - Halloween Edition. The game follows Zions Branch as they fight against mercenaries and cannibals as they compete for a $5,000,000 cash prize on the serial killer, Icepick.

## Plot

### Prelude

Set in Bellroot, Indiana during the Food Wars, the Mojo Meat Processing Plant received a shipment of reindeer meat from Alaska after an avalanche. Unknown to the shipping company, the containers were full of human bodies as well, and were transporting the serial killer Johnston Cost, later known as Icepick. As the plant was unpacking the meat, they were horrified and disgusted by the human carcasses. One employee wrote a note to vent about this as Icepick woke up and began his murder spree, killing many workers. Several survived, mostly those that he felt were the plumpest. The rest he ignored, with the exception of one, who he made a scribe. For about a year and a half he ruled over the plant and the few people who inhabited it still. Icepick would leave at night and capture more victims including women and children. His scribe was only allowed to use initials, would write down what happened, horrified and depressed over what Icepick would do to the women and children. As Icepicks reign of terror carried out, a rich billionaire put a $5,000,000 bounty on Icepicks head.

Many mercenary companies wanted this prize, including the Freed States of America. While the mercenaries wanted the money for themselves, the FSA wanted the money to continue their war efforts despite their personal belief of money. The bounty was out for months, but despite the best efforts of various groups, no one was successful.

### The Mercenary Incursion

In an event that would later be known as the Mercenary Incursion, the private military firm Zions Branch decided to try their hand on the prize. A small taskforce was sent to the area, led by an Unnamed Corporal. Their first task was to set up a forward operating base in a rundown apartment a short distance away from Mojo. At the apartment, the Corporal was laughed at by a cannibal that lived there, calling him "another fool." The Corporal and his team cleared one of the rooms where they discovered the bodies of members of the Unknown Terrorist Organization which they mistook as KLEX Corp operatives.

After establishing a command post, the Corporal led an assault on the outside of the meat plant, supported by Zions Branch operative Tauon. The two fought against FSA forces before entering the plant, where the Sentry Team covered the entry way the Corporal entered while an Entry Team began to secure the opposite side. Inside the plant, the Corporal discovered notes left by the scribe, using the initials K.B., as well as several other cannibals, one of which screaming that he was left to die. After the Corporal turned on the main power, he encountered a squad of Commander Collins Chicken Place mercenaries. Fighting through them while the Entry Team fought the FSA, he ended up killing the CCCP officer, Captain Sanderson, and found a tablet from him that told him what the CCCP planned to do with the facility after killing Icepick.

As the Corporal moved deeper into the plant, he heard shouting and shooting down the empty hallways from the Entry Team as they were massacred by Icepick. Only one survived, but in a shocked and traumatized state. The Corporal moved slower before finding KBs final note where he revealed his name and his final confrontation against Icepick. Icepick toyed with the Corporal before ambushing him from behind. In a fierce battle, the Corporal landed a fatal shot on monster, killing him. Bagging the corpse, he linked up with Heath from the Sentry Team, and the two of them fought through FSA reinforcements and the FSA leader, Captain Barlow, getting a bonus for killing him too. The Corporal was then able to escape.

### Epilogue

The ending cutscene takes place in Sector 12, with a Watcher informing Clinton Welch of what happened during the incursion. Welch is satisfied that the Unknown Terrorist Organization was able to get the second bounty on Richard Pinker. He also ordered the Watcher to try to claim the prize on the dead CCCP mercenaries from the FSA and to tell the Director that he can begin the project.

## Gameplay

The game is similar to Bullheads other games, but features two instances where the player fights alongside an allied character. Players can use the G and H key to command a friendly character, which will follow the player around and shoot at enemies. The ally can die too, making the battles harder, but can give the player a better gun. Players battle a mix of mercenaries, special forces and cannibals. There are two boss fights and one mini boss fight in the game. While inside the meat plant, the player can find extra weapons and health by exploring and backtracking to areas after unlocking new areas. One of the biggest changes in the game is that the player cannot peak around corner, as the E key is used to interact with objects instead of ENTER.

## Development

It was entered into the Themed Horror Game Jam #9 on 10/22/2022, taking an Overall rank of 9th place out of 39 with a score of 3.576, ranked 6th in Horror with a score of 3.636, 8th in Story and Gameplay with a score of 3.636 and 3.545 respectively, 12th in Theme with a score of 3.636, 15th in Creativity with a score of 3.455 and 16th in Presentation with a score of 3.545. It was also entered into the Horrors Within Gamejam alongside Sector 12, taking 3rd.

## Soundtrack

The game's soundtrack was produced by several artists. The main soundtrack was done by M3t4p0w3r who helped Bullhead Grantsville for the gamejam. An older version of the game contained two free tracks, but this was later changed to just the main menu music, with the second track being removed from the game due to copyright issues.

### M3t4p0w3r Songs

The Meat Factory

Mercenary Warfare

Double or Nothing

## Battles and Conflicts present in the game

### Miscellaneous events

Icepicks Reign of Terror (mentioned only)

### Mercenary Incursion

The Skirmish at the Bellroot Apartments

The Battle of Mojo Meats

## Weapons

Beretta Elite

Dual Elites

G3

M1897

MP5SD

## Factions

### Zions Branch

Sentry Team

Entry Team

## Characters

### Allies

TOC

Tauon

Heath

Traumatized Soldier

Shotgun Mercenary

### Enemies

Johnston Cost

Captain Barlow

Captain Sanderson

Apartment Cannibal

Lunatic Cannibal

Left-Behind Cannibal

Twin Cannibal

Necrophiliac Cannibal

Hungry Cannibal

### Neutral

User 059

Clinton Welch

## Game download link

https://bullhead-studios.itch.io/flesh-and-bones

## Sequel

On August 29th, 2023, Bullhead Studios and Theo Moore released promotional images of *Flesh and Bones 2: Saints and Sinners* on Instagram.

## Trivia

* This was Bullhead Grantsville first standalone game.
* This game is unique for having two instances of allied characters fighting alongside the player. Using a modified version of Friendly AI from the S.C.A.R.E.D. Hour Zero map National Guard, the player fights alongside two different operatives, each with their own heath bars for the player to monitor.
	+ The enemy AI was also improved in these instances from Hour Zero.
* Zions Branch operatives say "Frack" instead of "Fuck." This is NOT a reference to Battlestar Galactica, but instead a reference to a type of "swear word" that Theo Moore said while growing up in Mormon Culture instead of Fuck.
	+ In addition the name of the game, Flesh and Bones, is NOT a reference to the Battlestar Galactica episode "Flesh and Bone."
		- There is however a reference into BSG, with a Watcher in the end cutscene saying "By your command."