Fred Da Dead Productions, an indie video game studio working on Catatonic, aims to put Bahrain on the map of countries with game studios.
Started by four cousins in Bahrain, the studio is making a surreal rubber hose puzzle-platformer where courage meets cleverness. It’s set in a hand-drawn world that looks like a 1930s cartoon.
It’s the brainchild of Fred Da Dead Productions, whose founders have backgrounds in animation, music, programming, writing and marketing. The team’s first teaser trailer gained over 2.6 million views on X (Twitter), which helped it build strong traction ahead of the upcoming release.
And the company raised $16,276 in a Kickstarter campaign in August, surpassing its goal of $15,000. A demo is coming soon. It’s reminiscent of Cuphead, though you play a much different kind of character, Katrina, who is on a pacifist journey.
“Our aim is to head toward triple-A games. We want to be one of the triple-A developers. But obviously, everything is a step-by-step process,” said Faris Al-Alawi, cofounder of Fred Da Dead, said in an interview with GamesBeat. “We’ve got so many other games in mind, once we’re done with Catatonic. We’re going to start on them.”
It’s one of perhaps a half-dozen game companies in island nation of Bahrain, a Persian Gulf country with 1.65 million people. some that have come and gone. And as part of the Middle East, it’s one of a growing number of countries to develop a thirst for making video games. The rare thing for is the attention it is getting. Fred Da Dead is already working with Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Steam to bring the game to the consoles and the PC.
It is an inexperienced but determined team. Faris Al-Alawi is a part-time university professor teaching marketing and economic business developer. Mohamed Al Zekiri is a dentist, and Ahmed Al-Alawi is a film and TV graduate; he’s also an economic business developer. And Mohamed Al-Alawi works at a finance tech company.
For the game, Ahmed Al-Alawi is executive producer; Mohamed Al-Alawi is narrative director; Faris Al-Alawi is marketing director; and Mohamed Al Zekiri is creative director.
As for the mission of putting Bahrain on the game ecosystem map of the world, it’s something they’re passionate about. They want to see more game development companies and developers arise in Bahrain. But it’s a small country.
“It’s like a family production. We’ve had good reach in the Middle East but we also want to expand our reach in the United States and abroad,” said Faris Al-Alawi.
The full game may be ready in late 2026 or early 2027. The team has slowly added talent, and they found a developer in Bahrain, an artist from Colombia, and an animator in Mexico.
Origins
The game is going to be on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. The cousins started working on this version of the game at the end of 2022. But this was after they tried to make another game work for a couple of years but pivoted away from that.
“We had no background in video game development. But, with time, you get to learn and get to understand how things go in video game production. We thought it would be much easier than it is, but, thankfully, we are getting it all right now when it comes to comes to the development of the game,” Ahmed Al-Alawi said.
They began dreaming about the game around 2020. They worked on an idea for a couple of years, but then they decided the concept wasn’t good enough. They were gamers and perfectionists, and so they started over.
Ahmed Al-Alawi said, “When we first started in 2020, there was much around Bahrain in game development. There were game jams and grass roots activities, but nothing concrete.”
“We could see we were one of the first full-fledged indie studios,” Ahmed Al-Alawi said. “The cool thing is we have encouraged other studios to set up. Two studios have recently set up. It’s awesome we’re a part of that.”
But developing a game is very challenging. There are coders, but no many have experience. So the team had to learn how to code themselves to make their first prototype. They learned C# through YouTube tutorials. A programmer from Jordan joined the team and helped them get off the ground.
“We made a lot of mistakes and we have upskilled ourselves,” Ahmed Al-Alawi said.
During the process of making the game, the team has pivoted multiple times. At first, they were making a chapter-based game with a new chapter coming out every few months. But they scrapped that approach. And so the resulting game is completely different from what they originally planned to do.
Ahmed Al-Alawi said, “We scrapped our old idea, and then we were trying to work on a new idea. So we went with Catatonic. We all love Cuphead. We’re all huge fans of Cuphead. And that’s 1930s retro art style: the rubber hose cartoon. Part of us wanted to bring that world to life. That’s what we did with Catatonic. That’s what inspired us.”
Ahmed Al-Alawi said in our interview that they all trained in game development, first by taking an online course by Thomas Brush dubbed, “Full-time Game Dev.” They also took crash courses on coding on Udemy and YouTube. They found a seasoned programmer along the way to help. They also went to a number of Comic-Con events in the region, like one in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Al-Alawi said. At one of them, they created a Catatonic-themed escape room.
“We boostrapped the entire process. They’re still working on funding that would allow them to leave their day jobs, as Kickstarter is not quite enough money for them to do that.
“We are planning to make this the full-time gig, and we want it to be our entire life. We want to build something,” said Faris Al-Alwali.
The team has made remarkable progress. It is the first Bahrain company to cut deals with PlayStation, Nintendo, Xbox and Steam.
“There aren’t many video game development studios over here in Bahrain. I think we’re one of three, and we’re ahead of many in this region,” Faris Al-Alawi said.
The cousins all grew up with old Western cartoons, like Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Cartoon Network and Boomerang. They had fun enlisting voice actors who were involved with some of their favorite shows.
“This is why we went the cartoon route,” Faris Al-Alawi said.
Ahmed Al-Alawi said they had to set up a Delaware corporation to be able to launch the Kickstarter campaign. It’s not easy to develop a game while raising funds for that game. But the family ties have kept them motivated to get it done. They have a big family, and they can get help from them when they need it.
The company name came from their fandom for the Manchester United football club. The mascot is Fred the Red. So they changed it up a little.
Gameplay details
When the game is complete, you’ll solve puzzles, outsmart bosses using the environment and clues you’ve gathered, and uncover dark secrets, all without harming anyone.
They love the spooky charm of old cartoons with modern puzzle storytelling. It has since grown into one of the first hand-drawn, story-driven puzzle adventures from the Middle East, backed by an original soundtrack and an international celebrity voice cast.
The game’s art nods to classic cartoons, while its story delves into society’s shadows. Inspired by Mickey’s Wild Adventure, Undertale and L.A. Noire, Catatonic Game challenges you to bring light to New Marilyn City or be lost in its darkness.
Step into the strange and unsettling world of Catatonic Game, where New Marilyn City’s streets are alive with anthropomorphic animals and dangerous secrets. You play as Katrina, a lost cat with no memory of how she was transported. Her only goal is to find her way back to her own reality—her home—before the city consumes her.
New Marilyn is controlled by the shadowy Mobb Paw, but even they pale in comparison to the looming presence of the mysterious Mad Vet, Dr. Schwein. As Katrina uncovers more about New Marilyn, she begins to question why this place feels both foreign and familiar. What forces are keeping her trapped here?
Katrina will need to piece together her own shattered identity while navigating a world of corruption, hidden agendas, and dark mysteries. Can she unlock the secrets that bind New Marilyn City and escape back to her own reality, or will she remain trapped in this nightmare forever?
The gameplay revolves around solving intricate puzzles, collecting hidden clues, and navigating the labyrinthine New Marilyn City. Players will gather clues by scouring the environment, interacting with the city’s anthropomorphic citizens, and solving deep mysteries that lead to even deeper secrets.
Platforming is a key part of the experience, requiring precise timing and keen observation to traverse the dangerous cityscapes. As Katrina, you’ll explore rooftops, descend into eerie sewers, and sneak through laboratories. Every area you explore brings you closer to understanding New Marilyn’s inner workings.
A game without violence and other unique touches
The heart of the gameplay lies in its unique boss encounters. Rather than relying on brute force, each boss battle is a test of intellect and reasoning. Armed with the clues you’ve gathered, you’ll need to avoid their attacks, uncover their weaknesses, and use your knowledge to reason with them—ultimately helping them face their inner demons instead of fighting them. Every boss is a reflection of New Marilyn’s corruption and mental decay, and each encounter is a chance to help heal rather than harm.
In some ways, the game character is more similar to Felix the Cat and so many different “rubber hose” cartoons. Such cartoons have characters with tube-like joints with movement that can be all over the place. Overall, the game is more like a 2D, open world role-playing game. It has a lot of puzzles.
It’s also unique in that there are no attacks in the game.
“It’s a strictly pacifist approach,” Faris Al-Alawi said. “We look at mental health and animal welfare a lot for the themes of the game. We’re creating this new boss mechanic where you have to escape their physical hits but you don’t hit back. You trigger this animation where you speak to the boss himself in a kind of therapy session where you can understand why they did what they did.”
With a pacifist approach, Catatonic Game challenges players to think outside the box and solve problems through brains, not brawn. It’s a journey of strategy, empathy, and deep mental puzzles where your success depends on your ability to connect with others and unravel the truth behind the city’s dark secrets.
Mohamed Al Zekiri has played the most games among the group. He hunts for trophies in the games as he completes almost every facet of the games. That gives him a lot of creative ideas, and it’s why he’s a good creative director.
Mohamed Al Zekiri said they looked at games like Little Nightmares for the “pacifist” approach. They looked at other games with interrogation sequences, similar to their therapy sessions with the bosses. The platforming inspiration came from Mickey’s Wild Adventure, Mohamed Al Zekiri said.
Katrina’s health journey unfolds within the HUD as a charming, personality-packed progression of hearts, each with its own quirks, turning her health status into a story filled with blushes, sighs, and cheeky goodbyes.
Catatonic Game showcases a captivating art style that draws heavily from the charm of 1930s animation. All visuals are hand-drawn in a rubber hose animation style, crafted by our talented Colombian artist Ana “Crayola” Diaz. Her unique touch brings the game’s world to life with vibrant, fluid animations reminiscent of classic cartoons.
Inspired by iconic early animations such as Mickey Mouse, Felix The Cat, and the stylized look of Cuphead, our art also nods to other classic influences like Betty Boop and Popeye. This timeless aesthetic infuses Catatonic Game with a nostalgic yet fresh visual appeal, making each scene a beautiful homage to the golden age of animation.
The soundtrack, crafted by Catatonic Game’s co-creator Mohamed Alzekri and Libyan Sudanese artist Hassan Jewily, is an inventive fusion of jazz and eerie melodies. Blending the vintage charm of 1930s music with a spooky, psychedelic twist, this unique score perfectly complements the game’s hand-drawn visuals.
This original composition deepens the immersive experience of New Marilyn City, pulling players further into Catatonic Game with tunes that capture the essence of a bygone era while introducing a fresh, imaginative soundscape. You can catch a glimpse of this unique soundtrack in the game’s trailers, offering a taste of the atmosphere that awaits.
Catatonic Game is the culmination of a lifelong passion for gaming shared by four cousins from the tiny island of Bahrain in the Middle East. Over the past four years, the team has dedicated ourselves to establishing our company, Fred Da Dead Productions, and have spent the last three years crafting Catatonic Game.
The goal is to create a game that captures the nostalgic joy of gaming, offering an experience where players can relax and enjoy every moment. Through Catatonic Game, they hope to rekindle the fun and excitement that inspired them to embark on this journey.
Regarding Arab influences, there is some Bahrain language in the game and some Arabic music too. But the game is meant to be a universal game where anyone around the world can relate to it. The city in the game is akin to New York during the 1930s. There are more Western influences than Arab influences.
Mohamed Al-Alawi said, “We’re proud of our Arab roots, and we’re proud that we’re Arabs. So the game is going to be both English and Arabic. It’s going to support two languages, which will hopefully both be fully voiced by different voice actors and locals.”
Mission
At Fred Da Dead, the mission goes beyond creating engaging games—the team is driven by a deep personal commitment to making a positive difference in the world. The dedication to mental health awareness and animal welfare is rooted in the team’s own experiences and passions. They say they understand first-hand the importance of mental well-being and the joy that animals bring into our lives.
By donating a portion of profits to charities that support these causes, Fred Da Dead aims to address the challenges and needs that resonate with them on a personal level. The goal is to ensure that their success not only entertains but also contributes meaningfully to the issues they care about deeply. Through Catatonic Game and future projects, Fred Da Dead strives to reflect its values and make a lasting, positive impact on both the gaming community and the world at large.
The team has bootstrapped itself so far over the past three years. With the Kickstarter funding, the team aims to expand its art and animation to fully realize the creative vision. The team also wants to secure professional voice actors to deepen the narrative experience, Enhance sound design and music to evoke a 1930s-inspired atmosphere, and cover essential development costs to ensure a smooth, polished gameplay experience.
Of course, there are risks. Creating a game of this scope comes with challenges, especially for a small and fresh team. While the team has built a strong foundation and developed a vertical slice showcasing its vision, there’s still much to refine. From enhancing animations to designing new boss encounters, each step requires careful planning. The goal is to bring Catatonic Game to multiple platforms, but flexibility will be key as Fred Da Dead navigates development.
The voice acting cast includes Leilani Shiu (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett) as Katrina; Linda Young (Dragon Ball Z, Frieza) as Tiny Bambina Bella; Doug Walker (Nostalgia Critic) as Forrest Hanks; and Brendan “Bootsy” Castner (AVGN, Board James) as Mr. Finger.
For the English version, some YouTubers are lending their voices to the game.
Getting help from the partners and platforms
Their contact in Bahrain for the Unreal Engine at Epic Games made introductions that helped them get on the radar of the platform companies.
Ahmed Al-Alawi said the team had to reach out to the Xbox office in Dubai to get a development kit and Sony had a process as well, as Bahrain companies were not on an approved list to get PlayStation dev kits. Nintendo’s process was more straightforward, and they were accepted as an official Nintendo developer.
But they will eventually need help in getting marketing and distribution in major regions around the world.
In the region, more attention is focused on esports rather than game development. There’s another Bahrain game studio, Hero Punch, that was founded in 2023.
“With us, we hope that could change. I’d like to say that we’re pioneers of the industry here in Bahrain. It’s a cool thing. It comes with a lot of challenges, but it’s also a cool thing to be one of the first to do everything,” Faris Al-Alawi said.
Ahmed Al-Alawi said the company has received some small monetary help from the Bahrain government, mostly with help expediting processes.
Ahmed Al-Alawi said they work at the Economic Development Board of Bahrain, with a focus on the shifting economy beyond oil and gas. That has happened mostly through direct foreign investment so far.
Ahmed Al-Alawi said Bahrain has been diversifying its economy since 2000. Financial services is the biggest sector, larger and than oil and gas. There are also manufacturing, logistics and tourism industries. And, hopefully, there will be a big game industry one day.