El Paso, Elsewhere

Elsewhere released for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on September 26, 2023. An iOS version was released on September 17, 2024, by Frosty Pop. A PlayStation 5 version was released on September 20, 2024. The game received generally positive reviews from critics. A sequel for the game, titled El Paso, Elsewhere 2 is set to be released for Windows and Xbox Series X and Series S in 2027.

• Title — El Paso, Elsewhere • Developer — Strange Scaffold • Publisher — Strange Scaffold Frosty Pop (iOS) • Director — Xalavier Nelson Jr. • Producer — Candace Hudert • Designer — Romero Bonickhausen • Programmer — Romero Bonickhausen • Artist — Filip Ugrin • Composer — RJ Lake • Engine — Unity • Platforms — * Windows • Xbox One • Xbox Series X/S • iOS • PlayStation 5 • Released — * Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S • September 26, 2023 • iOS • September 17, 2024 • PlayStation 5 • September 20, 2024 • Genre — Third-person shooter • Modes — Single-player

Players control James Savage, a narcotics-addicted vampire hunter who is tracking down his ex-girlfriend, Draculae, a vampire bent on ending the world. While fighting supernatural creatures, players rescue hostages from the motel where the vampire lives. El Paso, Elsewhere is a third-person shooter. The mechanics were inspired by the Max Payne series, the combat by Quake, and the difficulty by Hotline Miami. Like its inspirations, it uses retro-style graphics reminiscent of the early 2000s. Cinematics and monologues explain the backstory between Savage and Draculae.

Initially, players had to escort the hostages to the exit, but Strange Scaffold had trouble making this mechanic fun. During development, several other major changes were made, such as adding verticality (such as staircases), and changing how the cinematics were rendered. Changing the cinematics delayed the release substantially. Development took about 10 months, after which Strange Scaffold almost ran out of money. The founder, Xalavier Nelson Jr., said getting further funding was difficult because investors balked at his refusal to engage in what he felt was an unhealthy work environment.

• Year — Ceremony — Category — Result — Ref. References • 2024 — 13th New York Game Awards — Off-Broadway Award for Best Indie Game • |27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards — Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game