DELI SCUM - Demo

Deli Scum thrusts you into an alternate reality, New York City, where the streets are alive with danger, chaos, and strange opportunities. In this gripping single-player narrative game, you play a drug dealer-turned-addict, the wayward child of a powerful Caribbean women-led mafia. Your mom? She's the boss, and she's desperate to drag you back to rehab. But you’re not going quietly—you’re on the run, fighting for survival across NYC's grittiest boroughs.

Your mission: Survive solo on the streets of the Bronx, Harlem, Lower East Side, and Brooklyn. To make it, you'll need to hustle by creating, taking, and selling bizarre, futuristic drugs like ORGASM PILLS, X-RAY VISION EYE DROPS, and TELEPATHY PILLS. The more you make and sell, the more street cred you earn. But that's not all—while navigating this twisted urban jungle, you’ll need to pick up vital resources like bullets, pre-made drugs (gummies, pills), coins, and everyone's favorite—PIZZA and FRIES. These fast food gems aren’t just for snacking; they’re essential bribes for the city's informants: the RATS and PIGEONS, who control the flow of underground intel.

Need a fast escape? The pigeons of NYC are more than just winged nuisances—they’re your getaway vehicles! Catch a pigeon and take flight from rooftop to rooftop via fire escapes, dodging villains, mobsters, and family. And when enemies corner you, don’t sweat it—use the city's rats as throwable weapons to fend off the scum standing in your way.

Can you outsmart your mobster mom, master the art of street hustling, and survive long enough to claim your place in the underworld?

Dial 988. Harm reduction strategies are great! https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/harm-reduction/framework 

We are here for you!

PLEASE, BE AWARE: This is just a DEMO, and we appreciate all feedback! We have some weird things in the works, but we’d love your thoughts. Let us know about any glitches or areas of improvement. 

Thank you so much for your attention and participation.

HEALTH BAR DETAIL:

Inspired by 90’s mobster films like The Godfather, Harlem Nights, Casino, and A Bronx Tale, Deli Scum blends over-the-top sci-fi with comedy.

Listen to the inspiration for Deli Scum, the Caribbean sci-fi podcast All Night Deli: 

Listen wherever you get your podcasts. It's about 30 minutes long

TEAM

CREATOR and PRODUCER: yohanna baez

GAME DEVELOPMENT and VISUAL DEVELOPMENT: Nhlanhla Kumalo DLTA

If you have issues downloading the game via itch.io, please read through their download guide here.

If you have bugs or other issues, please post them in the Bug Reports thread below or contact us at:  scumdeli@gmail.com

Our FAQ can be found in the comments section below.

If playing on a Windows OS, running on Windows 8 or later is recommended due to compatibility issues. 

It is challenging to work in this area, so we count on your support.

All the best!