Panacota Games has finally pulled back the curtain on its debut project, 'Not Guilty!'. It is a PC title that blends the mundane drudgery of prison management with the thrill of detective work and, rather cheekily, a capital punishment simulator.

You are cast as the warden of the city's most notorious correctional facility. Your daily grind involves managing staff, passing judgment on inmates, and overseeing executions. Whether you prefer doling out life sentences or getting creative with the gallows is up to you, though your superiors will be breathing down your neck for pristine cell blocks, rigid protocol adherence, and—naturally—a minimal count of innocent verdicts.

You'll be forced to weigh your conscience against cold, hard cash. Will you chase the actual evidence, or are you the sort to pocket a bribe? Sometimes, you might even find yourself forging documents or cooking the books to suit your own agenda. As the developer puts it, the weight of your choices is the bedrock of the experience.

Dealing with inmates is, let's say, eclectic. You might construct a shark tank or force a thug to guzzle 50 boxes of pizza until they suffer a cardiac arrest. As you upgrade your facility, you can unlock more flamboyant execution styles, turning each demise into a theatrical performance. When the cells get a bit too cosy, you have the choice: execute four inmates or invest in an expansion.

The game is populated by a cast of characters you will love to hate. From cellmates bragging about crypto profits to neighbours who won't stop tunnelling through walls, the chaos is constant. Via your monitors, you'll keep a weary eye on prisoners sharpening spoons in the shadows and guards pocketing bribes. Keep your wits about you, as there is even a secret ending where you take revenge on your boss for unpaid hours and broken promises.

Panacota Games, which dipped its toes into the market with a mobile release in 2023, prides itself on 'bold ideas and rapid execution'. 'Not Guilty!' is their first 3D project built on the Unity engine, aiming to pack a punch with its dark humour and unconventional mechanics.