CalorieMate releases weird free game about keeping a tired game developer energized, with a surprising Metal Gear Solid connection 

CalorieMate LIQUID FOR GAME CREATORS just came out on Steam on September 12. In this strange promotional game, you take on the role of an energy drink that must find its way to the lips of an exhausted game creator. The fully 3D action-adventure game is free to play in English and Japanese. 

Fresh out of the fridge, you must navigate an apartment full of obstacles and hazards to successfully deliver your liquid energy boost to a hard-at-work game creator. Your can of energy drink can roll, jump and turn. However, you must move quickly and carefully, keeping an eye on your power gauge and temperature- with the aim of giving the creator a chilled, refreshing and energizing drink.  

Developed by Japanese company Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Calorie Mate is a snack similar to a shortbread cookie that first hit shelves in 1983. It was designed to be a nutritious energy food for busy people with no time to eat. Since then, the brand has expanded to include canned energy drinks and jelly drinks. Some gamers may recognize CalorieMate from its anachronistic appearance in Metal Gear Solid 3’s 1960s setting as a ration that Naked Snake could nibble on.  

Weirdly, the Metal Gear Solid connections don’t stop there. The Japanese version of CalorieMate LIQUID FOR GAME CREATORS has a well-known voice cast, including Akio Otsuka (Snake’s Japanese VA) who lends his voice to the fruit mix flavor of the energy drink. The detailed apartment setting and the controls are pretty decent for a short, free game. 

CalorieMate LIQUID FOR GAME CREATORS is available for free on PC (Steam) until March 11, 2025.