Human Expenditure Program

Human Expenditure Program—informally BloodMoney 2—is a compact psychological horror/visual-novel that turns Harvey Harvington into something like a “virtual pet” and then forces you to sit with the implications. You feed him, play with him, pet him…and earn money for it. The loop is intentionally dissonant: routine care collides with memory, guilt, and the unsettling idea that optimization can dehumanize.

What it is—and what it isn’t

This isn’t a cozy sim with endless upgrades. The game presents a desktop-style “program” where short in-game days tick by while you juggle Harvey’s basic needs and his mood. It’s accessible and deliberately small-scale, but emotionally heavy. Official materials emphasize two endings, several short minigames, and a clear photosensitivity warning for flashing lights. The distribution model is “name your price,” with a lightweight Windows zip build, which fits the project’s intimate scope and DIY spirit.

A quick primer on the series

If you missed the original BLOODMONEY!, the sequel stands on its own. That said, returning players will recognize the recurring themes: monetization of suffering, the slippery line between help and control, and Harvey as a painfully human focal point. The sequel reframes your role: not just an observer pulling levers, but a caretaker whose decisions feel uncomfortably transactional.

How it plays

At its core, the game is a balancing act. You schedule care (feeding, simple interactions, check-ins) around short, punchy minigames that nudge resources and mood. The days are brisk. Efficiency is rewarded—but that’s the trap. The faster you get at keeping bars topped off, the more the design asks you to notice what, exactly, you’re streamlining.

Minigames, structure, and pacing

• Memory-style challenges that test quick recognition and risk management.
• Arcade-like reflex checks (think “batting cages” or whack-a-target moments) that trade attention for small gains.
• Endurance/score-chase loops where you can grind a bit—but the returns are tuned so you’re never far from the next decision.
• A widely discussed “Save Harvey” challenge functions more as a statement piece than a magic door to a “true good” ending. Treat it as part of the texture, not a guaranteed route to salvation.

The pacing is tight enough for single-sitting runs, yet there’s room to experiment with different priorities: front-load care, chase minigame payouts, or try to keep mood in a safe band before pushing for late-day gains.

Endings & replay value

There are two canonical endings. Neither is the tidy, redemptive wrap-up some players hope for, which is very much the point: Human Expenditure Program refuses to let the loop absolve you. Replaying is less about unlocking a secret third path and more about interrogating your own boundaries—what you’ll optimize, what you’ll excuse, and which compromises you’ll accept “for the system.”

Voice, presentation, and tone

Harvey’s performance does a lot of heavy lifting. The line reads swing from disarming humor to raw vulnerability, and that tonal whiplash fuels the horror more than jump scares ever could. Visuals favor crisp, readable 2D interfaces, and the “program-within-your-desktop” conceit keeps you uncomfortably close to the fiction: you aren’t visiting a world; you’re running it.

Accessibility & content notes

• Photosensitivity: flashing lights are present.
• Subtitles: available and clear.
• Session length: designed for short sessions; however, the emotional intensity can be draining—take breaks.

Release, platform, and updates

The game launched in mid-September 2025 with a small day-one update that smoothed difficulty spikes, adjusted a few minigames (shorter memory rounds, fewer unfair enemy spawns, a replay bug fix), raised default audio volume, and toned down late-day mood swings. None of these changes alter the core message; they simply make the loop fairer and more readable.

Platform & availability: Windows build via itch.io with a pay-what-you-want model. Unofficial browser ports exist on third-party sites, but they’re not affiliated with the developer and may behave differently—best experienced via the original download.

Tips for first-timers (no spoilers)

• Respect the clock. Days are short; plan one minigame “burst” around essential care beats so Harvey never spirals.
• Don’t over-mythologize “Save Harvey.” Engage with it for what it says thematically, not for a guaranteed secret ending.
• Stagger attention. Small, frequent check-ins often beat long, late rescues.
• Listen. Voice lines and small UI tells hint at safe thresholds—heed them.
• Accept the discomfort. If the loop feels manipulative, that’s intentional; the friction is where the game lives.

 

Why it lands

Plenty of games ask you to maximize meters. Few ask you to wonder what you’re maximizing for. Human Expenditure Program makes the act of “caring” legible as a workflow, then quietly asks whether that framing changes the care itself. The outrage around the lack of a neat “save him” route isn’t a failure of design—it’s the intended aftertaste. The horror isn’t a monster in the corner; it’s the moment you notice you’ve learned to manage a human being like an asset.

Fact box

• Title: Human Expenditure Program (BloodMoney 2)
• Developer: SHROOMYCHRIST
• Genre: Psychological horror / visual novel with virtual-pet mechanics
• Platform: Windows (itch.io)
• Model: Pay-what-you-want
• Features: Two endings; several short minigames; subtitles; photosensitivity warning
• Recommended approach: Single-sitting runs, no-spoiler replays to test different priorities

 

Who should play it

• Fans of narrative experiments who like short, focused experiences with sharp thematic payoffs.
• Players who enjoy moral tension more than power fantasies.
• Creators and critics interested in how UI, economy, and care mechanics can be used for horror rather than comfort.

If you want, I can adapt this into a full buyer’s guide (pros/cons, hardware notes, “who it’s for”) or expand it into a spoiler-boxed walkthrough that maps the two endings step by step—still with no links.