Interview: DECEIVER’s Evan Todd

on March 10, 2018

Set amidst the impending doom of a cyberpunk city, DECEIVER invites players to hurtle spider drones at everything in sight (including enemy heads) in an attempt to gain enough resources to survive. On a deeper level, Helvetica Scenario developer Evan Todd embeds the game with philosophical scenarios, asking players to ponder their circumstances; I chatted with Evan (a Kickstarter campaign in full swing), noting his keen attention to visual detail, dedication to a unique narrative framework, and connection to the Handmade movement.

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Interview: Once Upon A Coma’s Thomas Brush

on March 2, 2018

Crowdfunding can be fickle, but it should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Atmos Games owner and art director Thomas Brush (think Pinstripe) that Once Upon A Coma didn’t take long to blow through its initial goal (not to mention multiple stretch goals). Gamers play Pete, who awakens from a coma to discover the world isn’t as he left it, a landscape filled with massive insects, naughty children, and a host of forts, puzzles and other challenges. I chatted with Thomas to divine the current state of affairs, noting his unique, polished art style and keen attention to detail.

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Short Interview: Narita Boy’s Eduardo Fornieles

on February 26, 2018

About a year ago, I ran across Studio Koba during its successful Kickstarter run and was immediately blown away by its retro pixel art aesthetic and layers of meaning (you play a legendary digital hero in an epic quest through simultaneous dimensions). At the time, I reached out to developer Eduardo Fornieles and conducted an interview that set the bar for my interactions with indie studios. Since that time, I’ve kept up with Ed and Chie, leading to the following conversation regarding the project.

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Interview: Good Company Dev Team

on February 24, 2018

As a game that has players building, automating, and optimizing robots (on the way to becoming industry tycoons), Good Company deals with invention and innovation, not to mention morality, even diving into stock trading and logistics on the road to market domination. With my thoughts on the title’s high level of polish and engaging aesthetic (even at this early point in development), I chatted with Chasing Carrots regarding their perspective on the project.

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