Preventing video games are, to a sure diploma, a identified high quality for the time being. Whereas a number of the large hitters have added their fair proportion of attention-grabbing quirks and twists, the core gameplay loop has largely remained the identical over the previous few many years. As such, gamers on the lookout for one thing a bit out-there have needed to flip to indie builders for boundary-pushers. For actually modern spins on the style.
One such sport, which goals to bridge the hole between preventing video games and different genres, is Longjuice Squeeze. Developed by a “Micro-studio” composed of 1 core developer and varied collaborators, you possibly can signal as much as playtests for it proper now. However if you wish to study extra, developer Jeremy Boniface was keen to reply just a few questions in regards to the sport, what impressed him to make it, its inspirations, and the distinct artwork fashion it champions.
VG247: The place did the thought of mixing preventing sport and rogue-like deck constructing mechanics stem from?
Boniface: Principally, to resolve my very own points with a style I like, I needed to make a preventing sport with,
- Significant character development
- Permadeath
- PvP loot
- Low execution
I am not personally motivated by the stakes of the combat being “can I pull off this combo” or “can I get to platinum” — I like unlocking stuff and customizing my dude. In the end, I needed a preventing sport multiplayer loop that form of looks like enjoying an extraction shooter (like Tarkov). Roguelite deckbuilding is type of the scaffolding for these different ideas, the place your construct goes to be as related as your moment-by-moment play.
VG247: How do you strike that steadiness in order that followers of each genres can discover one thing to get pleasure from right here?
Boniface: In the end, I am making a sport for myself to some extent, as somebody who loves each genres, and I’m hoping that resonates with different individuals.
I’ve by no means been nice at studying lengthy combos, however I like the best way a preventing sport feels when you get to greater stage play. I like the strategic, tactical, and interpersonal layers (like mindgames) that come about whenever you’re capable of cease mashing and perceive the methods. so one of many main motivations in our design is decreasing the execution barrier of entry that blocks plenty of newer gamers from the high-level play expertise.
The primary theme of the sport is “1v1 fights with excessive stakes” – you’re both gaining or shedding an merchandise whenever you queue for a match. Your objects acquire in worth as you utilize them, and that worth will get transferred whenever you win an merchandise out of your opponent. So you possibly can lose your prized objects and even your total character in case you lose a match. I needed to have that Pog or old skool marbles dynamic, the place you possibly can lose your favourite merchandise after which combat to win it again. Or your opponent might decline to rematch and juice the merchandise to extract all that worth you imbued into it throughout earlier fights.
VG247: I am a fan of the artwork fashion! What is the inventive inspiration for that? What kind of vibe are you making an attempt to get throughout?
Boniface: Thanks! It is developed a bit over time however our authentic inspirations have been Samurai Champloo (and that mid-00’s period of grownup swim normally), Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain (which is a wild and simply tremendous trippy film from the 70’s), and japanese tokusatsu reveals (you possibly can see the sentai affect in a number of the gear). I additionally similar to including a sheen of static and wobble to issues.
VG247: By way of preventing video games and rogue-likes this performs like, what’s Longjuice Squeeze’s the closest to?
Boniface: It is type of like…. Rounds by landfall meets Escape from Tarkov? I’d say that the moment-by-moment is someplace between Avenue Fighter and Nidhogg.
VG247: I checked out your web site. Inform me what it is like working as what you describe as a “Micro Studio”. What are the professionals and cons of working as a solo dev with rotating collaborators?
Boniface: The primary professional might be simply operating lean. I haven’t got a full-time staff engaged on this, so my month-to-month burn is basically low.
The primary con is that there is not any protect between the end result of this venture and my very own ego, I assume, ha. There are plenty of choices that I’ve to make unilaterally as a result of I haven’t got one other designer to bounce my concepts off of. That is why the upcoming playtests are going to be invaluable to the venture.
