The Night Wanderer (Interview)

1. WHAT WAS THE FIRST GAME THAT YOU''VE PLAYED THAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH GAMING?

Every member of the Mighty-koi team played different video games. One interesting answer is about Dawn of War, made by Relic Entertainment:  "I am an avid RTS player, and this title made me fall in love with the genre. I remember playing it for hours on end when I was still a little kid. I do think the original Dawn of War is an example of a game that was made by extremely passionate developers who poured their hearts and souls into it. Seems to me that there are fewer and fewer games made in such a manner these days. "

2. WHO INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO GAME DEVELOPMENT AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO GAME DEVELOPMENT?

Our inspiration to get into game development, among others, was Dark Souls and From Software’s unique Game Design. Some of us remember playing the game for the very first time and being blown away by the design choices the studio made and how different the game felt from current trends and what was available on the market. It was really inspirational and helped with decision-making about designing games for a living.

3. HOW WAS YOUR GAME STUDIO PUT TOGETHER AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COME UP WITH THE NAME OF YOUR STUDIO?

The etymology behind the name "Mighty Koi" for a game development studio is both evocative and rich in symbolism, drawing from various cultural and natural associations. The koi fish, a creature revered across many cultures, particularly in Japan, symbolizes luck, prosperity, perseverance, and strength. These attributes are mirrored in the aspirations and values of the studio itself.
"Mighty," on the other hand, implies great power, strength, and a capacity to overcome challenges. It's a word that evokes images of heroism and significant achievements. Combined, "Mighty Koi" suggests a studio that embodies the resilience and beauty of the koi fish, while also striving for excellence and impactful creations in the realm of game development. It's a name that promises games filled with depth, challenge, and the potential for transformation and growth, much like the journey of the koi fish itself, which is often said to swim upstream against all odds.

4. WHAT GAMES HAVE YOU CREATED BEFORE THE NEWEST GAME THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON NOW?

Our studio consists of multiple experienced developers who worked for studios like From Software or Ubisoft. We also work with talented people who worked in other studios and developed RPGs or soul-like games. We will share more information in the future.

5. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NIGHT WANDERER. WHAT MADE YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME?

Night Wanderer, in the language of the inhabitants of the planet Midgaard - Nitj'sefni. This is the nickname that the game's main character Vuko Drakkainen chooses to use for his mission.

6. I SEE THE GAME IS IN ITS EARLY STAGES SO TELL US ABOUT THE PROTAGNIST IN THE GAME.

He is a spec-op, soldier, warrior, and man from Earth who gained experience in various fields. They made him a skilled and goal-oriented mercenary with the heart of an adventurer and strong views of the world. He is likable due to his dark humor and endearing grumpiness, which allows him to face challenges with a healthy distance. Confronted with the strangeness of Midgaard, he changes and grows as a character. Being a person who was always looking for a logical explanation, he had to change his way of thinking to be able to confront magic. In isolation, he discovers his darker side, unfulfilled needs, and longing for a place to call home.

7. WHERE DOES THE NIGHT WANDERER TAKE PLACE?

The action of the soulslike game "The Night Wanderer" unfolds on Midgaard, a planet in a distant star system with an Earth-like environment and two moons. The game's setting is in a temperate climate zone, mirroring Northern Europe, particularly reminiscent of Scandinavia on Earth. Midgaard is encircled by an energy field of unknown origin, which destabilizes and eventually destroys all complex technology, compelling researchers and players alike to adapt and find new ways to survive without advanced machinery. Upon discovering Midgaard, humans found the first extraterrestrial intelligent life and began to study the planet and its indigenous inhabitants, aiming to interfere as little as possible with their development, given their lower technological level compared to Earth's. In this environment, players face challenges not only from the natural world and monstrous creations by the Doers but also from the task of understanding and adapting to the native culture and its people, adding a layer of depth to the soulslike gameplay of "The Night Wanderer."

8. LET'S BREAK DOWN THE GAMEPLAY A LITTLE BIT. SO TELL US WHY SOULS LIKE? WHAT GAVE
THIS IDEA TO BE A SOULS LIKE GAME IN YOUR OPINION?

Soulslike means something different to every player, to some it's about the nuanced gameplay mechanics and boss fights, to others it's the level design. In my mind the experience of being a lonesome wanderer exploring an unknown land is just as important. This is very much in line with what Vuko goes through upon arriving in Midgaard. He's thrust into this alien world and overwhelmed by it, realizing magic, in some sense, is actually real. He has to come to grips with a new reality unfolding before his very eyes. Which brings us to another pivotal component of any Soulslike that is a pivotal component of Vuko’s journey; overcoming hardship.

9. NOW WE SEE THIS HAS SOME RPG ELEMENTS IN THE GAME TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE ABILITIES
THAT YOU GAIN IN THE GAME?

The player will obtain abilities via 2 gameplay systems: Cyphral and Corruption. Via Cyphral. the player will be able to enter a powerful, enhanced combat mode that will strengthen their action pool and expand it, granting access to additional melee combos. Then there is Corruption which is caused by Midgaard's magic, affecting everything on the planet, including Cyphral. Corruption, like Cyphral, will be tied to multiple gameplay systems and mechanics, often forcing you to make difficult but meaningful choices. You might stumble upon a unique ability upgrade that will force you to choose between its two variants; one of them will be more effective for example staggering all nearby enemies but also permanently raising Cyphral's Corruption which can lead to other, unwanted outcomes.

10. WHAT TYPE OF ENEMIES OUTSIDE OF THE SPIDER CAN WE EXPECT TO FACE IN THE GAME?

Upon discovering Midgaard, humans found the first extraterrestrial intelligent life and began to study the planet and its indigenous inhabitants, aiming to interfere as little as possible with their development, given their lower technological level compared to Earth's. Within the world of The Night Wanderer, players will face challenges not only stemming from the bizzare, otherworldy fauna but also from monstrous creations of the Doers, enshrouded in mystery. 

11. NOW MORE ON THE GAMEPLAY SIDE SO THIS GAME HAS A BALANCE OF A METROIDVANIA
WITH A BLEND OF SOULS-LIKE ASPECTS TO SO CAN YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE THE
BLEND IN WITH BOTH SIDES OF THAT?

 When we began pre-production, one of the first things we asked ourselves was whether we can step up to the challenge and craft levels on par with those seen in From Software games. We've spent a lot of time studying various blockouts and their pacing, teaming up with senior level designers well versed in Metroidvania-style design. In The Night Wanderer, exploration is a key component of the gameplay loop. Other than the hand crafted, well-thought geometry itself, we also want to bring something new to the table. Each level in the game has unique environmental gameplay mechanics that force the player to adapt their playstyle accordingly. While we are NOT creating an open world type structure of multiple Metroidvania levels as seen in Elden Ring, we will deliver a non linear gameplay flow with actual agency on what part of the world to delve into first. Our levels and combat arenas will have multiple approach points, interconnectivity, shortcuts and optional paths.

12. IN THE FUTURE OF THIS GAME WILL THEIR MORE DLC FOR THE STORYTELLING ASPECTS TO
THE NIGHT WANDERER?

Of course. Often during both pre-production and production when we planned the game’s content based off of the source material we’d find ourselves realizing that we can’t squeeze everything into a single game. While we’re focusing on delivering the base production for now, we do have discussions about future content and make plans accordingly.

13. HONESTLY PEOPLE WILL THINK THIS IS LIKE THE WITCHER KILLER BUT WHY DO YOU THINK THIS
GAME WILL STAND OUT AND BE IT'S OWN GAME SO IT WON'T BE COMPARED TO THE WITCHER.

While we do think our game will cater to the Witcher fans it is fundamentally a somewhat different experience. First off, the Witcher is more of a classic RPG, and while our quest design itself leans into what was seen in the CD Projekt Red blockbuster, our gameplay loop is more compacted and combat and exploration-focused. Most importantly, we want to innovate on the formulas we derive our gameplay from and, as such, have unique systems such as Cyphral and Corruption. You've seen a glimpse of Cyphral in the trailer as Deirdre implants it into Vuko.
If you feel confident in your skills as a warrior, you can choose to use Cyphral to aid you in exploring Midgaard instead, unlocking additional shortcuts, uncovering secrets, putting you on the most optimal path and providing additional information on fauna and flora. We’ve already touched a bit on Corruption in some of our previous answers and we don’t want to reveal too much as of now.

14. WHEN WILL THE NIGHT WANDERER RELEASE AND WHAT PLATFORMS WILL IT RELEASE?

 As was showcased in our reveal trailer, the game will ship when it's ready. We want to take our time to deliver a high quality AA+ experience that will stand out on the market. 

15. WHERE CAN THEY FIND YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA SO THEY CAN GET THE LATEST ON YOUR GAME?

 Go to https://www.mighty-koi.com/ where you’ll find links to all our socials as well as our steam page and discord server where we engage with the community.