If there was one thing who could not get tired of, metroidvania is good; the indie team Code Wakers upcoming Akatoricertainly seems to know that it’s going well with this description. With its stunning pixel art style, the promise of interesting atmosphere and attention to combat mechanics have turned many heads. To learn more about the game and what will make it tick, we sent a few questions to its development team last year. You can read our interview with Vladimir (Designer/Technographer), Will + Statedesigner Alina (+ Snagman).

“Pixel art is about intent and with great artists on our team we want to make visuals really pop.”

Akatori has an interesting artistic style. Can you tell us what it’s like for this game and the big challenges that we face in implementing them?

Vladimir (Game Designer, Tech Artist and Gameplay Programmer): For me it’s simple to make a 2.5D Pixel Art game. In just a half century of experience behind our art team backs, the technique was already achieved by itself into science. We decided that instead than trying to understand existing ground and apply it for future experiments we would rather use this methodology which has more room in experimentation space; or then how do we spend many hours painting something? There are many challenges (which is why this kind of art has a lot to work with), the most important being keeping gameplay organized between 2D and 3DS graphics. Pixel art is all about intention and as long a team of great artists we have, I hope that you want to get the visual touch on your hand. Techniquely, nothing stops us from adolating photorealistic data-based rendering and graphing everywhere; but we want to deliver something unique of the art you use. The goal is to create more personal objects that are both personally identifiable or stylized together with additional freedom amongst all 3D tools while remaining rich in quality space for power generation services such as Photoshop.

How does Akatoris world leverage its art style on the difference between design and aesthetic symmetry of their environments?

Vladimir: Using the game’s structure gives us much freedom in world design. On a macro scale, every individual zone has its own independent world with other inhabitants: culture and ecosystem; we’re committed to making them as varied possible. We keep the whole game together that is connected between both different lores of playmaking events where one can discover everything from this particular scene in time for all humanity’ll ever be alive by each moment until it becomes apparent how some people see what they are doing. On scales of a micro, level-to-5 levels the 2.5D art style gives us freedom from limits on tile use which are common in such games as Photoshop. Finally there is able to be used by every room with small pieces and pieces that make it unique for each individual apartment look like masked rooms entirely handmade together per handcrafted gemography; this kind still makes up many natural materials about those objects. Navigation is a vital part of any Metroidvanian system. This approach will allow us to create more varied levels with memorable landmarks, and you’ll take forever notice the need for them as well!

What can you say to us about Akatoris combat system? The difference in the competition is for both staff and firsts.

Vladimir: Easy to pick up and hard of master would be an ideal term for my practice in combat design, I consider that it is one part you must keep me busy with. The whole game was born out of a old prototype that I used to learn how to use the platforming handguns. In Akatori, we doubled down on that idea in order to make it the main component of this game. The more a player go to the game, and even the more staff movesets get stronger with new abilities. However key roles stay same in their head’ll never fail by means of fast damage dealer; while staff serves as service tool like your main platforming tools, for recovery mode-playment, long-range projectile far from which there are many magic spellers: slow, hard yet unproven weapons that could not be removed but built on complex skills so easily these deadly enemies will quickly conquer them! And knowing how to use both of your toolskit effectively in a fight is the key.

Because of the structure and nature, we can use this game to create a lot more freedom. One’s own, uniform society has a different population; culture and ecosystem are among our people. We want to make it as varied: while the whole game is shared with story-twisty theme.”

What will players expect from Akatori over the past week? How does game play compare approachability and difficulty?

Will (Gamer, Level Designer): There are several enemies and bosses in the game. Whenever the enemy has any design, it gives them an amazing opportunity to challenge. Being a main weapon is highly important in the Metroidvanian game, so that no enemies from each other’s will be real challenging. It’s a mix of easy and hard ones. The difficulty is small, but in a game that doesn’t matter when they play an area similar to those who have the other side of the map.

Alina (Narrative Designer): There are multi-genres in the game, among which many will be present at an upcoming demo. Each enemy has unique design and pattern that encourages players to be creative, use their skills in order for they’re competitive. The progress in exploration is very important, however a metroidvanian game plays an important role. Therefore no enemy of the game will pose real challenges for every enemy at that time.” I think it’s all about balance. The difficulty is progressive, but in such a nonlinear game one area can be tricky as well.

How wide is Akatoris world? Since it is a metroidvanian game, how intricate and complex can players expect its level of architecture to be built?

Vladimir: We don’t want too much time to spoil yet, but due as far back then we aim for 10+ different worlds and 20 + hours of gameplay. And because of my relationship with a one-way connection, I’m cooking something really special there and hopefully we can talk about it pretty quickly.

How does the Void fit into Akatoris context? When players are in the Void, how much will you feel at playing?

The name of that place is probably regarded as Kohakujo Void, but it’s not a work-name quenched by the public. Second, setting Akatori is really difficult to define. What you could say as set means only the first time we have already been around in a game that there’s nothing less than us spend much time with it on those days of life? So somehow, Kohakujo might be Akatoris setting itself. With boring clarifications aside, Kohakujo is the origin of and main world lore wise: its been there since beginning; his energy from amber resin has created all other planet’en birthplace even our homeworld. Once an prosperous place, it now resides in one’s container of the rest and acts as such another energy-powered space that gives it all its power to function. If you don’t like enemies and bosses unique to Kohakujo, players have got a lot of attention. To reset the timer, you must either save or hit a special bell in front of each other. But more challenges also mean a lot of rewards, so it’s always the matter which is really worth taking at time.

From raw numbers, we aim for 10 and twenty different worlds with more than 20 hours of gameplay.

What are you able to say about the battle and cross-fighting experience players will encounter throughout their game?

Will: It’s a key element. A metroidvania is essentially an exploration game, so the players always expect to find something special in each corner of your map or after defeating you. These abilities can improve the exploration potential, which allows players to reach new areas on map and that is not only where they play better a battle. It can be necessary to defeat some enemies or bosses at least, reduce the challenge and give new combat resources for players. The players can expect such a kind of synergy.

Alina: Beyond their primary function, Akatori’s ability is very enjoyable. Some of them is useful not only in combat, but also just to have fun and play around moments as quiet.

Do you have any plans for Akatori to PlayStation and Xbox after it is introduced?

Vladimir: Not in the moment, no. But now were aiming for PC and Switch both to achieve this goal!