Unsouled - Interview with Developer

Unsouled is a 2D-action RPG in the style of Onimusha 2 (2002). The gameplay is focused on fast-paced, stylized combat with destructible environments. The developer was interviewed recently about the game by indiegraze.

As a 2D action RPG, Unsouled focuses on fast-paced, highly customizable combat. I chatted with developer Jinsub Jung on the focused nature of his project and the challenges he faces as he pushes ahead.

Erik Meyer: Unsouled excels as a fighting game in which the player character absorbs the souls of enemies to advance. Unlike games that try to include multiple other elements (like crafting, abundant NPCs, and sidequests, etc), the game stands on its well-developed combat system and engaging play. As an indie developer, how has this specificity helped you develop a unique project, and what do you see Unsouled gaining for its tight focus?

Jinsub Jung: Various games have been tried to add compelling elements to action games. Sometimes they have succeeded, but most of them come up short. Sometimes, I feel changes are made reluctantly to extend game playtimes.

Unsouled is intensively focused on "me" as a game player. Since I am indie-game developer, I can get rid of elements that I hate and concentrate on the "action" itself. Because of this, Unsouled does not have the path-finding and puzzle elements which I find boring; even where options like that exist, they should focus on spicing combat up. Only one thing I want to show through Unsouled is obvious. Fun comes from the action.

EM: You mention the inspiration of games like Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, albeit as a pixel game. Can you speak to the overall playthrough experience you're aiming for, the combination of aesthetics, game feel, and satisfaction on the part of the player? What do you see Unsouled evoking that adds to the corpus of indie games?

JJ: I played Onimusha 1 and 2 for between 100-200 hours when I was teen; "il-sen" (Onimusha's counter action) gave me the best catharsis I have ever experienced. The game stands as an action game pinnacle, and I want to reproduce that feeling with 2D action game. I even thought to create a 3D game, but I do have not enough experience to take that on, so I dropped it.

The other thing that drives me is combo action from 1 on 1 fighting games.

Personally, I am from the generation playing 1 on 1 titles like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Virtual Fighter; I still dream of attending EVO one day. (I've played SFV for more than 400 hours, and my rank is around 5000, my grade is Diamond.)

With this accumulated knowledge and experience, I tried to implement the "action fitted" fighting game combo style with Unsouled. Most action games' combo designs are getting easier to use, such as one button activating critical arts.

Unlike this trend, Unsouled is designed needing accurate input and timing to successfully land combos. Super play with counterattacks and stylish actions with chain combos are the best things Unsouled can provide. I would be satisfied if people remember my game, saying, "It implements advanced action well."

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