The Side Quest

Join me as I sit down with the developer behind the upcoming hardcore single-player survival game, Road to Vostok. We take a closer look at how new developers can approach getting a job in the industry, maximizing your games potential, AI tools in gaming, the industry as a whole and of course his title, Road to Vostok. Check out the demo on Steam Road to Vostok is a hardcore single-player survival...

I’m joined by game developer and tattoo artist Vince to talk about how the industry is evolving in 2024, how he approaches playtesting with his title, and everything you need to know about upcoming hand-drawing metroidvania, Super Roboy. Check out the game on Steam Super Roboy is a unique hand-drawn Metroidvania set in a post-apocalyptic world where players can absorb enemy skills and explore a ri...

Today I'm joined by Michael, the developer of upcoming story driven arena shooter, GlitchStorm and Celina who handles the games sound design, voice over, and music Now Michael has been in the industry for about 15 years working at both Techland as a level and senior lighting artist and Lucid Games as a level designer - We dig into multiplayer replication, AI in development, and of course GlitchSto...

I sit down with Mitko from team Dreamteck to get his take on the state of indie and AAA titles, how Steams new policy to allow AI created games will impact indie game developers, whether or not you NEED a publisher in 2024, and his teams upcoming high speed adventure, OVERRIDER! Check out the game on Steam OVERRRIDER merges the exhilaration of board riding with a unique roguelike gameplay experien...

I’m joined by indie game developer Felipe to talk whether games have gotten to large, whether or not the roles have shifted between Indie and AAA games in 2024, how his team is approaching their first dev cycle and launch, and of course, his upcoming action-adventure roguelite, Veil of Shadows. Wishlist the game on Steam Veil of Shadows is an action-adventure game infused with roguelite elements....

I sit down with artist, cartoonist, and indie developer Jon Nielsen to get his perspective on approaching the industry as a freelancer, the importance of NextFest when marketing your game, and his newly released title, WitchHand. Check out the game on Steam WitchHand is a strategy game where players utilize cards to cultivate an empire of witches and manage their coven's expansion and power. The g...

What exactly is the standard for games with puzzle driven elements in them in 2024? Join game developer Al and I as we take a closer look at the the standard for puzzle driven games, making multiple titles at the same time, how to approach marketing as an indie game dev, and what you can expect from early access game. Dream of the Star Haven. Check out the game on Steam Dream of the Star Haven is...

I sit down with indie game developer Kurtis to talk about the state of AAA in 2024 and how Covid may have a part to play in that, the support that Indie game developers do (or don’t get) compared to the rest of the world, and his teams’ upcoming story driven metroidvania, Dewborne Dawn! Wishlist the game on Steam Dewborne Dawn is an upcoming story-driven Metroidvania offering players a hand-drawn,...

Indie game developer Julien and I take a closer look at the main three game engines: Unity, Godot, and Unreal. We explore the trends that are predicted to be on the rise in 2024, and take a closer look at his upcoming GameCube inspired title, Seed of Life. Check out the Game on Steam Seed of Life is an old school GameCube inspired action-adventure game where players take on the role of Hope, a spi...

Doug from Triple Tap Games and I take a look at what defines success for an indie game developer in today's competitive market, the state of AAA games in 2024, and what players can expect from upcoming psychological horror, first-person platformer, The Unknown. Wishlist The Unknown on Steam The Unknown takes players through a twisted reality of heart-pounding psychological horror where they can so...

Weston from Starsoft Entertainment and I discuss how AI will impact freelance artists and the game development industry moving forward, as well as what goes into creating their upcoming game Savior, and what the game will offer players when it releases! Wishlist Savior on Steam Check out Savior’s Website Savior is an action-adventure platformer that offers a vast open world to explore and help reb...

Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is a JRPG that takes to the skies with turn-based dogfights. Recruit a crew of Sky Pirates to join your cause, fight against The Alliance, and make friends along the way with Ghibli-inspired visuals, diverse environments, and memorable character designs! Check out the game on Steam Today I sat down with Julio from Octeto Studios to talk about maintaining long term succes...

#gamedevelopment #gaming #videogames #gamingvideos The Murder Hotel is an interactive murder mystery adventure game with a twist to it being developed by German based solo developer Wegenbartho Games! It features a colorful cast of characters, along with unique gameplay mechanics to solve crimes! Check out the game on Steam This week I sit down with Max to take a closer look at developer mental he...

AI-KODE is an immersive action RPG being developed by ACE. It focuses on player freedom housed inside of a rich story where players can explore a vast world with high levels of verticality, ride animals and motorcycles, and fight enemies with hack and slash style combat. Check out the game on Steam Join Ace and I as we discuss the difference between working in Unity and working in Unreal, the Epic...

Forge of the Fae is a pixelated story-rich JRPG being created by Datadyne LLC and inspired by Celtic folklore. It delivers retro charm alongside modern gameplay mechanics, and showcases a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique playstyles. Check out the game on Steam Join David from Datadyne LLC and I as we discuss navigating the restrictions of a pixel driven art style, streamlinin...

Hardcore Droid and Hardcore iOS are mobile gaming websites created by Al Jackson to give players a better perspective on what’s worth your time and what’s not as so many games head to Playstore every day. Check out Hardcore Droid Check out Hardcore iOS Join me as I sit down with website creator Al Jackson to discuss Netflix and Cloud gaming, Freemium titles, maneuvering the mobile gaming world, an...

Criminals Within is an exciting asymmetric co-op multiplayer action-adventure game set in a medieval fantasy land where players will encounter devolved dragons, and unravel the mysteries that threaten the realm's existence. Check out the game on Steam Join Zsombi from team Space Rock Games and I as we talk about shocking the Steam algorithm, AA development teams and where they stand in the industr...

SameShadow is an upcoming third-person action role-playing game that sends players through a blend of Spanish cities and culture while offering a variety of fast paced shooter and melee combat abilities. Check out the game on Steam! Join me and the solo developer behind the game as we discuss SameShadow’s overall development, how to approach world building, the culture behind dev communities, Unre...

Atlas Fallen is an action-adventure game set in a timeless land, where players must navigate through ancient dangers and unravel mysteries of the past. With powerful sand-infused weapons and abilities, they can engage in epic battles against legendary monsters in thrilling and visually stunning combat. Check out the game on Steam! Join me as I sit down with Phil Pradel from Deck 13 to discuss Atla...

Check out Eresys On Steam! Eresys is a spine-chilling co-op horror game inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft that features dynamic AI mechanics alongside unique enemies. In today’s interview I sit down with Aris, one half of the team behind Eresys to discuss their previous projects, the challenges in creating VR games, the evolution of the game industry and more.

Check out the game and play the demo! Bionic Bay is an innovative 2D platformer set in a decaying biomechanical world where players interact with their environment using a unique swap mechanism. In today’s interview I sit down with Juhana, one half of Bionic Bay’s two team squad to discuss the world design, the games development, the audio visual experience, and the team's successes and learning m...

Check out the game on Steam Oirbo is an action 2D Metroidvania Platformer with an emphasis on exploring a giant spacecraft in search of answers! I sit down with Diogo to talk about the game development cycle, the "golden path" in level design, what makes a metroidvania a metroidvania, AI, and the shortages that hit the industry with the release of Xbox Series X and Playstation 5!

Check out the game on Steam Elements is an open world, Co-op, 3rd-person, RPG. If you combined Zelda Breath of the Wild, Witcher 3, Pokémon, and a little Minecraft, you'd have Elements! Join me as I sit down with Devon, the lead developer behind the game this week to talk his game, building an RPG in Unreal Engine, the industry as a whole, and more on this weeks episode of The Side Quest!

Wildmender is an adventure strategy game where players can farm, explore, and create life all in a vast desert world. Developed by a team of talented developers with multiple titles under their belt, I sat down with Muse Games’ Howard to dive into procedural generation, the world gaming market, marketing in the industry, and how audiences have evolved! Join me on this week’s Side Quest as we explo...

Cursed Crew is a captivating roguelike crew management game being created by a group of three talented indie developers with a background in Modding. Cursed Crew challenges players to navigate through hazardous environments, battle pirates and sea monsters, and overcome the curse that plagues your crew. I sat down with Roel from Cracklewock Games to talk about what goes into modding and how it wor...