“How can two folks make a monster-collecting sport that does stuff that Pokémon doesn’t do?”
This query was on the forefront of Jay Baylis and Tom Coxon’s early discussions on what would later grow to be Cassette Beasts, a creature-collecting RPG with an emphasis on good tunes that launches on Swap on twenty fifth Could. The duo makes up Bytten Studio and has some expertise below their online game belts, as each Baylis and Coxon beforehand labored on video games resembling Wargroove and Starbound over at Chucklefish. Collectively, they’re now tackling a style dominated by that multimedia powerhouse, Pokémon.
Cassette Beasts clearly attracts a variety of comparisons and inspiration from Pikachu and buddies: you discover a world stuffed with over 100 totally different monsters that you just turn-based battle in opposition to, including those you wish to your crew alongside the way in which. In addition they evolve, or ‘remaster,’ into extra highly effective kinds. We performed the demo on Steam (there isn’t one for Swap, no less than not but) and cherished each minute of it. Specifically, we loved how the overworld took cues from The Legend of Zelda: A Hyperlink to the Previous, which Baylis confirmed served as the first blueprint for the denseness of their map and the way they approached traversal talents.
Baylis additionally didn’t shrink back from these comparisons to Pokémon as we sat down for our name, stressing they needed to take what folks favored most in regards to the style after which transfer ahead with how they may make Cassette Beasts totally different and distinctive.
“Lots of people will take a look at a sport that is analogous and say, ‘that’s a Pokémon clone’” he tells us. “However you don’t get that with Metroidvania video games; a variety of these video games are similar to Castlevania in a approach that we aren’t to Pokémon.” It strikes Baylis as unusual that individuals aren’t delay from making or shopping for first-person shooters when Name of Obligation exists, so why is that the case with the monster-battler exterior of a flood of shovelware on Steam and a handful of indie-developed titles?
To distinguish and innovate in a resource-intensive style is a monumental activity for 2 folks. What may very well be their ‘factor’ to set them aside?
For Baylis, the reply was easy: fusions. With an curiosity in utilizing artwork in distinctive methods by means of the online game medium, the duo got here up with the concept to mix creatures collectively procedurally; each monster within the sport, of which there are 120, can mix with each different monster to create a strong fusion.
As you may think, designing and animating so many critters that additionally want 120 different animated kinds every (sure, monsters can fuse with their very own species) is inconceivable with over 14,000 theoretical mixtures. Fortunately, they’d the expertise and technological know-how to make it occur.
“[Our] procedural system animates each monster twice. The second time is the fusion kind. It’s as if each monster has an motion determine and a Lego model, the place you may swap components round. The fusion system mixes the components on the modular sprite model, and as a consequence, they’re all absolutely animated and have assault animations. So far as I’m conscious, we’re the one sport to have achieved that [in this genre].”
It’s a way more concerned system than the cursed Pokémon fusion website, which merely switches the face of 1 Pokémon for an additional. We, after all, needed to ask if sure monsters wind up changing into hideous or humorous amalgamations in a lot the identical approach. Baylis confirmed that that is certainly the case, that some monsters you’d anticipate to look superior collectively can look foolish, whereas two cute critters would possibly find yourself trying fairly cool. Baylis emphasised that the order additionally issues: the microphone-wielding Sirenade mixed with the fiery Pombomb will make a Sirenbomb that appears totally different than the reverse, a Pomenade. The bottom monster designs are nice, too. Traffikrab, a site visitors cone-wearing crab, and Dandelion – you may guess what it appears to be like like – gave us amusing after we stumbled upon them.
Outdoors of fusions, Baylis and Coxon designed different elements of Cassette Beasts to enchantment to barely older gamers that grew up with forgiving, kid-focused monster battlers, like Pokémon or the Digimon World video games.
“Possibly [these players] desire a sport that tackles this style with an grownup slant to it,” says Baylis. “I imply, one of many key issues is that each one our characters are younger adults relatively than teenagers or kids. The world of Pokémon is like an idyllic fantasy escapism. We needed to do one thing with a bit extra maturity. [In Cassette Beasts], the characters themselves flip into monsters in order that they hold centre stage, which suggests they’re attention-grabbing and you may develop a narrative [around them].”
Your accomplice characters broaden on the concept of journeying with your pals, which Baylis needed to faucet extra into. You’re by no means alone in Cassette Beasts, taking somebody together with you everytime you head out into the world; as your relationship along with your accomplice grows, you befriend or can romance them. Relationship degree powers up the power of your fusions along with your accomplice, however the romance itself has no mechanical profit: it’s all a part of a extra mature roleplay. It’s also possible to decide to play native co-op with a real-world pal as a substitute.
Bytten has additionally experimented with problem. Whereas Baylis believes your first playthrough of Cassette Beasts gained’t be too difficult in case you comply with and study the sport programs as a substitute of swerving off the really useful path, upon beating it (or unlocking with a secret code in case you choose, though they do need to encourage a daily run first) customized sport modes and settings grow to be accessible. Adjusting the complexity of enemy AI, degree scaling, and a hardcore ‘Nuzlocke’ mode are just the start.
“We’ve got a very loopy customized sport mode the place you may randomise transfer swimming pools on monsters, but additionally sorts and places,” he elaborates. “So you possibly can run a very insane New Sport+, the place Traffikrab is fire-type and solely seems in end-game areas. Your starter is solely totally different and a unique sort with different strikes than normal.”
There appears to be much less hand-holding, too. “You will get into late-game areas early by being superb on the battle system. Beating enemies ten ranges above you by mastering statues, stuff like that.” Baylis and Coxon have been speedrunning the sport, beating it quicker and quicker – however then once more, they’re the builders. Playtesters have reached upward of 60 hours clearing Cassette Beasts exploring each dungeon and recording all of the monsters onto cassette tapes.
We’re of the opinion that this style works finest on a handheld, and after wrapping up our desktop demo, we couldn’t wait to provide Cassette Beasts a go on Swap, lounging on our couch the identical approach we did with each monster collector from time immemorial, together with all of Sport Freak’s. On the finish of our interview, Baylis as soon as once more emphasised that he’s not in opposition to the comparability to Pokémon.
“We love Pokémon, certain, however we’re not making a sport meant to be a tribute or by-product. We see Cassette Beasts as an try to make one thing very new within the house; folks might be fairly shocked to see how totally different it actually is.”
Cassette Beasts releases on PC in the present day, twenty sixth April, and is launching on Nintendo Swap on twenty fifth Could. We’ll, after all, have a assessment able to see how this promising monster-battler fares on Nintendo’s hybrid console.