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  Games by Kinmoku
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VIDEOVERSE – FIRST GAMEPLAY TRAILER

12/23/2022



 
The first gameplay trailer of VIDEOVERSE is here! You can watch it below or over
on Steam.

You may notice the 2023 release window... Once the ending illustrations are
finished, VIDEOVERSE will then be feature complete. After which, I will be
play-testing, implementing feedback, bug fixing and editing – All the stuff I
naively assume will be quick to do but never is. Hence, I've given myself the w
i d e release window of 2023.

I'll be back here with more updates for you soon!

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Until then, it's time to say goodbye to another year. 2022 has been busy in the
Kinmoku studios and no doubt 2023 will be the same! But I wish you all a happy
holiday season.

See you in 2023...the year of VIDEOVERSE! :D






VIDEOVERSE HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE PART OF DAY OF THE DEVS!

10/31/2022



 
I have some excited news to share with you all...

VIDEOVERSE has been selected to be part of Day of the Devs 10th Anniversary on
November 5th in San Francisco…and I’ll be there in-person, showing the first
playable demo of the game!

Day of the Devs is a free, public event where you can try out a bunch of cool
indie games that are currently in development, plus there's food, drinks and
live music! The event is at The Midway and general admission starts at 3pm (PT).
More information and ticket reservations can be found here.

If you're unable to make it in person, there is also a digital event on November
3rd at 10am (PT) which will be on The Game Awards Twitch channel, where you can
see the games in the showcase!

I hope you’ll join us all in the celebrations! :)

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ANNOUNCING MY NEXT GAME: VIDEOVERSE

8/19/2022



 
It's been a while since I last wrote a blog post, especially about 'Game 2', but
the day is finally here! I'm happy to announce my next game is called VIDEOVERSE
and will be launching on Steam and itch.io soon (date TBD).

VIDEOVERSE is narrative adventure game designed around empathy and inspired by
Miiverse! It's set in the days of the early internet and fan forums, and is
named after the fictional online social network in which it is based
(Videoverse). As the player spends time in Videoverse, they'll discover people
in need, form friendships and help make the online community warm and welcoming.
Some friends in particular are going through difficult times, and the game helps
prepare the player navigate heavy topics on disability, depression and neglect.
However, there are plenty of fun and silly moments to enjoy throughout the game
as well (it is inspired by Miiverse, after all!).

VIDEOVERSE can be enjoyed in around 6 hours, but there are optional side stories
and various narrative branches. You can also personalise your experience by
customising your Videoverse avatar, setting your personal quote (remember doing
that on MSN?!) and choosing a favourite theme.

I've been really lucky to work with composer Clark Aboud (Slay the Spire, Kind
Words), who's created a beautifully chill, retro-inspired soundtrack for the
fictional video game console, the "Kinmoku Shark". Additionally, VIDEOVERSE is
my first video game to feature voice acting, which has been a lot of fun to
record! I will be talking more on that in future posts...

It feels so good to announce VIDEOVERSE after all these years of development!
Keeping things quiet until they are ready is really tough!

You can find out more about VIDEOVERSE by checking out its home page (Web 1.0 is
back!), following the game on itch.io, or wishlisting/ following on Steam.

Thanks again to all my fans who have stayed patient with me throughout the years
to hear more about my next project. I believe it will be worth the wait! :)





ONE NIGHT STAND GETS PHYSICAL!

2/17/2021



 
Exciting news for One Night "Stans" (see what I did there?), my first game One
Night Stand is getting a limited physical release on Playstation 4! Pre-orders
are open now over at Red Art Games.

There are only 999 copies available, so act fast if you'd like to have one!


You may notice some new artwork on the sleeve...This is exclusive to this
release. It was a lot of fun to create...revisiting One Night Stand again,
posing for the camera and drawing “the stranger”!

I’m still stoked that this is a thing that’s going to happen...It’s honestly
beyond my wildest dreams. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy! I hope you'll
pick one up, too :)





IT'S 2021 – WHAT I ENJOYED LAST YEAR

1/5/2021



 
Happy New Year everyone! 6 years ago today, I started this adventure making my
own indie games. I can't believe I've been doing this longer than any other job
I've had, and I'm grateful I'm still able to do it :) However, it's been several
months since I last updated you all on what I'm doing which I apologise for,
though 2020 certainly was a year, huh? I thought 2019 was bad enough when
several things went wrong for me, including my health nosediving into the
unknown, but 2020 certainly took the biscuit. I think everyone is happy to see
the end it, even though 2021 may not prove to be any better...

Anyway, every new year, I typically write a post about what I enjoyed over the
last year. I'll be doing that again here, although it's taken me a considerable
amount of energy to write or do anything creative recently. 

I've felt burnt out for over a year now. Once again, I took on too much work for
myself alone and have had to act in several roles. Previously, when I got tired
of work, I would switch to something else; Done too much art? Focus on
programming. Done too much programming? Focus on writing. Done too much writing?
Focus on audio. But this time, I have exhausted everything and I know I need a
serious creative break after my next game is released. It doesn't help that
everyone has been unable to travel most of 2020, as travel typically helps me
recharge my creative energy. However, to combat this burn out, I hired some
help, took staycations, and even took a trip out to the remote German
countryside to escape the city. I took time off over Christmas to rest and
relax, too, but it's hard to properly relax when friend's get sick, their
parents die, governments continue to be incompetent etc etc. Everything has been
so much harder in the last 9 months, and it's amazing simply surviving it.

I haven't seen my family or friends in person for 9 months now, but we've been
playing games online and doing what we can to stay in touch. Things are bad, but
not too bad. I try to remind myself every day just how lucky I am to be working
at home doing what I love. Hopefully, with vaccines now being rolled out, we can
start thinking about the future again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


2020 meant a lot of us stayed inside: We were able to catch up on the shows,
films, books and games on our lists, and still have time spare to revisit our
favourites. So, here's my list of what I caught my attention throughout the
year, in the hopes some of you may find something new which you can enjoy, too!


AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER


I was super late to this party, but when Netflix brought back ATLA, I figured
I'd finally watch it to see what all the fuss was about. Oh. My. God. My
favourite thing of 2020 was watching this classic – I had such a blast and
couldn't stop watching it! So, when it was over, I immediately jumped on to The
Legend of Korra, though sadly I wasn't into it anywhere near as much as ATLA and
found it a bit of a slog...Still, I can't wait to rewatch ATLA again (since by
husband bought me the blu-ray boxset! <3 ) and get into the comics! (Oh, and I
need to draw some Zuko fan art at some point!)

Don't do what I did and skip this gem because it's a kids cartoon or from
Nickelodeon or whatever – get on it!



13 SENTINELS: AEGIS RIM

My fan art of good boy Miura.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim was probably my favourite game of the year. I say
"probably" because I was agonising for weeks whether it was this or Paradise
Killer. They're both joint firsts, I think, but 13 Sentinels made me cry and got
me drawing fan art again, so perhaps it has the edge.

I don't know where to start about why I like this game...The art, the music, the
story, the characters...Everything is good.

13 Sentinels is an ambitious sci-fi story which is somewhat like a collection of
every sci-fi plot you can think of, with so many twists and turns it feels like
you're going deeper and deeper down a rabbit hole. The ending was also pleasant,
being extremely hopeful for mankind (which was comforting in 2020) and, unlike
so many games these days, didn't feel like corners had been cut.

13 Sentinels is the first Vanillaware game I've played (everyone seemed to
assume I was a big fan of theirs because I kept raving about this), but now I
want to check out their other titles. You heard it from me: You do not need to
be a Vanillaware fan to play this game.

Anyway, I'm glad 13 Sentinels performed well for Vanillaware in the West and is
continuing to get picked up by more and more players. However, it's an easy game
to spoil so I won't say anymore about it. Best to go in with little knowledge
and try it for yourself.

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PARADISE KILLER

I got to spend about 35-40 hours with 13 Sentinels. In contrast, Paradise Killer
took me around 12-14 hours to complete. However, in less time, it gave me just
as much enjoyment. Paradise Killer in an incredible game. I had such a blast
with it and enjoyed exploring the whole island so I could find every clue
possible...and I'm rarely a completionist.

Unlike most detective games, PK is non-linear and open-ended – In the final
trial, you can accuse whoever you feel like. Of course, if you find everything,
more evidence points to certain people, but your own judgement can be swayed by
the order you found clues or whether or not you felt attached to any of the
characters. I ended up sentencing a character I really liked to death because I
believed they were guilty. It plays with your own morals and sense of judgement,
and I liked that a lot.

The coolest thing in PK, besides the banging soundtrack which I cannot stop
listening to, is probably the world itself. The lore, the demons, the gods, the
clear Japanese and American influences, even a Shiba-Inu...! It's all perfectly
thought out and the best game world I've visited in several years. I honestly
felt upset having to leave the 24th Island Sequence, though I hope there will be
a sequel in future where we can visit Perfect 25!


HOLOVISTA

Here's another game with a vaporwave-like aesthetic, this time mixed with art
deco and Instagram filters. Holovista is an AR game on iOS, set in a near
future's Instagram-like app. The pre-rendered backgrounds we see throughout the
game are some of the most stunning artworks I have ever seen in a video game,
and it's clear these visuals were designed by a team who've worked in theatre,
art and photography, rather than just video games. Again, like PK, the world's
aesthetic is strong and you really feel as though you're being transported
somewhere else.

Holovista's story critiques the effects of social media on our mental health,
though I personally wanted it to go deeper on this than it did. The ending felt
quite abrupt too, but, all in all, it was a different gaming experience which I
recommend everyone experience.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


BL: METAMORPHOSIS

I read a lot of manga throughout the year, but the stand out for me was BL:
Metamorphosis. BL:M is a story about two Boy's Love fans who form a friendship
through their shared love of BL. However, one is a high school student and
part-time bookseller who knows all the latest BL, whilst the other is an elderly
widowed woman (Ichinoi) who's just getting into BL.

I have a soft spot for elderly women trying new things like BL or video games,
and then getting involved in the fandom or starting their own YouTube
channels...For me, it's seriously heart-warming. I also hope that one day I will
be a nerdy old lady like that, too, but what's so refreshing reading about this
kind of thing is how age can affect your ability to enjoy such hobbies. Ichinoi
is invited to a comic convention but has trouble waiting in line due to her legs
and often needs to sit down.

Another moment which struck me was when Ichinoi was calculating how long it
would take the manga-ka to finish the BL she was reading. She realised there's a
good chance she maybe dead by the time the story is finished, something perhaps
creators don't consider when working on their projects. BL:M sounds like a
downer when I type out scenes like that, but Kaori Tsurutani delivers these
lines so nonchalantly, it evokes empathy and warmth with the character.

Again, you don't have to be a BL fan to enjoy this one! Check it out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MUSHI-SHI


Mushi-Shi is an anime that has been on my watch list for many years, and because
of being stuck inside much of the last year, I was finally able to watch it.
Mushi-Shi is a quiet, slowly paced, episodic anime, quite different from typical
seinen (for men) shows. In it, we follow Ginko; a master of Mushi
(primitive, ubiquitous creatures), wandering through a 19th century Japan and
treating the various ailments caused by them.

What I liked most about this show were the very real, human stories set in a
fantastical, historic Japan. It was fascinating to see how each person reacted
to their or their family member's illness/ good fortune caused by the Mushi.

Mushi-Shi was another piece of entertainment I encountered in 2020 with a
strong, well thought-out world and aesthetic. Most episodes are melancholic, so
I took my time watching it, but each episode has some of the best animation I've
ever seen for a TV series. There was also a strange comfort watching a gentle
show about ailments, virus-like creatures and epidemics in a year where they
were really relevant.


MOB PSYCHO 100

Reigen's expression and animation in this scene makes it so special <3
I branched out a little with my anime this year...Shortly after watching
Mushi-Shi, I started Mob Psycho 100. I'm not particularly fond of shonen (for
boys) anime, but MP100 was a lot of fun, mainly because of it's fantastic cast
of characters and cool animation (by studio Bones).

I was surprised when I learnt the first series was only 12 episodes long (I
thought it was an anime with 50+ episodes or something) because there are so
many characters! Yet, each character is perfectly introduced and understood even
with their limited screen time.

My favourite moments tended to be at the start of each season; seeing Mob
interact at school, trying his best to work out, getting duped by Reigen, being
generally socially awkward, whilst seeing small glimpses of his awesome psychic
powers. Towards the end of each season, the show goes fully shonen, and I found
it a little dull/ tropey. Less time was spent with Mob and Reigen, who, in my
opinion, are the strength of the show, and more time spent on enemies and
fights...Though, I'll admit, some of the fights were pretty awesome and even I
felt pumped! But my favourite parts of MP100 were whenever Mob was being super
sweet. He's a character who's impossible to not love. Now, I want to draw Mob
and Reigen fan art, hehe!

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NECROBARISTA

Games about death seem to be in fashion right now. There's Spiritfarer, I Am
Dead and Necrobarista (just to name a few), but the latter really made me feel
for the characters and question my thoughts around death and mortality. I know a
game about death might seem like the last thing you'd want to experience in 2020
but, like all good stories around death, Necrobarista is actually hopeful, sweet
and full of love.

I first played Necrobarista for IGF judging a few years ago, so it was an early
build which, at the time, left little impression on me, but I decided to try it
again when the final version released. Whilst playing, I was surprised at just
how much it had changed. Necrobarista still has some weak moments, but overall
it's a stylish game, extremely unique, and both happy and sad. It's a linear
visual novel, with few choices or player input, but the camera shots and music
make for a great experience and, if I'm honest, I preferred staying closer to
the narrative, than wasting my time on mini-games and simulations. I also
appreciated the setting (Melbourne, Australia) and culture around it, with
tooltips on what certain Australian phrases mean. Another game which did this in
2020 was If Found, which is set in Ireland, and this trend is something I'd like
to see more of in games. It makes a refreshing change to learn about different
cultures and language usages outside the US.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


BUGSNAX

"Oh-oo-oh! It's Bugsnax!" – Those are the lyrics to Kero Kero Bonito's song
which I haven't been able to get out of my head since last Summer! Bugsnax is a
"cute" adventure game where you collect Bugsnax (kinda bug, kinda snack), feed
them to local residents, help the residents, take photographs, and uncover the
mysteries of Snaktooth island. I was very excited about this game as the premise
sounded bizarre, yet different and "cute". I keep writing "cute" with inverted
commas because it felt like there was always something iffy about Snaktooth
island...Some kind of dark undertone to what was actually going on. This seemed
to catch some players off-guard, assuming it was just a wholesome, kids game,
but I liked that it went to a weird, darker place later on.

Whilst playing, I experienced a few bugs (har har) and often caught the bugsnax
with luck alone, so I often didn't feel like I really earnt my catch. However,
Bugsnax has some great, lovable characters and hilarious moments. My favourite
characters were Snorpy and Chandlo as they're complete opposites but both love
and care about each other deeply. Actually, there are more gay couples in
Bugsnax than straight, and I feel like no-one has pointed that out which is a
bit of a shame since I think it should be celebrated for great representation,
especially in a "kids" game.

Anyway, Bugsnax made me feel like a kid again; whether that's because of the N64
vibe (it's a lot like Pokémon Snap), the silly characters or the "cute"
critters, I don't know...but I do know it felt good to feel like that in 2020.



HAVEN

Haven is a (optional) couch co-op game which I played with my husband. You play
a couple who have escaped to Source –a fragmented, previously inhabited planet–
so they can be together. It's a gorgeous game with a fantastic soundtrack by
Danger, who did Furi's OST. However, the controls make the game a little less
fun, and the story's pacing is all over the place. The characters barely grow,
too, which is a little disappointing, but I wanted to talk about Haven because,
despite these issues, I found it inspiring. Couch co-op games have always been a
favourite of mine, yet so few exist these days, but what makes Haven different
is it's about a couple. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of another game
where you play a couple in love...It's refreshing and pleasing to see. Also,
this couple is straight, and I feel there aren't many straight couples in games
who actually like each other or are explored beyond the initial getting together
phase. In Haven, we see Kay and Yu always talking to one-another, holding each
other as they fall asleep, cooking together, regaining health from hugs and
kisses...and it's all beautiful. I won't say that their chemistry is anything
particularly special; many lines of dialogue are relatable but rather tropey,
yet it was still refreshing to see a couple trying to work together to survive
on an unknown planet. Moments where Kay and Yu get intimate even felt a little
uncomfortable, like we shouldn't be there, though I'm always impressed when a
game pushes boundaries like that. The voice acting was superb, too, and brought
both characters to life. Having been stuck inside most of the year with my
husband, it was nice to see another couple getting by in their isolation and
discussing amongst themselves if they're able to cope being cut off from
everyone. Anyway, I recommend Haven if you enjoy seeing romance in games or
enjoy Toejam and Earl – It's basically Toejam and Earl but they're in love.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA

Lastly, I rewatched my favourite anime: Revolutionary Girl Utena. I won't talk
too much about it, as I'm sure I've mentioned why I love it a thousand times
already, but I was finally able to buy a region 2(!!) box set and officially
watch it! Seriously, I've had to cope with poor quality limewire files I
downloaded over 15 years ago up until this point! Why are my favourite shows so
difficult to find? >_< Anyway, I had such a good time revisiting it, I drew
another fan art, this time of Utena in her coffin (see right).

Every time I watch RGU, I spot something new or finally figure out what
something means. It's such a symbolic show and can be interpreted in a variety
of ways, which is a huge reason I love returning to it. For example, unlike many
of RGU's fans, I'm not lesbian, so I don't particularly see sexual tension
between Anthy and Utena. However, as I a gray-ace, what I do see is pure-ace or
platonic love, instead, but whatever your orientation, it's clear Utena loves
Anthy throughout the show and does everything she can for her. Everyone's
interpretations of this show are valid, and there's a beauty in keeping things
symbolic and vague so it can reach a wider audience.

Each time I watch RGU, Utena seems more and more naive and foolish, but that
doesn't make her unlikeable in the slightest – Many of us are naive and foolish
when it comes to society's influence on us, in particular patriarchy's. To me,
it's always enjoyable to see Utena (and the other characters) slowly wake up to
this throughout the show...Not everyone wants to revolutionise the world as
Utena eventually does. Some aspire to uphold the patriarchy and others wish
entirely that miracles would cease to exist.

As I keep saying throughout this post, please do not miss this because you think
it's not for you. My husband also loves RGU because it's deep, dark and complex,
and he barely likes anime. There's a lot going on in RGU for everyone. For me, I
love the message that you're valid even if you don't adhere to society's norms –
Girls can be strong, but they don't need cast aside their femininity or play by
patriarchy's rules in order to be so.

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There were many other things I enjoyed throughout the year (Hades, Animal
Crossing: New Horizons, Among Us), though I felt these have been covered much
better by more people, so I wanted to talk about things you may have missed.
Also, there were a load of games and shows I didn't get around to in time. For
example, I'm still playing Yakuza: Like a Dragon and rewatching Sailor Moon and
The Demon Headmaster (hello my 90s), though I feel these are all things I'd be
talking about if I'd finished them before the year end!

However, before I sign off, I want to do a final shout out to my gaming moment
of the year which was from Final Fantasy VII Remake. I know...FF7 Remake. Me. If
you've read my previous blog post, you may be confused as to why my favourite
gaming moment of the year was in FF7 Remake, but the moment you reach the third
phase of the Jenova battle, the music drops and all my love for the the original
game resurfaced, giving me goosebumps over my entire body. It was something
special, even if it was mostly through the power of nostalgia.

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As for game development, I am planning on a formal announcement for my next game
real soon. In the past, I have said too much, too soon, so I don't want to make
that mistake again. I just thank you for sticking with me and being so patient!

If you don't want to miss the next update, you can subscribe to the newsletter
below:
Subscribe to the newsletter for the latest updates and more!


As several countries are once again going into lockdown, everyone please look
after yourselves and stay safe! We'll get through this together.

Best wishes for 2021!



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