Developer Interview: Necrowave
Have you ever thought about what would happen if a zombie got a microwave stuck on its butt? Me either! But, apparently, the developer Arfhis has, and according to him, it’s an emotional journey!
Allow me to introduce to you Necrowave — a charming metroidvania title with many years in the making! Its passionate developer has gone through hell and back to learn all the skills necessary to make the game of his dreams! Find out all about his journey to make this hand-drawn title!
Introduction. Tell me about yourself/the team!
My name is Arfhis. I'm a solo game developer that dropped out of uni, quit his job in a country where the only way to survive was by becoming a doctor or engineer, and instead decided to make a game.
I'm dying to know what inspired the idea of an emotional life of a zombie that is stuck in a microwave?
I was making a game about protecting an oyster from sea monsters that are tired of his puns, and out of nowhere, this idea came into my head, and [I] just knew immediately this is what I needed to make.
What inspires you so much about hand-drawing the world and characters?
I don't like monsters that feel the same but with bigger health bars and faster/bigger attacks; I prefer each monster to feel like a challenge from start to finish of the game. The game is meant to be explored non-linearly, so the level of all enemies should be manageable at any stage of the game.
What inspires you so much about hand-drawing the world and characters?
Grew up on ‘90s cartoons and Disney movies. And hand-drawn animation is the only way to get this look.
On that note, what encouraged you to post on social media what goes behind the scenes in creating a hand-drawn platformer?
Have no money to pay influencers to showcase the game for me, I guess lol. And I wouldn't want to work with a publisher. I prefer working on Necrowave solo [and] at my own pace to build it exactly how I want it to be. So I guess the only way to spread [the] word of the game was to exist in social media.
Behind the scenes, I buy books and courses to study things like art, animation, sound design, gameplay design and feel. Because to make the game I have in my head solo, I need to learn a LOT.
Have you used any games as inspiration for what direction you wanted for Necrowave? If not, has it been difficult to find inspiration considering the unique premise? Zombie games are usually FPS, never comedic and puzzle-based platformers!
Absolutely. My top three influences are Hollow Knight, Cuphead, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Inspiration was easy; it's in my nature to make a game like this. I've always loved dark comedies like The Addams Family that always poked fun at the macabre, so it just came naturally to me. And I've played platformers my whole life, so I've had a lot of exposure to puzzle-based elements to draw inspiration from.
What has been the biggest challenge you've faced while developing the game (aside from financial problems)?
Learning. For two years, I've spent six hours every day studying art and animation; for six, I've studied programming; for one year, I've studied gameplay design and story writing. And after I add some heavy content to the game, I will study composing and how to make music for the game.
Similarly, what has been the most pleasant/rewarding experience you've had while developing Necrowave?
Having my first time seeing people actually enjoy something I've created. I had gone to a gaming convention to showcase my game for the first time and was nervous about what people would think of my game, worried that they'll hate it. One kid played it for five minutes and just stopped playing, so at the moment, I just assumed people [didn't] like my game. 10 minutes later, that same kid came back and brought all of his friends to play together. I've never felt joy like that in my life.
Has the game's vision changed throughout the many years of development, and if so, how?
Yes, absolutely. The zombie used to be in a microwave, and the game used to be called Unbread. That… is not a joke, believe me. Other than that, as I develop my skills and become more experienced and knowledgeable about making games, I get better ideas on how to make the game as good as it can be. Though, the core of it is almost the same.
What have been some of the biggest lessons you've learned throughout your journey developing the game?
That some things in life are worth more than money. No amount of money in the world will buy something that you can create with your own hands.
How have you stayed motivated throughout this whole process?
Honestly, coming up with ideas for the game that make me excited to play it if someone else made it. Having the game flexible enough for new ideas keeps it exciting for me.
Lastly, if there's anything I haven't touched on that you'd like for me to mention, feel free to add it here?
Before I could afford animation software, I used to make my animation using free software that makes logos called Inkscape. It was a painful but humbling experience.
Bonus Questions!
What do you think would have been your biggest challenge if you were a zombie stuck in a microwave?
If I had a microwave for a butt, my biggest challenge would be figuring out how to pee.
If you could only dress up as one thing for every Halloween, would it be a zombie and why/why not?
Sure, because zombies can be anything. I could be a zombie wizard… Arfhis the Undead Wizard. Now that sounds cool!
I’d like to give one last shoutout to Arfhis for allowing me to interview him about his upcoming title! I’ve been smitten by his hilarious posts for a while now. And as a last bit, I’d love to mention you can find him on X here, wishlist the game on Steam here, or even contribute to his cause to help him work full-time on Necrowave via his Patreon right here!
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