DevTalks: Dinga Bakaba, Director at Arkane Studios, Talks ‘DEATHLOOP’

November 15, 2021November 28, 2021 Jamal Michel

Back in October, The Nerds of Color caught up with game designer and Arkane Studios legend, Dinga Bakaba, to talk his latest next-gen masterpiece DEATHLOOP. The sci-fi first-person shooter released to critical reception in September, and Bakaba shared details of the game’s development, including the impact of boasting such a diverse cast of characters. After industry veteran Romuald Capron recently stepped down as Arkane Studios’s game director of 16 years, Bakaba was officially named his successor following DEATHLOOP‘s wildly successfully launch.

Gaming, Interview, Video Games

DevTalks: Olivia Dunlap of ‘To The Rescue!’ — a Sweet and Charming Dog Shelter Simulator

September 14, 2021 Jamal Michel

This past summer, video game showcases and conferences revealed some of the most unique indie titles to hit consoles, and To The Rescue! had fans and gamers talking the moment it was revealed. Little Rock Games is the modest studio behind the thoughtful dog shelter simulator that tasks players with nearly all the responsibilities of running a shelter, while providing charming visuals and immersive mechanics throughout.

Gaming, Interview

DevTalks: Jason Parks of ‘Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia’ on Breathtaking New VR Experience

September 12, 2021September 13, 2021 Jamal Michel

Jason Parks, CEO at ROTU Entertainment, wants his new game Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia to resonate on a level that most VR experiences have not. The game, coming September 23 to PS4, PS5, and PC, is an adventure series about preserving the environment that incorporates music from ROTU Entertainment. Parks is a musician first and a multitalented game designer second, but his passion for this project to reach a new audience is palpable.

Interview, Video Games

DevTalks: Deana Galbraith and Barbara Sotolongo of Captilight Games Studio

August 22, 2021August 28, 2021 Jamal Michel

The Nerds of Color loves us some indie games and our latest DevTalk is with a studio that looks to capture Japanese culture in organic and mesmerizing ways. Path of Kami by Captilight Games Studio is a heartwarming story about family, mortality, and culture. In it, you play as the spirit of a wolf, Kazeyo, who has passed away and sets off on an adventure to navigate trials of the Mortal World.

Interview, Video Games

DevTalks: Fabien Weibel, Indie Game Developer of ‘Haven Park’

August 21, 2021August 28, 2021 Jamal Michel

Indie game development is a precious process, especially for Fabien Weibel. The animator and game developer took to focusing on his passion project during last year’s pandemic, and after pouring hundreds of ours into the making of it he finally released Haven Park this summer. We had the chance to catch up with Fabien to talk Haven Park and also his approach to creating the Animal Crossing-like game under the conditions of the pandemic.

Gaming, Interview

DevTalks: Xalavier Nelson, Jr. Brings Representation to New Heights with ‘El Paso, Elsewhere’

July 7, 2021December 10, 2021 Jamal Michel

Xalavier Nelson, Jr. — the award-winning narrative designer, writer, and former journalist — doesn’t just make games that are out of the box, he supplants the box with stock photos of dogs and then has them run an airport for aliens. As silly a concept as it may sound initially, Xalavier and his team at Strange Scaffold released an indie game earlier this year whose premise was just that, and folks really dug it. Xalavier is sincere in his approach to video game development, with a particular emphasis on sustainability, and he strives for it when thinking about any game idea.

Interview, Video Games

DevTalks: Davionne Gooden is One of the Dopest Indie Developers You’ll Meet

June 29, 2021December 10, 2021 Jamal Michel

As I prepped my Zoom background with a gorgeous wallpaper of She Dreams Elsewhere game art, I hadn’t really anticipated the kind of indie developer I’d be sitting down with. Oftentimes you’ll hear stories of conversations that turned sour because of personalities that couldn’t share the same room but the cameras turned on and Davionne Gooden and I were vibing.