It’s all going on at RedDeerGames.
Having shared our interview with Ultreïa developer, Olivier De Rop, just yesterday, there are two sides to every story and today, we’re chatting with Ultreïa’s publisher, RedDeerGames. So, please join us for another Miketendo64 interview, as we introduce you to Krzysztof Ryś:
Krzysztof Ryś:
Miketendo64: Before we dive right into the probing questions, we always like to begin by asking a couple of easier questions first. Therefore, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
Krzysztof Ryś: Hi! My name is Krzysztof Ryś, I’m a gamer and musician and for over a year now, I have worked here for RedDeerGames.
Miketendo64: And now to follow-up, what is your role at RedDeerGames and what is the extent of your involvement with Ultreïa?
Krzysztof Ryś: I started my adventure with RDG as a member of a Publishing Team and after couple of months I’ve switched to Marketing. Right now, I’m a Community Specialist, but when I was in the previous department, I had the opportunity to work with several developers and bring their titles to consoles under our flag. Ultreïa is one such project.
A Game like Ultreïa:
Miketendo64: To properly kick things off, can you tell us a bit about Ultreïa? What is it and how does it play?
Krzysztof Ryś: Ultreïa is a adventure game that in a split second brings up associations with games like Grim Fandango or Machinarium. From a gameplay perspective it’s a typical representative of the genre but it has a very interesting story about philosophical aspects of revenge and finding inner peace and all of that is set in a post-apocalyptic, robotic world that is both beautiful and unsettling at the same itme.
Miketendo64: Developed by Olivier De Rop, what about Ultreïa enticed RedDeerGames to come onboard as publisher and how did the initial contact begin?
Krzysztof Ryś: We’re always interested in projects that have something special and in which you can see the heart and passion of the creator. That’s what indie games are all about and that’s why we love them that much. I came across Ultreia while searching through the depths of Steam and the game immediately caught my attention.
As I love the productions of Amanita Design studio, the association with “darker Machinarium” was the first impulse to get interested with the game. The visuals were great, the music made for a great atmosphere – and I knew that I had to get in touch with the dev. So, I emailed Olivier, we had some online conversations where we could get to know each other better and present our proposals.
We also got some Steam keys to try out the game and make sure we want to take on this project and so, it went. You can see the fruits of this process on Xbox and Nintendo Switch!
Miketendo64: Ultreïa was always an intriguing game, comprised of an engaging story, with more than 1,000 lines of dialogue and gloomy, but stunning visuals. From when RedDeerGames first got involved with the game, until now, how much has Ultreïa changed and did RedDeerGames have much influence over the final console version?
Krzysztof Ryś: Our policy is that we do not interfere with the creator’s work unless we have to. Sometimes we can suggest small changes if, for example, the dev hasn’t had any contact with the Nintendo ecosystem so far. But we’re talking more about adapting the game to a specific device, the controls, or changes around some controversial issues. In other cases, however, we want the game to be 100% the child of its creator. This was also the case with Ultreïa.
Miketendo64: With a release on Steam back in 2021 and a console release on March 25, 2022, how much work was required to rework the PC release, to get it console ready, especially for the Nintendo Switch?
Krzysztof Ryś: A bit of work was put into optimizing and adapting the game, especially for the Switch, but overall, the process took place without any major issues. The game from the beginning was created on Unity, which fortunately is one of the friendliest of engines when it comes to porting games to the Nintendo’s platform. So, everything went smoothly and according to plan.
More to Come in 2022:
Miketendo64: It’s been rather an eventful year for RedDeerGames. From Gem Wizards Tactics (February 18, 2022) to Buck Bradley Comic Adventure (March 4, 2022), Syndrome (March 11, 2022), Inukari – Chase of Deception (March 18, 2022) to Ultreïa (March 25, 2022), you’ve helped to bring a multitude of games to the Nintendo Switch. How did you find the time to be involved with so many games and release them so close together?
Krzysztof Ryś: As a premium indie games publisher we’re constantly growing and trying to reach the next level in our way. We’re opening new studios (lately we did in Barcelona, Spain) and hiring new people to absorb fresh energy and new possibilities.
It’s true that from the beginning of ’22 we’re busy like never before, but our goal is to bring more fantastic and unique games to Nintendo Switch and other platforms so we don’t slow down. We have some concrete plans and surprises ahead of us for our fans – that’s our passion, we just love it.
Miketendo64: Looking back on your release window, with some games literally a week apart, is this a release pattern you aim to mimic in future, or simply something you tried now, but going forwards, might aim to separate the games a little further apart to allow for marketing, promotion and spotlight?
Krzysztof Ryś: It’s hard to say basically. Since we’re growing, the turnover is getting higher as well, but we make sure to plan our activities accordingly and prioritize projects in such a way that everyone gets their well-deserved dose of marketing love.
Miketendo64: Having published such a diverse range of titles, what is it RedDeerGames specifically look for, when considering which games to take on and those you don’t?
Krzysztof Ryś: As I said earlier, we primarily try to look at the unique features of a title and how much work has been put into it. Sometimes you can see the passion and commitment, but you can also see a lack of technical polish or the ability to properly promote the game. That’s when we step in to help overcome such obstacles and reach a wider audience. At the end of the day, we are all gamers and our attention is drawn to games that we ourselves would love to play on other platforms.
Miketendo64: As a follow-up question, among the game’s that RedDeerGames may have passed on, has there ever been a game you’ve said “No” to, which someone else has said “Yes” to and how did it perform?
Krzysztof Ryś: We had situations like that haha And vice versa too. We all play games but as you might guess everyone has slightly different tastes and preferences. You have to be able to work out a compromise when deciding which game to be interested in, it’s also important to have a broader perspective because in the end it’s the players who are supposed to be happy with our games, not just ourselves. But I think we ‘ve already worked out a system where everyone is happy with the decisions that are made. We don’t have to argue anymore!
Final Words:
Miketendo64: Since Ultreïa is by no means the only game RedDeerGames has been involved in, we would love to take this moment to talk about some of your other games. So, are there any games you would love to recommend to our readers?
Krzysztof Ryś: Our portfolio is getting bigger and bigger so everyone can find something interesting and engaging just for them. If you’re fans of retro pixelart platformers you should definitely check out Trash Quest and Inukari: Chase of Deception. First one is a cute metroidvania game with a… raccoon as a protagonist and the other one was made as a tribute to an Nintendo Entertainment System era.
Ultra-playable titles and they’re both on Switch and Xbox! From our recent releases a very interesting one is Floogen – also a platformer game but made with unique “clay style” visuals. On the other hand, we have Boreal Tenebrae that came out on April 8th, adventure game with PlayStation One art style and horror, “Lynchian” elements. There is something fun for everyone!
Miketendo64: Other than Ultreïa, does RedDeerGames have anything else lined up in the pipeline that gamers the world over could hope to enjoy sometime later in 2022 and 2023?
Krzysztof Ryś: Of course! Our plans are ambitious and there are a lot of smaller and bigger titles ahead. We’re currently working on bringing to Switch such titles as: Pid, War Mongrels, Elemetals, One Day More and Chuchel. We also recently partnered with Longterm Games to publish their games on consoles.
We have a lot of interesting projects that we can’t share with you yet, but you can be sure that it will be happening! Follow our social media and stay up to date, because it will be really worth it!
Miketendo64: Final question, is there anything you would like to say, or any additional comments you would like to add, for our readers and your fans? The floor is yours.
Krzysztof Ryś: Thanks for your attention and for taking the time to read this interview! We are happy to do something cool for the industry and provide awesome games to new platforms and audiences! Without you, the players, all of this would be pointless. So, thanks for that! Be nice to each other and play lots of games.
Krzysztof, thank you kindly taking the time to answer our questions. It was highly appreciated and we can’t wait to see the plethora of games RedDeerGames has lined up for the rest of the year. We would also like to thank our readers and don’t forget, should you wish to try out Ultreïa, it is available now on the Nintendo Switch.
About Ultreïa:
NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT A CAUSE – The great loss raises questions – why are we here when everything is coming to an inevitable end? Our little robot protagonist called Nymo has just lost his father and he asks himself these questions.
As a pilgrim, you will lead his journey, which is supposed to bring you closer to the meaning of being but also seek out and take revenge on the killer of your guardian.
POST-APOCALYPTIC WORLD OF ROBOTS – In Ultreïa you will have the opportunity to visit a unique world full of robots. Hundreds of different robots live on the surface, which resembles visions from post-apocalyptic stories – gathering, among others, in the town of Mount St-Troy.
However, beneath the earth, there are creatures that exist in the darkness and are permeated by it. On your journey, you will explore the planet’s surfaces, underground and much more!
CLASSIC ADVENTURE WITH A GRIM AND GLOOMY AMBIENCE – Everything you love about point ‘n click games – collecting items and lots of interaction with them, solving challenging and unusual puzzles, talking to NPCs with lots of dialogue and an engaging story.
All this is set in a dark world, emphasized by a specific graphic style and a beautiful original soundtrack by Yann Latour.
Key Features:
- Inspired by the atmosphere of classic adventure games
- Engaging story, full of philosophy and the search for meaning
- 50 locations, 20 non-playable characters and over 1000 lines of dialogue
- Exciting and challenging brain-teasers to solve
- Dark and gloomy visuals and sound design with an original soundtrack by Yann Latour
