Reset Glitch interview: Over the Top

It’s round two for interviews here at Reset Glitch and this time I had the privilege to chat with Over the Top’s Roberto Alvarez de Lara, one of four guys creating the WiiWare title NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits. While the team was hard at work launching the title in Europe, and is no doubt still hard at work prepping for a North American launch, Rob was still kind enough to answer all the questions I shot his way.

To go along with the interview we’ve got some exclusive screenshots of NyxQuest, so be sure to check them out.

Is NyxQuest the first project you guys have worked on, and how did the team get started?

Rob: Hi Justin! NyxQuest is the first game we have made as a company. The team is currently formed by four friends: Juan, Mauro, Kike and me, Rob. We already had experience working with other companies like Pyro Studios and Mercury Steam. Last year we decided to join forces and create a new company. The inspiration to create Over the Top Games comes from being able to create our own games, our own stories and our own characters.

I can’t help but draw comparisons to another game featuring a certain winged hero, Pit of Kid Icarus. Did the team seek inspiration from the title in any capacity?

Rob: It’s funny that we always get compared to Kid Icarus! Both games share one influence: the myth of Icarus.

If you play NyxQuest, you’ll notice that the two games are not very similar. In NyxQuest you control Nyx, a mysterious winged girl that is very fragile. She doesn’t have weapons and her only ability is that of flying. Therefore she needs the powers from the Olympus gods to advance in her quest.

What was the idea behind the project, and how did the team come up with the concept?

Rob: We all like platform games. When we started to think up the game, the Wii was a new console and WiiWare was still not available in Europe. We tried to find a good use for the Wii Remote that has never been used in platform games. From there we thought about a character that needed the help from the player (the gods, in this case) to advance in the adventure. During the development we tried some things that never got in the final game…I remember that in the first prototype of the game you had to “flap” your wings shaking the Wii Remote! That was an idea that got dumped, because it tired the player a lot!

With the player taking on two roles in NyxQuest, that of Nyx, and that of the gods, co-op is a natural fit so it’s good to see NyxQuest support it, but will playing it solo be equally as compelling?

Rob: We spent a lot of time finding a good difficulty curve. Currently the game can be played by almost any kind of player and can be enjoyed in single and multi-player. It provides enough challenge in single player and allows great co-op with a friend.

What should gamers who haven’t played NyxQuest expect?

Rob: In some parts of the game you’ll be able to shoot at the screen to destroy rocks and enemies but it’s a platform game after all… with some puzzle elements! I would say its 60% platform and 40% puzzle.

We’ve seen a common theme in most of the NyxQuest media, and that’s sandy outdoor environments with large columns stacked throughout the playing field. Should we expect to see other environments?

Rob: If you play the game you’ll understand why the sceneries are empty and all that remains in the world are ruins and hot sand. I can’t say a lot about this without spoiling the game, but it has to do with the Greek mythology god Helios.

You can expect other landscapes. The game takes places during a day, so it get darker and darker.

Should we expect boss fights in NyxQuest?

Rob: Yes, there are some boss fights where the player has to take advantage of the divine powers. For example: in the first part of the game Nyx will face the Hydra. The player needs to avoid the attacks of the Hydra and at the same time grab one of her fireballs with the Wii Remote and use it to damage and destroy her.

Will the theme stay strictly according to Greek Mythology, or has Over the Top taken liberties in creating unique beasts?

Rob: Juan, the concept artist and 3D artist, is a big fan of history and mythology. He tried to make the script and design of the game accurate with Greek Mythology. All the creatures and gods the player will meet are faithful to mythology. The only liberty we took is the actual relationship (friendship? love?) between Nyx and Icarus.

Is the story a lighthearted tale, or are you looking to deliver something grand? Any voice work in the game?

Rob: The story is there to give a background to everything. There are some scripted sequences that explain why the world is devastated, and help Nyx to continue in her adventure.

Since we are a new indie developer and didn’t have a big budget for the game, we could not have voices. There are some short voices and ‘hops’ in the game for Nyx. For the voice/sounds of Nyx we asked my girlfriend, who is a voice actress and has a very soft and delicate voice that fit perfectly with the Nyx character, to play the role.

How is the music in the game, and what sort of vibe will Over the Top be going for?

Rob: The soundtrack was created by Steven Gutheinz, a composer from Los Angeles. He has made an awesome work. His music fits flawlessly with NyxQuest and it’s one of the things we are most proud of.

The music is one of the most important things in a game, so we wanted to have a musical score that transmits the loneliness and hopes of Nyx.

What advantages does bringing the game to WiiWare hold over XBLA or PSN, and will Over the Top continue to develop WiiWare titles? Any branching out to other consoles planned?

Rob: Right now we are focusing on the Wii, but we are open to develop on other consoles. The main advantage of this console is that it lets us use the Wii Remote and explore things that can’t be done in other platforms. With the Wii Remote we can try new gameplay and discover new ways of playing.

And, you know, North America still needs to know when we can pick up NyxQuest!

We still don’t have a release date for North America. Hopefully you won’t have to wait a long time.

Is NyxQuest a franchise waiting to happen, should we expect sequels?

Rob:We have a lot of gameplay situations, enemies and powers that are still in the drawing board! Hopefully those will see the light in the next chapters of NyxQuest. First we want to see how well the game is received by the players.

When can we expect new game announcements from Over the Top?

Rob: It’s still soon to say anything about new projects J First we want to release the game in the Americas and then maybe we will announce what we are working on.

Thanks for answering my questions, and thanks for your time.

Rob: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share NyxQuest with you. We hope you have a good time playing it!

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Again, big thanks to Rob for answering all my questions.