The lead writer of upcoming cyberpunk title Nivalis Nights says its world is not meant to be relaxing, even though the game contains no combat. Thomas Welsh told PC Gamer that players must put in effort to find any sense of ease within it.
“The start of the game is intentionally overwhelming,” Welsh said. “Nivalis doesn’t have player death or shooting or boss fights, but that doesn’t mean it’s a cosy game. Life in a cyberpunk world shouldn’t be relaxing and free of stress — not at first anyway. If you want a cosy existence in this city, you’re going to have to earn it.”
We imagined a world that felt like every app on your phone was sending you an urgent notification. Players can swim upstream, and they might end up rich, living on a farm. Or they might learn that success in Nivalis can look different for each person. You can even finish the story while being terrible at business.
The game’s dating mechanics were designed to feel deliberately complicated. Welsh said the team “wanted it to be messy” and aimed to give players a sense of uncertainty about their romantic choices.
We wanted the player to have a ‘what did I say wrong?’ experience. When they miss out on romance, they never quite know why it didn’t line up, just like in real life. We also wanted to avoid ‘I was nice to you three times in a row, so can I have one sex please?’
Thomas Welsh, lead writer of Nivalis Nights
The comments come from an interview with PC Gamer. No release date for Nivalis Nights has been announced.
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