At Bandai Namco Studios, the GEMini program groups new graduate employees together to learn hands-on and create games. In 2022, four titles — HOOK & KAIJU, ENDRAYS, EXCYCLE, and Shigeru Planet — were created and released for free on Steam*.
We interviewed each GEMini development team, who shared with us their aspirations for the projects as well as lots of behind-the-scenes stories that are unique to new employee training!
About the Games
HOOK & KAIJU
Maneuver an airship and attach its hook onto the Kaiju’s body to make them lose their balance and fall over. In this desolate world, the Kaiju seek to destroy three towers through their invasion. You are the newest member of the airship unit, here to protect those who reside in the towers. Topple the Kaiju with your hook and defend the towers with all your might!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2213550/
ENDRAYS
Wield a piercing laser without inhibition at the tip of your fingers – your mouse. Become a devastating weapon of mass destruction and drive the world into merciless extinction.
Mighty bosses await you, with forces rushing in from all angles.
Take out your frustrations on this world and use your ENDRAYS to annihilate all existence.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2213560/
Meet the Developers
*Members of the HOOK & KAIJU team are marked in orange and members of the ENDRAYS team are marked in blue.
■ Great work on GEMini 2022! What are some parts of your games that you put extra work in or that you would like people to pay attention to?
Komatsuzaki : I would like people to note the dialogue from the airship unit members. It’ll give you hints about ways to play the game and information about the game world which make playing it that much more fun.
Fukuda : We kind of asked the engineers to do the impossible with the background design. We created textures on a sketchbook with markers and ink and pieced them together digitally. You should be able to see ink blots and organic hand-drawn lines if you look closely.
Takahashi : We took extra care to make sure that the in-game physics and gameplay experience are well-balanced. For example, for ease of operation, the curvature of the string connecting the airship to the hook is calculated based on the angle of the hook rather than based on actual physics. Also, while the behavior of enemies falling over is dependent on physics, we put some restrictions in place so that they do not look weird when they get back up.
Fujita : This game’s appeal is its smooth controls and exhilarating action, so we strived to create sound effects that are pleasant and uplifting when played in succession. Also, due to the nature of the game, the screen inevitably becomes quite cluttered, so we got very picky when we prioritized which sounds would stand out the most.
Takigami : We wanted players to experience the thrill of blasting lasers and exhilaration from wiping the map of enemies, so we really focused on how to visually express destruction during play. We also incorporated cutscenes for characters when they appear as well as special effects for enemies in order to immerse the player even further.
■ You can really tell that a lot of attention was paid to the details of the games. Was there a trial-and-error process leading up to finalizing the contents of the games?
Okuhira : We had already decided on the core of the game — where you snag the hook on a part of the enemy and topple them — from the get-go. The revisions that needed trial-and-error were mostly related to adjusting the difficulty level using different kaiju shapes and attack types, and these adjustments took time because the game was way too difficult at first and just became stressful instead of fun.
Nakamura : For us, we had lots of discussions on what to add or subtract from the original proposal in order to make it more entertaining. I remember that the debate on whether we should make it a more serious or if it should be a silly game continued until the end of development.
■ Is there a piece of advice from an instructor or mentor that has stayed with you?
Yokoi : I was the only person working on sound in my team, and there were many times where I really felt that weight on my shoulders. However, instead of trying to take it on all by myself, I consulted with the production team and seniors in the sound department. Not only was I able to find solutions, but I was also reminded of how significant it is to share any problems we have and try to solve them together with everyone.
Yoshimi : Of the various pieces of advice I got from the seniors, one that really stuck with me was that instead of just sharing my opinion, it’s important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and then form and give my input. This is important not just for the GEMini project but for any development work, so I want to keep this in mind from now on as well!
Endo : I vividly remember hearing that it’s okay to keep making progress and not get hung up on the details during this training. It was reassuring to have such a dependable senior, but more than that, it made me want to strive to become a senior that my future juniors could also depend on.
■ I can see that each team has overcome many obstacles to create their game together. Now that the games have been released to the public, has there been any player feedback that stood out to you?
Kanagaki : I had aspired to join the Technology Studio, so I did not expect to get the opportunity to experience developing and releasing a game. Many of the reviews mentioned the sound and the UI, and it made me feel glad to have put in that effort.
Kuroki : We meticulously designed the world background and the dialogue in order to make the most of the wonderful visuals that the artists had carefully created for us, so I was overjoyed to see comments praising the world building after the game was released.
Nariyoshi : I took part in GEMini as a support member rather than directly developing the games (I was a senior developer in the project), but regardless of the extent or form in which I was involved, I was incredibly grateful to get feedback on the games from so many players. This is especially the case for the team I worked with; since I provided support and saw how hard they worked, the responses that our game received were as gratifying as work I had done by myself.
■ Teamwork is indispensable in creating games that people can become passionate about. Are there any memorable moments that you can share from the production period with regards to the interpersonal relationships within the teams?
Murata : Our team was made up of people who had various levels and types of experiences in terms of game development and other work. Each of us had different values and ways of thinking and there were definitely times when we clashed. Thinking back on it, I realized that was a tough time!
Sakai : There were also times where we had a lot of fun just chatting, too. I want to go out for food with the team again!
Yamaguchi : I was very impressed that each team member shared their thoughts and opinions straightforwardly, and I believe that was only possible because everyone respected everyone else. I am glad that we are all happy with the final product that we put out into the world.
Suzuki : The enemy that Matsumura-san created ended up being like a baby to them really stood out to me. Every team member was passionate and loved this game, and I think that really pushed us to the finish line.
■ What is a fun or interesting memory you want to share about GEMini 2022 in general?
Katano : I still remember how moved I was to see my name in the credits in the end roll. It was a dream come true and I felt very accomplished.
Kira : I was moved, too, when we took a look back at the game’s initial stages after we neared the end of production. I could really feel the fact that a bunch of rookies like us got together and were able to create a game with each other’s support, and that’s when I truly felt like a game developer.
Matsumura : I thoroughly enjoyed the process of creating this game bit by bit as a part of a development team. It was very meaningful for us to be able to experience the process of giving shape to a game that we thought would be fun.
■ A once in a lifetime experience. Lastly, please tell us your aspirations for the future after experiencing GEMini 2022.
Kaneko : This project was a series of firsts for me, and there were many hurdles to overcome, but we were able to reach the finish line by supporting each other. It felt encouraging to see players enjoy the game post-release, and I feel like I will be able to keep working hard even if I face difficulties going forward, so that players in the future can also have a fun gaming experience.
Shimada : It really hit me that I had leveled up during this six-month training period. I want to bring the same fastidious mindset to whatever project I’m assigned to and keep working at the forefront!
Iino : I experienced the irreplaceable joy of knowing that a game I worked so hard to create while worrying about this and that has reached players and that they enjoyed it. Even when faced with challenge, I’ll now be able to imagine future players expressing what they like about the game and continue to push ahead.
■ Thank you very much!
©Bandai Namco Studios Inc. Published by Phoenixx Inc.
（*1）©2022 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
