Straight from the Source: Hiroshi Sawatari (NeverAwake)

Nightmarish arcade shooter NeverAwake just released on Steam today! Developer Hiroshi Sawatari talks about the game’s design and influences in this interview, straight from the source!

Note: This interview was originally recorded by Brando in Japanese on September 16, 2022 at Tokyo Game Show. It has been translated into English and edited for clarity. Thanks to John Davis for arranging the interview.

——We’re here at Tokyo Game Show 2022 with Hiroshi Sawatari, one of the developers behind the nightmare-themed twin-stick shooter NeverAwake.

Sawatari: Hi, I’m Sawatari from Neotro Inc. We make games for home consoles and arcades, mainly shooting action games for “core” gamers. Today we’re showing off our latest title, NeverAwake.

——What made you want to create this game?

Sawatari: Some players have said that traditional shooters are difficult to play or difficult to get into, so we decided to try and create a shooter that’s more approachable, with a unique world that’s also appealing to players who haven’t played shooting games before.

——In order to make this shoot-em-up more accessible, which elements of the game have you been experimenting with?

Sawatari: I think the most important element is the game’s visuals. We’ve focused on crafting an appearance and atmosphere that’s entrancing, regardless of the game’s genre. As for the gameplay, we’ve tried to analyze the elements of a “shooting game” and reconstruct them into a system that’s both welcoming to new players, and provides a fun challenge to veterans.

——In this game, each stage is short, but the stages loop and and the enemies get stronger on each loop. Is that the system you’re talking about?

Sawatari: Right, and we tried various things along the way. Before creating NeverAwake, we did some testing to find out what properties a game should have so that beginners can easily play it. We found that even if a player messed up, as long as they could retry right away without losing much progress or other harsh penalties, the player was able to keep playing and eventually beat the challenge, even difficult ones that took many retries.

——Sort of like a roguelite, I guess?

Sawatari: Right, even for these games with difficult gameplay, if the player can retry as many times as it takes, they figure out strategies and eventually they’re able to beat it. We decided to try this format for a shooting game.

For example, in each stage the enemies always appear from the same spots in the same patterns. If you learn those patterns, then you’ll be able to clear the stage without much difficulty. If you do die, you don’t lose experience points or start over from the beginning of the game or anything like that. The stages are short and they loop at a pace where it’s easy for players to learn the enemy patterns.

In traditional shooters, if you mess up and die ten minutes into a stage, you’ve probably forgotten most of what happened in that ten minute span, right? And then you need to play through all that again without messing up. By shortening that iteration length to about a minute, it’s easier to remember where enemies spawn, and where you messed up last time, and how to avoid it the next time.

Also, if players are still having difficulty on top of that, NeverAwake will have items and equipment you can use to adjust your experience. Some equipment combinations are pretty overpowered, so beginners can enjoy finding strategies with those!

In our playtests, we’ve found that virtually everyone has been able to finish the game, even players who aren’t good with shooters. Even if it takes a player many tries to clear a stage, they’ve still said they had a lot of fun doing that.

Also, aside from shooting gameplay, many players have also been drawn to the overall world and story of the game. That’s a big motivator too, they want to see what happens next, what sort of stages will appear, things like that.

——Are there any similar games that served as references, or inspirations for NeverAwake?

Sawatari: I can mention one, but it’s pretty old, is that ok? (Laughs)
It’s one for the shoot-em-up maniacs: an arcade shooting game released by Capcom in 1988 called Lost Worlds (“Forgotten Worlds” outside of Japan).
That one was an inspiration, and there really haven’t been many similar games released since then, as in twin-stick shooting games with auto-scrolling levels. We’ve also taken influence from other modern action games, not only shooters.

——How many stages are in NeverAwake?

Sawatari: There are 80 stages, with over 20 bosses.

——About how long does it take to finish the game, for players new to the genre?

Sawatari: It takes about 10 hours. For expert players who don’t need any retries, it’s possible to finish in 8.

——Which platforms will NeverAwake be available on?

Sawatari: There’s a demo available on Steam you can play right now! The game comes out on Steam at the end of this month (September 28, 2022), and on PS4, PS5, and Switch consoles on January 19, 2023.

——Any closing message for shooting game fans?

Sawatari: NeverAwake may not look like a typical shoot-em-up at first glance, but we’ve worked really hard to make compelling shooting gameplay. It’s the foundation of the game, after all.
We even had some of the best shoot-em-up players in Japan playtest it for us, so rest assured it’s a true shooting game. Despite the “lighter” look, there’s a lot of depth to dig into, so we hope experienced players enjoy that.
Of course, this game can also serve as a starting point for players new to shooting games, and we’ve packed it with fun stuff that’s characteristic of the genre, as well as an interesting story, so please look forward to it!

——Thank you very much!