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One of the more exciting aspects of indie video game development is the ability to step outside the norm. With no massive corporation looming over the project to maximize profits, creators are free to explore new and interesting ideas, fueled only by their passion and dedication. We recently chatted with Quentin De Beukelaer of Atelier QDB, a small but acclaimed development studio based in France. Their latest game Decarnation is described as a “a story rich adventure horror game”. We’ll have Quentin elaborate on that more.
Could you tell us a bit about your background and how Atelier QDB got its start?
Sure! After a few years working as assistant for movie and theatre directors in Argentina, I came back to France, did a Masters in Game Design, and started working at Ubisoft on the Assassin’s Creed license (it took a lot of work and a bit of luck).
I’ve been making games professionally for 11 years now. Shipped a few AAA games with Ubisoft, and led two indie games with teams I built: Narcosis and Decarnation.
Please take a moment to describe Decarnation.
It’s a dark game about the shadow work that can happen in our subconscious. It’s an invitation to explore the darkest corner of our souls through phantasmagorical aesthetics and metaphorical minigames. The game is in pixel art and the narration really drives it.
The game features surreal situations paired with intriguingly grotesque pixel art. Were there any other types of media (films, books, television, etc.) that served as inspiration for this direction?
Indeed! Decarnation is born from a magma of influences and inspirations. To name a few, there are David Lynch and Satoshi Kon’s movies, Junji Ito’s horror aesthetics, Edogawa Ranpo’s book The Blind Beast…
For instance, one of the most appreciated characters of the game, Cage Head, borrows her look from a very mysterious piece from Francis Bacon: Painting, 1946.
Are there any other game series you would compare Decarnation‘s gameplay to?
Decarnation‘s gameplay is very special, because the game doesn’t have one core system on which it relies. We tried to create a mix of different gameplay types, so each situation of the story is expressed with meaningful gameplay. You’ll play a rhythm game while on the cabaret’s stage, where Gloria, the protagonist, works. When she is lost in her dream, trying to find back her house, it will be an exploration game. When she has a puzzling situation in her life, the player will be faced with a puzzle game in Gloria’s dream…
Should players expect a good challenge with the puzzles and enemies set forth? Or is it a more easy going experience?
Hmm, we’ve tweaked the game so it’s not too hard. We didn’t want to make a game where the enjoyment of it relies on your skills, rather on surprise and discovery.
How have audiences responded so far?
The reception has been outstanding. Decarnation’s story is a harsh one. The long list of trigger warnings at the beginning of the game are not there for decoration. But what’s awesome is that people respond very well to the experience. I’d say it’s not a game for everybody, but people “clicking” with it have a very strong and positive experience.
Now that the game has been released, what would you say is the most rewarding part of the experience?
It’s finishing it and having the feeling that the creative intentions from the beginning of the project have been met! It’s easy to start creative projects of any kind, but it’s so hard to finish them. If on top of that you can say: “this looks like what I wanted to achieve”, you’ve won everything.
What’s next for Atelier QDB?
You’ll have to wait a bit more to discover it, but after directing two narrative driven games (Narcosis and Decarnation), I want to focus on something more “gamey”. I’m a sucker for tactical games, so I’d like to make something around that, but still with a compelling story and mature themes. Thanks for the interview!
