We had the pleasure of interviewing ShenTzu Games all about their work!
1. What inspires your work?
I was always a fan of space and sci-fi (among other things), and loved games since I was a kid. Many games such as Mass Effect, Fallout 3, and Nier Automata had amazing stories that left a deep impression on me as well, and I always dreamed of leaving a similar impression on other people as well with stories of my own. And to me, games let the players interact with (and even influence) the story in ways not possible in other media, so I wanted games to be the medium for me to tell my stories.
2. Tell us about your game? What can fans expect?
My current game, Fuchian Chronicles, is a JRPG through and through. The gameplay might not be unique if you’re familiar with JRPGs, but players can expect a story rich world and unique characters. After all, when was the last time you saw an interstellar empire of foxes go up against a federation of bunnies? The game is currently in Early Access on Steam, and only three chapters are available to play. I post monthly progress updates, and release new chapters every 2-3 months.
3. What are your goals for 2023?
My main goal is to finish and publish Fuchian Chronicles, and based on how things are going, that should happen in the first half of 2023! I already have plans for a sequel, not to mention story ideas for other games, so I would love to work on those if possible. I don’t see myself stopping game development any time soon!
4. What advice would you give to someone who wants to do what you do?
Everyone wants to make an amazing game right off the bat, I know I did when I started (and I still do), but that rarely works out the way you think. You’ll be better off starting small, and saving your grand ideas for when you have more experience. Game jams (such as the ones on http://itch.io) are a great way for you to get ideas for short games, and the time limit they have is actually a great way to keep you focused on what’s really important for those games so you don’t get bogged down with new ideas. Remember, an imperfect but finished game is infinitely better than a perfect game that only exists inside your head!
5. Where and how can people support your work?
I primarily host my games on Steam (https://store.steampowered.com/search/?publisher=ShenTzu%20Games…), but also have many prototype and game jam games on my http://itch.io (https://shentzu.itch.io). Just following me on Twitter
@ShenTzuGames is a great help too!
