Game Director from Hell

Chapter 75: E3(3)

On the evening after the first day of E3, a post appeared in the Korean gaming community. It was a review of the game “Hellic 3” by game journalist Jin Woohyung.

(E3 Event Photos)

Originally, I planned to write this review after returning home, but I couldn’t resist the itch in my fingers, so here it is^^

E3 turned out to be more enjoyable and surprising than I had expected! But let’s get to the point and talk about “Hellic 3.”

This new instalment showed a lot of differences from its predecessor, especially in terms of the high-quality, AAA-level polish that stood out.

(In-game screenshots)

I was pleasantly surprised! While Studio Rewind’s craftsmanship is well-known, I never thought the modelling would be this impressive. Especially the moment when you first encounter the online monster horde is…

Right from the beginning, it was full of praise. However, it wasn’t just empty praise; Woohyung’s review had plenty of suitable photos, evidence, and supporting material, which satisfied the community users.

Reviews from those who had the chance to play the demo provide a bit of relief for those who have only seen the game through trailers.

What particularly satisfied Hellic’s fan base was the storytelling, world-building, and the customization aspects.

“As revealed in the trailer, the game has a unique war-related narrative. But it’s not your typical war! Hellic’s battlefield spans across all eras of human history, and it’s represented in the game system. You can farm parts of historical war heroes and borrow their abilities, which ties in excellently with the protagonist’s magical sword backstory. What more can I say? For those with even a slight interest in this niche, this would be an delightful experience!”

“Next up is the customization, the extension of parts. Personally, I found it quite enjoyable…”

The review, like a good scratch for an itch, also scratched where it itches for the readers. The end of such a review was a series of pictures that revealed Woohyung’s desire for a recommended post.

“Lastly, the Rewind cosplay that drew attention at G-Star is back this time too! I’ll share a few photos and end the post here. Thank you^^7!”

The review immediately shot to the top of the main recommendation feed with the following photos and comments:

Photos:

1. A photo of Ayoon dressed in a tree cosplay.
2. A photo of Yeonho’s as playable character.
3. A photo of Seorim, who was cosplaying as a bare queen while huddled up.
4. A photo of Myungkyu with excited duo’s laughing, but with a lost expression, dressed as the bride.

The comments started pouring in:

Comment 1: Hellic3 Fanboy: Yeonho, did he cross-dress again?

Comment 2: zSuperCool: Hahaha!

Comment 3: Lord Of Bangbae Dong: He’s still the same, seriously. Wow, but the game looks really fun.

Reply 1 to Comment 3: National Laughing: Did you watch the combat footage? The action looks insane!

Reply 2 to Comment 3: ClearWithoutT: The part system also looks interesting; even though there are fewer weapon routes, the builds have multiplied.

Reply 3 to Comment 3: Lord Of Bangbae Dong: Did you see the trailer video? It looked so cool.

Comment 4: Swordsman With Broken Blade: I need to graduate quickly… My body feels weird when I look at the monsters.

Reply 1 to Comment 4: zSuperCool: That’s normal. I feel the same.

Reply 2 to Comment 4: Swordsman With Broken Blade: You’re a civilian, though.

Reply 3 to Comment 4: zSuperCool: ?

Comment 5: Cherry Blossom Lip Murmur: What is this coma thing, seriously? Hahaha.

Comment 6: National Paladins Association: Have they revealed anything about the story for this upcoming game?

Reply 1 to Comment 6: Poppy Of Season2: Nah! I tried to speculate based on the narrative, but there’s too little information available until Chapter 2. We’ll have to wait and see!

There were high expectations and a somewhat chaotic response, but it was overwhelmingly positive. What was most evident was the intuitiveness of the game’s direction that people could grasp immediately.

Similar reactions were seen overseas as well. Here, James’s real-time broadcast particularly excited the audience.

“Be careful of the brides,” James repeated this phrase multiple times while washing his face that day. “In-game is different. It’s different. You need to be cautious.” The sincerity in his voice was unmistakable.

Comment 7: Dadbom: Is this guy out of his mind?

Comment 8: Luka: Why is your posture so awkward?

That’s how Hellic 3 quietly established its presence in the 2013 E3 lineup, even without saying that it was a historical achievement.

***

It was the last day of E3, in the late afternoon.

“Phew… It seems like people are finally leaving,” Jo Ayoon, the star of the event, said, fanning herself with a leaf.

I patted Jo Ayoon on the shoulder and said, “You did a great job. Thanks to you, everything went so smoothly.”

I wasn’t just making empty compliments.

Despite planning for a shift change every two hours, Jo Ayoon’s cosplay was so popular that she couldn’t leave her spot for even a moment.

Especially on the last day, there were so many people that we had to increase the staff to manage the crowd, and Jo Ayoon was the only one handling the cosplay booth.

She willingly volunteered for the job, but if she hadn’t, it would have been a disaster.

Jo Ayoon smiled warmly and replied, “It was fun… doing it all together.”

“But it was still tough work. When we’re done here, I’ll buy you something delicious. That’s a promise.”

“Oh! Then how about some drinks?”

“Well, okay, but this time just the two of us. We shouldn’t inconvenience others.”

“Sure!”

Jo Ayoon’s smile deepened.

I didn’t want to express any unnecessary worries at this moment.

I, too, wanted to enjoy this moment of happiness wholeheartedly.

“It went better than expected.”

If I were to compare it to all the events I’ve ever organized, spanning my past and present lives, E3 was the biggest one.

Thus, there were quite a few concerns before it all started. Thankfully, the booth went smoothly for the full three days.

Of course, there were a few minor mishaps.

For example, after finishing their demonstrations, some of the visitors saw Myungkyu in his bride cosplay and made complex and subtle expressions, or Han Seorim, dressed as a bare queen, couldn’t hold back her embarrassment and teared up.

There was also an incident when an idol with a runny nose (whose name I can’t recall) visited our booth, and Yang Gilsang froze upon seeing her, to name a few.

But all these things could be dismissed as mere hiccups.

Looking at the results alone… Yes, that would be an appropriate expression.

“We survived.”

The protagonists were none other than “The Last of Us,” releasing tomorrow, “GTA 5,” coming out later this year, and “Road to Harshin,” which will devour the competition next year.

In this stunning line-up of games, Hellic 3 is not the hero of this year.

Great titles everywhere you look.

“Even after searching through my memories, I can count on one hand the events that have gathered such high-quality games. How can I play the role of the protagonist among them?

Compared to them, Hellic 3’s recognition in the AAA category is at an insignificant level.

Furthermore, there’s only one trailer and a demo released at this point, so it would be presumptuous to overshadow their reputation.

I could barely make my presence felt amidst these giant stars.

But even that is enough for Hellic 3.

I was lost in my thoughts.

I noticed a white man approaching from a distance.

“Is the event going well?”

It was Aldred Russo.

I nodded briefly in response.

“Yes, it’s quite busy, but…”

“Heh heh, this darn convention is always so exhilarating, isn’t it? Every time I come, I feel like my spirit is being lifted.”

As he spoke, Russo’s expression was bright.

Based on what I knew as a fan, he was probably getting satisfaction from watching users play his game.

“Director, you’ve worked hard too.”

As I said that, Russo patted my shoulder.

“Not as much as you. But more importantly, are you ready?”

Russo had a mischievous smile on his lips.

I could immediately tell what he meant.

Ayado had hinted at it in advance, and Russo had shown interest throughout.

“I’ve saved a seat. Over there in the corner.”

At this moment, he was just a user playing Hellic 3.

I had reserved a seat for him today.

Personally, it was a more nerve-wracking situation than Sony’s review.

In one way or another, it was a situation where my game was being played by my role model from the past.

Russo pursed his lips.

“Ah, but it’s not in the centre, is it?”

“There are still other people waiting. If we had reserved all the central seats, we wouldn’t have been able to conduct the demonstration.”

“That’s true, you put a lot of thought into it. You’re doing great as a director.”

Russo chuckled and took his seat.

“I can’t begin to tell how eagerly I’ve been waiting for this day. Anyway, my team members never let me off.”

He gazed in the direction of a massive booth showcasing Valhalla.

I recognized some faces there.

Legendarily level designer Henderson and programmer Joseph, who had written the myth with Russo.

My heart fluttered a bit.

Russo said to me like that,

“Well, then let’s get started. First of all, I’m grateful for this opportunity as a fan.”

He put on his headset.

“A fan.”

Does that word fit him?

As I was thinking, Russo had already turned his gaze to the monitor.

Tap.

His gamepad started moving.

***

The words Russo said to Yeonho were not a lie.

He was undoubtedly a fan of the famous Hellic and, at the same time, a fan of Yeonho.

Being an industry legend, who had just started diving into the world of Rewind, may have seemed quite strange to others, but there was a clear reason for it.

It was none other than a professional hazard.

Once you become a director, when you play other games, you tend to take an analytical approach, which might overly emphasize the flaws in the game and reduce your interest in it.

Because of this, Russo had a limited number of games he could purely enjoy.

Hellic was one of the very few games he could genuinely enjoy.

“Good.”

Russo smiled faintly.

If you were to give it a mid-term evaluation, it was a game that faithfully adhered to the basics.

This didn’t mean it was predictable, but that it faithfully fulfilled the elements that AAA-grade games should contain.

Russo knew that overlooking the basics in pursuit of innovation or getting too caught up in the basics at the expense of innovation would result in an unbalanced game.

Yeonho’s perfectionism was precisely what regulated the rhythm of the game.

This aspect was especially prominent.

―If you don’t kill, you’ll die. My tribe, me, and all of us.

This line came after defeating a monster in Chapter 1.

“They’ve omitted parts that could have been done cinematically. Yeah, this way, the flow of action won’t be disrupted.”

Hellic 3 is an action game.

At the same time, it’s an adventure game that builds a narrative through storytelling.

To juggle both, action had to incorporate storytelling to maintain the player’s tension.

The narrative needed to delve seamlessly and naturally into the player’s cognition.

Yeonho used “character personality” and “dialogue” as tools for this purpose.

―Life is about making choices. You can’t avoid it. You can’t undo it.

Words reveal the character’s vessel and worldview.

In that regard, the character of the barbarian displayed it excellently.

―I’ve killed and protected. It’s a choice. I’m not evil.

Even in the depths of hell, there was an unwavering value.

While playing, Russo could naturally perceive this character.

There was another point he discovered.

It was about a unique feature of this game.

“Weapon builds and character focus are interconnected.”

Russo used the barbarian’s axe as his main weapon.

Naturally, among the in-game dialogue, what Russo paid the most attention to was that of the barbarian.

It was unavoidable.

The character that most deeply resonates with “reality me” is expressed as the main character in the game.

The effects he could gain were obvious.

“Yeah, this way, instead of four main characters, there will be one main character and three companions.”

The confusion caused by the distribution of the narrative disappears.

The player’s brain would subconsciously divide the protagonist and supporting characters, allocating their roles accordingly, and the real story would only be revealed after collecting and analysing all the dialogues of every weapon through multiple episodes.

This was related to the depth of the game.

“Gamers know the thrill when a puzzle is solved. Therefore, with each episode, players will enjoy the pleasure of discovering the revealed truth. Even if not, if someone else unveils the hidden truth, they’ll cheer and raise the game’s evaluation.”

Games that had a lot to delve into had this feature in common, which appealed to their core fans.

Hellic 3 was no exception.

Russo dissected each element of the game while pondering.

“Now, I can see it gradually.”

The insides of this massive mechanical apparatus known as Hellic 3 began to reveal itself

The process of dissecting the game was enjoyable. And the moment he realized that the insides were intricately interconnected, it sent shivers down his spine.

―Women, they reveal their secrets.

As he entered Chapter 2, it felt like a barbarian’s dialogue. The sticky background music echoed in his ears, while in front of him, a character praised by Henderson was dancing.

Russo didn’t care about how arousing the design was. His focus was solely on the direction and the narrative within it. The burning passion made this task a bit easier. The thought process that used to creak as he got older was now running smoothly and strangely.

He could use countless words to describe this phenomenon. However, there was only one word that truly expressed Russo’s emotions in its real sense.

‘Fun.’

Fun. The alpha and omega of all games, and the director’s mission.

Russo found enjoyment in Hellic 3, just like in his youth when he was crazy about games, not as a director.

―Hehehe…

While hearing bride’s laughter, Russo controlled the character.

Slash!

The axe cut through the skeleton soldier. And thus, the game raced towards its conclusion.

It was a demo version with many things omitted, but Russo felt immense satisfaction within it. The increasing thirst was nagging at him. How would things resolve and conclude when this is released in its full form?

“Hehehe…”

Russo realized himself, spreading the wings of his imagination.

This was it. The reason Russo highly praised Yeonho.

Yeonho was the kind of person who made blood boil. He was the kind of person who made you feel desire through the game.

‘As expected…’

I want to compete, but I also want to enjoy being with allies. Russo couldn’t resolve this internal conflict until he put down the controller..

***

Russo’s monitor went blank.

It was only then that I let out a tense breath.

A strange relief came from the fact that Russo’s laughter that had been flowing all along had finally come to an end.

At that moment, Russo took off his headset and turned to me.

“Listen to this.”

Before I could respond, there was a follow up sentence.

My body froze in an instant.

“So, you still don’t want to make a game with me?”

The reason I was so surprised at the familiar proposal was because of Russo’s expression.

He looked upset.

But at the same time, he tried to force a smile, which was quite obvious.

I couldn’t think of a better phrase than this, though I knew this expression might be impolite.

“You will do well. Huh? You know I don’t just make this kind of proposal to anyone.”

It was as if someone came to your doorstep on a rainy day and clung to his former lover.

“Merger…”

“No.”

I rejected it outright.