Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Release — Identity (1)
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Autumn was gradually coming to a close.
The ground, once red with fallen leaves, had been swept by the wind to reveal the cold concrete below. Pale breaths scattered in the air, announcing the season.
The end of November.
It was the season when the most games were released all year, and this year, it was the season of Identity's release.
I had released games several times before, but this moment never seemed to get any more familiar.
Each time felt like the first—new, anxious, and heart-pounding, making it impossible to relax.
This was especially true after I entered the packaged game market in this life.
The feeling of the game completely leaving my hands the moment the packaging was finished was impossible to describe with anything else.
All I could do now was pray.
The same went for all of Studio Rewind.
Everyone was feeling anxious, and today's gathering was meant to relieve that.
[The dragon becomes me!]
"Hey! Heal! Heal!!!"
The six founding members had gathered to play a game.
It was 'High Watch,' the new title from Blizzid released this year, 2016.
Recalling how we ended up here was complicated.
After development was complete and the beta keys were distributed, we had a brief respite. The original members gathered for a drink for the first time in a while, and Kim Hye-ji and Jeon Yu-mi coaxed us into going to a PC bang.
We wondered what game six people could play, and it turned out the two of them were currently obsessed with High Watch, which led to our six-person party.
The result was, well…
"Go Myeong-gyu!!! Heal!!!"
"Ah, o-okay…!"
Kim Hye-ji and Jeon Yu-mi were crushing our enemies with what I remembered as four of the most notoriously difficult champions.
Myeong-gyu was playing a healer, just sticking to their backs.
Jo A-yun was swinging a hammer around in the air, and Han Seo-rim was diligently climbing walls with a black healer character.
Watching from a distance, it was utter chaos.
A faint laugh escaped me.
‘So this is what it’s like.’
I didn't play online games much, so I had never properly played High Watch.
This was my first real experience with the game in this life.
It certainly had a different flavor from packaged games.
From a game design perspective, the structure that stood out was cooperating with others toward a common goal to achieve victory, which was then quantified to satisfy cathartic desires like a sense of accomplishment.
Within that process and its results, the team members themselves acted as variables, making every match feel new and different.
But there was something particularly distinctive about it.
‘It’s light.’
Once a match was over, you could forget about the previous one.
The lack of continuity made it easy for newcomers to get into.
It was a glimpse into why this genre, represented by LoL, managed to survive to the end in a gaming world where it was gradually losing ground due to an overabundance of content.
Of course,
‘High Watch fails, though.’
A flash in the pan, you could say.
Recalling the future, this game’s prospects weren’t exactly bright.
There were various external issues, but the more fundamental problem was that its content update cycle was too slow.
A game without change stagnates.
For this type of game, once the user base becomes stagnant, it becomes very difficult for new players to join, and they failed to solve that problem.
Eventually, they gave up on updates and rebuilt the game under the name ‘2’, but… I remembered that even that slowly sank due to sluggish updates and the absence of promised content.
‘It never recovered.’
This was a market where even the legendary Blizzid could fall by the wayside with a single misstep.
There was no better example to reinforce my own vigilance.
"Should we head home now?"
Han Seo-rim suggested.
300 healing, 0 kills, 1 assist, 22 deaths.
That's the thing about games—if you're bad at them, you lose interest.
Besides, it was getting quite late, so we decided to call it a night.
"That was fun! Everyone, have a good weekend and see you next week!"
"Bye!"
"See you on Monday…"
"Myeong-gyu, you're coming with us for round two!"
"Ah…!"
Kim Hye-ji and Jeon Yu-mi abducted Myeong-gyu and disappeared.
Jo A-yun, looking quite sleepy, had already taken a taxi home.
That left just Han Seo-rim and me.
Since our homes were in the same direction, we walked together.
Along the way, Han Seo-rim asked.
"I'm not a fan of games that are just about fighting."
"Because you're bad at them?"
"Want me to hit you?"
"…"
If she didn't like it, there was nothing I could do…
"Still, make sure you learn what kind of game it is. It's a GOTY contender this year."
At my words, Han Seo-rim stopped in her tracks.
She looked at me with eyes full of disbelief.
"…Isn't that an online game?"
"It is."
"And it's a GOTY contender?"
"Is there a rule that says online games can't win GOTY?"
Whatever its future held, at this point, less than a year after its release, High Watch was a sensational blockbuster that had a massive impact on the market.
Of course, one of the reasons was that the 2016 game market was considered a drought year.
Personally, I was quite satisfied since Uncharted and Demon's Soul 3 had come out.
Han Seo-rim still frowned, unable to comprehend.
Then again, she had learned about gaming through packaged titles, and aside from LoL, every game she had played was a packaged one.
Moreover, the online communities she frequented tended to look down on other PC games in favor of packaged ones, so it was understandable that Han Seo-rim was a strict, solemn, and serious "packaged game purist."
The good thing was that she seemed to be taking my words to heart.
She appeared to feel a sense of crisis.
"…If a game that amazing came out this year, wouldn't it be better to delay our release until next year?"
"That would be even worse."
"Huh?"
"Because next year is the year of death."
Why else would I have pushed for a tight two-year development schedule to release the game early?
If it were unavoidable, I would have to consider a release next year, but that was the worst-case scenario for me.
"Why?"
"Because a legend is coming next year."
It wasn't a metaphor. A true legend was coming.
The Legend of Zelda.
‘How could we win against that?’
*The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*.
It was a historical masterpiece that redefined the concept of the open world in the gaming market.
I didn't know about the future, but Identity couldn't beat that.
…No matter how confident I was, I had to know when to pick my battles.
***
When does anticipation for a game peak?
It's right before release, when reviews start trickling in from the distributed beta keys.
It was the moment those reviews were recorded with high scores.
『WaitingForCheonYeonHo: Why are the scores for Identity so high?』
A Metacritic score of 94.
The industry score was revealed just a week before Identity's release.
Of course, there was bound to be some inflation on Metacritic, but even considering that, it was a pretty high number.
Naturally, expectations were soaring.
The same was true for Seok-hoon, who currently went by the username 'WaitingForCheonYeonHo.'
『WaitingForCheonYeonHo: My time has begun to move again….
My clock, which had been stopped for two years, is ticking again…』
Two years had passed since *Hellic 3*.
It was a bit early to be talking about a new game release, but for Seok-hoon, even that felt like an eternity.
This was especially true because he wasn't a fan of bishoujo games like *Demon's Relic*.
There had been other major titles released in between, but… for Seok-hoon, who had become a die-hard fan of Studio Rewind, they just didn't appeal to him.
‘Studio Rewind has its own unique flavor.’
After playing games for a long time, you start to notice something.
Developers who had found their stride and built a history of success all had their own distinct characteristics.
For example, some favored a fairytale-like atmosphere, while others preferred the gloom of an apocalypse.
From that perspective, what was Studio Rewind's specialty? Yes.
‘A hymn to humanity?’
Their stories were often about protagonists who, even in bizarre or bleak settings, never lost hope and managed to achieve something.
Excluding *Hellic 1*, which had virtually no story, this had been true so far, and the revealed lore for *Identity* seemed to follow suit.
A setting where people were forced to live as humans by having expressions carved onto their faces.
And a protagonist who embarks on a journey with a smile hidden behind a veil.
You could already imagine the general structure.
There was a lot of talk about mods and lifestyle content, but what Seok-hoon wanted most from Studio Rewind was, of course, the story.
In any case, whether his anticipation would be met with satisfaction or disappointment remained to be seen.
Fortunately, he wouldn't have to wait much longer.
[Download Complete!]
Today was November 10th, 11:50 PM.
It was the release day for *Identity* and the first day of Seok-hoon's three-day holiday.
To truly savor a game, one needed the grit to dedicate at least three days solely to it.
Joining the launch rush wasn't a choice; it was a necessity.
To overcome any adversity that may come—that is what it means to be a 'gamer.'
*Ding!*
[Sujin: Oppa, what should we do tomorrow? hehe]
…To overcome *any* adversity.
Seok-hoon took a deep breath and moved his fingers.
[Me: Sujin… I suddenly have a fever….]
[Sujin: What? Oh no! Wait, I'm coming over right now!]
[Me: No, it's okay, I'm at my parents' house. It’s a good thing I got sick during my vacation… ㅠ]
[Sujin: What are you talking about! I'm coming! It's been a while since I've seen your parents, so I can say hello too!]
[Me: You can't get sick… I'll give you your Pepero later.]
[Sujin: Is that what's important right now?!]
Kang Seok-hoon, a man soon to celebrate his third anniversary with his girlfriend, a relationship where marriage was on the table. It was a sad state of affairs when even his parents could not serve as a shield.
However, if he gave up, he wasn't a Marine.
[Me: My parents had a fight.]
[Sujin: ….]
[Me: The atmosphere at home is really bad, my mom is crying.]
A fabricated family crisis.
It was but a small sacrifice for the launch rush.
[Sujin: …You have to let me know when things get better, okay?]
Kang Seok-hoon, a true son of Korea with the heart of a Marine.
He was, in his own way, a very passionate son.
[Me: Okay, I will!]
With that, Seok-hoon turned off his smartphone.
He checked the time. 11:59 PM.
30 seconds, 45 seconds, 58 seconds…
‘Now!’
[GAME START]
[Kyaaaaaaah!]
With a familiar scream, his gameplay began.
***
Studio Rewind's games always showcased overwhelming visuals.
It wasn't that the graphics were superior, but that their artistic beauty was captivating.
Even to Seok-hoon, who knew little about art, the massive imperial castle felt instinctively somber and grand.
And in its center, the courtroom was a masterpiece of solemn atmosphere.
—E-40, you are to be disposed of.
—You are too strong, and so you have developed individuality. Did you know? The world calls you not a knight of the empire, but 'Face Hunter E-40.' Your own name has tarnished the meaning of 'expressionless.'
The story began immediately, without any preamble.
Several stern-faced judges spoke to E-40, who appeared to be the protagonist. The protagonist expressed their panic through gestures of their hands and feet.
—Look at that! E-40 is wearing the mask of no expression, yet they express emotion through their body! That is a wicked crime!
—They must be executed!
In that moment, Seok-hoon knew.
‘Ah, the protagonist can't speak? It seems this is a country where you can't express emotions.’
And along with that.
‘So it starts with being exiled? Is this a story about getting revenge on the empire that abandoned them?’
Even with few clues, he could infer the context.
It wasn't because Seok-hoon was particularly skilled at analysis.
It was simply because the dialogue was laid out in a way that was easy to understand.
A calculated setup.
Since immersion in a game's story comes from understanding the protagonist, Yeon-ho's careful consideration had paid off.
Seok-hoon focused on the screen as it quickly transitioned from scene to scene.
The cutscenes primarily served to establish the context.
*Click, click.*
With each sound, E-40's subsequent fate flashed by like photographs.
A scene of their face being torn off by torturers, a scene of being loaded onto a cart and exiled from the capital.
And finally, a scene of being pushed off a cliff.
*Thud.*
At that moment, the cutscene transitioned back to a video.
E-40, having fallen with a thud, lay on the ground, trembling.
Then, *rustle, rustle.*
Footsteps were heard.
A human shadow fell over them, and the screen faded to black. When it lit up again, it revealed a quiet, cozy cabin.
There, Seok-hoon met a girl with a smiling face.
As E-40 struggled, the girl spoke triumphantly.
—If you don't want to get carved up, you'd better stay still! I'm a very good fighter!
"Pfft!"
A small laugh escaped him at her words.
Seok-hoon thought.
‘Ah, is this a love story?’
It wasn't a thought that lasted long.
***
People who frequently consume narrative media tend to develop an eye for story progression.
Seok-hoon was no different.
He had watched his fair share of movies and dramas, not just games.
So, seeing a prologue where a man and a woman meet in a quiet forest and build memories one by one, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety.
‘This is…’
Isn't this the kind of chapter that ends with the girl dying?
Come to think of it, the protagonist in the promotional videos had a smiling face.
For some reason, it seemed like the protagonist would inherit her smile after her death.
The more he learned during the tutorial, the more he understood the game systems and became immersed in the relationship, the deeper Seok-hoon's anxiety grew.
And soon, his anxiety proved to be right.
—I got him! I caught the highest-grade criminal! I am the one truly worthy of being a knight of the empire!
Returning after hunting a boar, he saw the knights from the prologue, and the girl, Smile, collapsed on the ground.
Seok-hoon let out a low sigh.
He was a man with a weakness for sad stories.
‘Hmph!’
In his hand was a skewer.
Before him were five enemies.
He had no special abilities yet.
So, in the first battle that concluded the chapter, Seok-hoon managed to defeat the enemies despite the dire situation.
The screen switched to a cinematic.
The fallen Smile, held in E-40's arms.
The dialogue appeared, one line at a time.
The dubbing was in English.
Seok-hoon's eyes read the subtitles.
—At this rate, we'll both die. But there's a way. Here, take my face. With a face, your body will heal quickly.
—You have to be free. See the wider world and learn many things. No matter what the world calls you, you must become yourself. We were all born to do so.
—I'm glad. That what I can give you is a smile.
—I'll tell you a secret. The most amazing and hidden secret in this world.
Smile, just as she had been throughout the prologue, spoke sorrowfully with her ever-present smile.
Just as Seok-hoon's emotions were stirred.
—The truth is, a smile spreads.
Only then did Seok-hoon realize.
*Identity* wasn't a story about revenge, but a story about a protagonist overcoming sorrow to find themselves.
He pressed his lips together for a moment.
Afterward, Seok-hoon thought.
‘…This is good.’
A good introduction.
Satisfied, Seok-hoon set off on his adventure.
As he progressed through a few chapters, he learned that each chapter centered around a single character, telling a story on the theme of dreams and oneself.
It wasn't explosive, but if he focused just a little on the story, a fairytale-like sense of fulfillment welled up inside him, which was also satisfying.
That wasn't all.
As previously announced, *Identity* had content spread across various areas to an extent that was hard to believe for a two-year development cycle.
Seok-hoon followed the main story, sampling each one.
There was one thing he particularly liked.
No, was 'liked' the right word for it?
*Clang! Clang!*
At some point, without even realizing it, he had become engrossed in mining.
Story be damned, what he had intended to do for just a moment to craft a weapon, he was now continuing in a daze.
A thought suddenly occurred to him.
‘Why am I doing this?’
Of course, even as he thought this, his hands didn't stop.
The only thing that mattered to Seok-hoon right now was how much iron ore was in his inventory.
*Clang!*
‘Oh, some Darksteel dropped.’
Seok-hoon rejoiced at his unexpected luck.