Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: The Aftermath of the Trailer
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The trailer’s reception was explosive.
No, explosive wasn’t a strong enough word.
『(Game)GodlikeMove: Wow, this is insane lololol
(Game)Waiting4Hellic2: Aaaargh!!! When is it coming out!!!!
(Game)SweetCherryLips: ??????
(Game)BangbaeBloodlord: Wait, why is the Warden showing up there? Lmao
(Game)S2PoppyS2: Has any more lore been released? That ending was such a mind-blowing shockㅠㅠ
(Game)SpaceWarLover: Not as good as the Spehce 2 cinematic lol
(Game)CrystalClearT: Did they just drop a single trailer with no release date? Are they crazy?』
The fire had been lit.
This was the second time Studio Rewind had taken over the community since the *Hellic 1* Easter egg bounty incident.
It was the same in both Korea and North America.
The Warden’s appearance was that shocking.
After all, even if the Warden was a pixelated SD character, for the players, it was like seeing their own avatar appear on screen.
There was no way they wouldn't recognize it.
On top of that, seeing the Warden rendered in 3D polygons was enough to make them scream with joy.
Of course, that wasn’t the end of it.
As with any group of gamers, some people immediately began analyzing the trailer.
With their anticipation soaring and their thirst unquenched, they started to deduce the game’s content based on the clues that had been released.
『(Game)Waiting4Hellic2: But why did the Warden show up? Is he an ally to the protagonist?
(Game)CrystalClearT: Isn't he the final boss?
(Game)SweetCherryLips: Ooh, the final boss theory sounds plausible.
(Game)SweetBelfGuy39: Corruption... I like it... ^^
(Game)GodlikeMove: The previous game's protagonist as the final boss? Damn lol』
The opinions gradually started to converge.
It was at that moment.
The user ‘S2PoppyS2’, who had previously posted an analysis of the first game, once again left a long, detailed post.
『(Game)S2PoppyS2: This is my personal analysis of the trailer ^^
It seems the trailer has confirmed that the first game and *Hellic 2* share the same universe.
This is how a series should be! It made me fire up *Hellic 1* for the first time in a while!
After briefly checking the script and then playing the *Hellic 2* demo, a few things started to become clear.
To get straight to the point, I believe the Warden will be the final boss.
Here is my reasoning.
First, the Warden’s role is to torture the sinners of Hell. At times, he also annihilates sinners who struggle to escape their fate. (The official background for *Hellic 1* was about the Warden suppressing a prisoner revolt, after all ^^)
Second, when the *Hellic 2* demo begins, the butterfly tells Alice, [You fell here for the crime of being born.] It then says, [You don't belong here. Let's get out.] The moment they declare their intent to escape Hell, the Warden and Alice are positioned as adversaries, right?
Third, regarding the butterfly. I’m not exactly sure of its identity, but I think it’s likely a spirit guiding Alice. The biggest possibility is that it’s a minimal defense mechanism created by the world of Hell to protect the child! The purity of a young soul is a concept asserted in almost every religion!
Viewed this way, the butterfly and the Warden can be seen as opposing factions in Hell! This allows Studio Rewind to gradually expand the world and factions of *Hellic*!
To summarize, the final battle will likely be between Alice and the Warden, which could expand into a conflict between the factions of Hell.
Next is Alice’s identity.
Since she’s the character we’ll be playing, and the protagonist at the center of the story, the narrative wouldn’t make sense if we don’t know who she is, right?
The clues were in the demo’s Land of Heretics and the three additional chapters shown in the trailer.
The Paradise of Heretics (Religion), Illusions causing optical tricks (Drugs), an emaciated giant with a bloated stomach (Famine), and a goat-headed human pierced by spears (Sacrifice).
We can summarize it into these four main points.
Connecting all of these reveals a certain truth.
Alice was likely a child deity figure put forward by a cult.
In the West, you could think of it as something like the Second Coming of Christ.
Alice's sin is the sin of being born.
In other words, she became the symbol of a religion against her will, just by being born, and consequently led countless people to ruin. Doesn’t that fit?
So, the overarching theme of the game could be this.
If the previous game questioned the sin of not cherishing oneself, this one might pose the question of whether an unwillingly committed sin can be judged as a sin! It could also serve as a critique of cults!
That’s all for my analysis!
I hope the game comes out soon! If my analysis turns out to be wrong, I’ll be back with another one then ^^!』
The neatly organized post quickly rose to the community’s main page.
The reactions were also favorable.
『
Waiting4Hellic2: That’s insane...
BangbaeBloodlord: Oh, so they're expanding the factions of Hell like this to make a faction-based game later?
┕EvilServantKim: A faction war would be fun! Oh, by the way! Recruiting for Aion guild!!!
┕CrystalClearT: Aion-gramps, please get lost;;;
SweetCherryLips: This is really good. I think this is it.
SweetBelfGuy38: The Rapture Church... seems to be the motif... ^^ There were... so many of them... at one point...
SpaceWarLover: Religion and corruption? They ripped off Blizzidㅡㅡ
GodlikeMove: Wow, if this is the story, I’m getting really curious??
┕Waiting4Hellic2: For real; I usually skip all the story stuff, but I want to watch this one.
CursedBladeNoob: Ah!!! Please come out this year!!! I have to enlist next year!!!
┕NationalPaladinAssoc: Ugh, smells like a fresh recruit lol』
Understanding through analysis leads directly to immersion.
The community largely accepted ‘S2PoppyS2’s analysis as fact, and various scripts already revealed in the demo were brought up as new evidence to support it.
That wasn’t all.
『(Chat)BangbaeBloodlord: Poppy’s analysis even spread to the North American community.』
The analysis post eventually made its way to the North American community.
The reaction over there wasn’t much different from Korea’s.
Overwhelmingly positive. The revealed information clearly depicted Alice as a religious symbol, and the Warden’s appearance brought the game’s central theme to the forefront.
And there was more. The butterfly, which had previously been met with comments like ‘What the hell is that thing?’, was now solidifying its role as ‘another faction of Hell’ thanks to the Warden's appearance.
A full-fledged expansion of the world, and the formation of narrative depth.
All the elements that hardcore gamers desired were being built within *Hellic*.
Then, one day, as anticipation reached its peak.
『(Promo)SeorimSeorim: Studio Rewind’s official SNS has been created! Please follow us here for release and event news!』
A link to an SNS account was posted in the community.
The 2010s were the age of social networks, and Studio Rewind was moving faster than anyone.
***
At the office of ‘On Game’, a massive gaming magazine located in Manhattan, USA.
The editor-in-chief was hosting a special guest, one whose influence in the market was considered second to none in this era, at the headquarters of a company that boasted an overwhelming scale.
The guest came with a rather difficult request.
“...So, you’re asking me to put in a word with a place called Studio Rewind? To let you write a review?”
“That’s right.”
The editor-in-chief stared quietly at the middle-aged man before him.
Shaggy blond hair, a bulbous red nose, a barbaric beard, and a beer belly that spoke of countless drinks.
Anyone would take him for a drunk.
That is, if they didn't know the man's name, and the influence he wielded in the gaming industry.
The editor-in-chief swallowed the chill running down his spine and spoke.
Business was business.
“You’re not a critic, sir.”
This man was not a critic.
He was a director.
And not just any director, but a legendary one who had released five iconic games that were indispensable to the history of video games.
Alid Russo.
That was the white man’s name.
He smiled faintly.
“That’s why I’m asking you guys. Have you seen the game’s trailer? Or, have you played the demo?”
“...Yes, I have.”
Of course, he had. How could he not have tried a game that was causing such a stir in the community?
Alid replied to the editor-in-chief’s words.
“I want to get a key for that game’s closed beta, you see. I actually entered the bug reporting event, but BAM! I got rejected, can you believe it?”
He laughed heartily, without a hint of concern.
The editor-in-chief finally understood his intention.
‘He came all the way here just because he wants to play the game before anyone else?’
What an oddball.
But he couldn’t just ignore him.
This was, for instance, a deal too good to pass up.
“...Your new title is still three years away from release, correct?”
His new games always sent waves through the industry.
If he could score an interview, it would be the scoop of a lifetime.
To his veiled words, Alid replied enigmatically.
“You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”
The deal was struck.
“I’ll get in touch with them.”
At the editor-in-chief’s words, Alid beamed.
It was a smile like that of a boy who had just gotten his hands on a new toy.
They shook hands.
And, to speak of an event yet to unfold.
Alid Russo, the head of Studio Valhalla.
About a decade later, he would create *Lost Kingdom*, an unprecedented masterpiece that would go down in gaming history.
***
“So this is how it turned out.”
Han Seo-rim said, looking dumbfounded.
There was only one reason she was scratching her cheek awkwardly.
She had been the one to argue that they should hide the Warden’s identity in the trailer.
“How come no one figured it out? Isn’t the butterfly pretty obvious?”
“Obvious? What are you talking about?”
The pot was calling the kettle black. A perfect saying for this moment.
“You didn’t have a clue about the butterfly’s identity until I told you the ending.”
“Th-That’s...!”
“It’s the difference in information. Seeing something when you know the truth is completely different from seeing it when you don’t.”
Besides, the information was deliberately guided in that direction. That was the inevitable result.
That had been the very intention behind the trailer’s design.
What needed to be revealed were the walls the player had to overcome—the chapters and bosses.
The intention behind revealing the Warden was noise marketing.
The studio’s name alone wasn’t yet strong enough to guarantee stable initial sales.
We needed to make a more radical move at the marketing stage, and at the same time, draw in more players from the previous game, which had been quite successful.
Of course, it would have been good to hide the Warden’s identity.
I knew full well that it would have heightened the dramatic twist of the boss fight.
However, when weighing the benefit of that twist against the practical impact on sales, the scale tipped overwhelmingly toward the latter.
We took a loss.
But it was a loss that brought an equal amount of gain.
Most importantly, hadn't we preserved the most crucial piece of information in the game?
“And the Warden isn’t the main focus of the game, anyway.”
“Huh?”
“We hid what needed to be hidden. This game’s narrative is completed by the butterfly’s identity. Without knowing that, a perfect analysis of the game is impossible.”
Conversely, knowing the butterfly’s identity would instantly reveal every element of the game.
“The one who participates in the final boss fight isn’t Alice, but the butterfly. As long as we keep that a secret, we’re good.”
Make them hold onto their expectations.
And then show them something that surpasses those expectations.
As a creator, I had finished all the possible setups during the development stage.
There was no need to discuss this further.
“...But Yeon-ho.”
Myeong-gyu suddenly asked.
“That setup sounds interesting too. Do you have any plans to add other factions to Hell besides the Warden?”
He was speaking while looking at the community theory posts.
This part was tricky to answer definitively.
“There is something more. But it’s not something that can be bundled into a faction.”
“Huh?”
“As an analogy, Hell is a forest. The Warden is a tree in the forest, the butterfly is a squirrel, and an element I’ll use in the next game is a flower. They’re grouped by their elements.”
Just because things in a forest have different shapes, you don’t call them the ‘faction of trees’ or the ‘faction of flowers’.
Everyone knows that a forest is formed when these elements coexist harmoniously, not in opposition.
Hell was the same.
The countless ‘things belonging to Hell’ that comprised that place each did their own work in their own domains; they rarely interconnected or clashed.
‘Although there was one clash...’
Well, that was less a clash between elements and more an incident caused by an external factor... namely, the intervention of a sinner, so it was ambiguous to define it as a clash.
Anyway, that was content for another game someday, so it wasn’t something to think about now.
“That’s enough about that.”
I changed the subject.
“Let’s focus on the task at hand.”
It was now January, and the year was 2011.
The prototype development was nearing completion, and the full-scale development schedule had begun to be shared.
Until the release, aside from the debugging schedule, there were no major tasks left other than minor adjustments.
Jo A-yun’s sound design was now only left with the ending part.
Most of the debugging would be handled by Myeong-gyu.
I would help, of course, but I had another task that was just as important as debugging, one that couldn't be emphasized enough.
‘Launch marketing.’
As the president, I had to think about how to sell the game.
Because we couldn’t afford to fail.
Displayed on my monitor was Facialbook, the dominant SNS of 2011.
Studio Rewind’s official account was created here.
The first post was the trailer video, and the second was the results of the recent bug reporting event.
My eyes were fixed on the bug reporting event results.
‘Nine people.’
Three from Korea, three from North America, and three global, for a total of nine.
That was what was publicly known, but there was actually one more.
‘A critic.’
The reason a critic was suddenly included was simple.
They had requested it first.
Something about a big shot in the industry being interested in our game’s closed beta and asking if they could assign a critic to review it.
They didn’t tell me who was assigned the review.
Still, I agreed because the magazine was one even I had heard of.
I wasn’t worried about getting a bad review.
Since they were the ones who had made the request, they were likely quite favorable toward our game.
My calculation was that a positive review from a critic would be a significant help to me.
'This is still an era where critics' reviews have a positive impact on metrics.'
Of course, there were already voices of dissent, but the credibility of those reviews was much higher than in the time I came from.
Setting aside that promising avenue, let’s return to the bug reporting event.
My mouse wheel stopped as I scanned the list.
The names that stood out were James Han and ‘CrystalClearT’ from the Korean community.
I especially remembered these two because they had found the most bugs using the most bizarre methods.
As I stared at the post, Han Seo-rim spoke up.
“Oh, by the way, the prototype for the Alice figurine is coming in next week.”
“Okay.”
“...What are you thinking about? Your reply was so lifeless.”
“Nothing.”
Just thinking about marketing.
*Click, click.*
I tapped the mouse idly, staring at James Han’s name among the two.
Because the marketing idea that came to mind involved using him.
‘The year 2011.’
It was launching.
The internet game broadcasting platform, Twitz.
This was the year an iron fortress would be built, one that wouldn’t crumble until the rise of the video streaming site with the red icon.
In other words.
‘It’s about time I gave him some homework.’
The sponsored game playthroughs, commonly known as ‘homework’.
It was time to start.
I sent an email right away.
[Long time no see.]
A reply came back almost immediately.
[Gimme the CB key!!!]
A satisfied smile spread across my face.
One well-nurtured James was better than ten advertising agencies.
Closed Beta (1)