Kiloo Games Interview

How did you first learn about Kiloo Games, and when did you join? Can you tell us about some of the games you’ve worked on before Bullet Time?

I joined Kiloo Games in early 2009, after working primarily in the movie industry and as a freelance author. I became Producer in 2010. Since then I’ve worked on a bunch of titles, most notably Zoonies for DSi and Frisbee Forever for iOS.

When did Bullet Time’s production cycle begin? Were separate production teams
wrapping up work on Frisbee Forever and Zoonies at the same time, and if so, did extra resources flow into your own team once those games released?

We started production on Bullet Time back in March of 2011, so separate teams were working with Frisbee Forever and Bullet Time at that point. After the success of FF we’ve been able to strengthen the team behind Bullet Time, so the team has quickly grown over the last six months.

Tell us a little about John Irish, Bullet Time’s main character. Where did he fit into the game’s world before he became a gun-slinging vigilante? Did he have any connection to the game’s villain(s) before his family was taken away?

John is a classic hard-working, do-it-yourself, kind of guy. He was born into the hostile world of Bullet Time and has been trying to make an earnest living ever since. Of course I can’t reveal the arch-nemesis of the story, but players will face some very malicious villains.

Bullet Time’s style and mood are clearly much darker than the properties Kiloo Games has previously worked with. When Bullet Time was first proposed, was there any worry that this might be too risky? Or, on the contrary, was there a consensus that Kiloo could greatly expand its audience by making a game with more mature themes?

Well, we’ve been looking to create something completely different for a while now. We don’t see ourselves as strictly a one-genre, classic arcade, development studio. The concept and universe of Bullet Time felt like such a natural move when we started out. So we never doubted that this was a title we wanted to make.

While billed as an Action/Adventure, Bullet Time looks like it has some RPG elements too. Does the player character gain stats by leveling up, in the traditional RPG sense? And are there optional side quests in addition to the main story campaign?

We are definitely inspired by classic RPG elements. The player character improves his stats when leveling up, and there are side quests/tasks and secrets spread throughout the campaign. Customization is also heavily inspired by traditional RPG games, but Bullet Time is first and foremost an action-adventure game.

What are the game’s controls like? Should players expect a dual-stick shooter, i.e., two virtual joysticks for running and shooting? Or are there some surprises in store beyond that?

Bullet Time uses the standard dual-stick shooter interface, but on top of that players can activate special power-ups which give you an advantage in combat. It’s also possible to quickly switch between different weapons in-game, so the player is always prepared for a new situation.

How will weapon upgrading work in the game? What kind of weapons can we expect,
and have any become favorites among the development team?

Great question. We definitely have a couple of favorites, like the mutant piercing Crossbow or the rapid-firing Mini-gun. At launch there’ll be seven different weapon classes and more than 20 customizable weapons in total.

I’m glad you asked about the upgrading system. The player can unlock various upgrade add-ons, which they can then attach to their weapons. For example, if you are a defensive type of player, you can add extra shield generators to your weapon. If you need flaming damage, you can attach a flame module. Each player can choose their specifically designed arsenal.

And finally, let’s touch on Bullet Time’s co-op multiplayer mode, because this sounds really exciting. Does multiplayer mode offer missions that are separate from the storyline campaign, and how did you arrive at three as the maximum number of players who can participate? Does everyone play as John Irish in these sessions and rely on equipment customization to tell the players apart, or are different characters available in multiplayer?

Multiplayer is a separate entity from the storyline of Bullet Time. It’s more of a Last Stand type of game, where players face the hordes of evil mutants and demons in multiplayer arenas. They’ll cooperate on getting the best score and we’ve got Game Center leaderboards so you can compete worldwide. Three players seemed the perfect fit when balancing the game. Players use their own customization to create a unique look and to separate them from their friends.

Our thanks goes to Jeppe Bisbjerg, producer at Kiloo Games, for answering our questions, and to PR man Rasmus Sorensen for arranging this interview. Bullet Time is slated to hit in November. Keep an eye on Kiloo Games’ website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed for the latest news while we wait for it to hit the App Store!