When we were developing Dreamout, we didn’t really set any limits for ourselves.
If an idea popped up - no matter how weird - we didn’t try to justify it or fit it into the concept. We just made it.
Both of us were huge Evangelion fans, so at some point we decided: we’re not just going to reference it - we’re going to recreate an entire scene from the ending.
In the game, it’s just a tiny side quest that lasts maybe two minutes.
But it took us more than two weeks to make it happen: we had to draw unique assets, design the setting, code the whole sequence, and somehow explain why the player suddenly ends up standing in front of a giant head staring right at them.
That Evangelion-inspired scene wasn’t the only one that got out of hand.
There’s also a mini shoot ’em up section - another small, two-minute quest that took us weeks to finish.
We basically had to make a game inside the game: custom controls, enemies, scripts, effects... the whole deal.
Was it worth it? I’m not sure.
But it’s definitely weird and funny - and that’s exactly what we were aiming for.
Another “why not” moment was the shooter section at the cemetery.
Honestly, I don’t even remember how we came up with it (probably someone played too much DOOM), but we never doubted for a second that it had to be there.
And I’m curious - how do you usually react to moments like that in games?