The end is near.
We're currently gearing up for launch and it's great to see all the pieces of the game coming together. Since last fall we've changed the game a lot - feedback from our alpha players and other trusted folks led to changes in our inventory system, new systems for changing gameplay and story elements in replays, and a new conversation system for how you interact with the friendly characters in Freedom Town. Now we've moved on to tracking down those last elusive bugs. Working with our new publisher we're getting a bunch more testing than we expected, which I hope translates to a more stable game when we launch.
I mean it when I say no one is as bummed by our delays in shipping as we are. But on the other hand I like how stable the game is feeling, how some of these design changes make the game feel a bunch better. I hope you'll think it's worth it and I'm very appreciative of everyone's patience.
More Voice Actors
Our voice and music recording has officially wrapped on the game - we just did a final music session with our cult leader John Patrick Lowrie.
When we first revealed our character trailer last December, you may have noticed it features some voices you have not heard before, and I want to tell you who they are.
Rafeedah Keys plays KeeAnne and Theresa. On The Suffering games I did years back, Rafeedah played Carmen - player character Torque's (ghostly) wife. I remember after a long search we finally cast her and that’s when The Suffering really started to get its emotional core. Working with her on those games over many sessions over many years was very creatively fulfilling back then, and reconnecting with her for The Church in the Darkness has been tremendous.
Arif Kinchen plays Alex and Charles. Arif and I first worked together on The Suffering - Ties that Bind where he played one of the main characters, Torque’s best friend Miles. Since The Suffering Arif has been staying super busy, perhaps most famously playing Pierce Washington in the Saint’s Row games, but recently you might also have heard him in anything from Mafia III to Where the Water Tastes Like Wine to State of Decay 2.
To read more about our actors and the characters they play, check out our in-depth blog post:
http://churchinthedarkness.tumblr.com/post/181224780839/cults-inspire-such-devotion-in-their-members-at
Next Stop: PAX East
And as a final note, we're happy to say we'll be back at PAX East (Boston, March 28-31) again this year, showing off a near-final build of the game. With our ramp up to full launch this will be our last big show before shipping. Players who can make it to Boston will get to see the game in its best state yet, and everyone else will get to try out the full game not that long after.
Last year PAX East was one of our favorite shows, and we're glad to do be there again.
Thanks again to everyone for their patience - the end is in sight!
- Richard
Director/Designer/Writer on The Church in the Darkness