Life Goes On - When Death is REQUIRED to Beat a Game... WHAT??

Life Goes On presents a unique approach to progression in a video game by turning death into a core mechanic. The interview describes the title as a Global Game Jam project centered on the aura of Life, Death, and rebirth, aiming to redefine how players experience failure and advancement. Developers explain that deaths are meaningful and alter the game state, rather than simply sending players back to a checkpoint. They emphasize experimenting with traditional mechanics to produce a fresh experience and to demonstrate that innovation can help sell a great game. The team discusses the narrative of a knight searching for the Grail, with the quest looping through multiple castles and traps, suggesting a lighthearted yet thoughtful story underpinning the mechanical challenges. They also touch on platform strategy, noting a PC demo available on their website, followed by a Steam release that will expand to Mac and Linux after packs, showing a plan to reach a broader audience. The interview reveals a four-person, bootstrapped indie team that collaborates across design, art, and sound, highlighting their flexible roles and a strong preference for community involvement, such as a mailing list for naming knights and inviting user-sourced death sounds. The overall message is one of innovation, accessible indie development, and a commitment to making a novel puzzle experience that embraces death as a meaningful gameplay tool.

Topics · video games · indie game development · game design · puzzle games