The Works of Yoko Taro

👋 Hi there! Welcome to the latest edition of SUPERJUMP Weekly. This week, we're delving into the creative mind of the great Yoko Taro, an undoubtedly enigmatic figure in the games industry. His work is defined by both its innovation and depth. Our Story Showcase includes an interview with the man and a couple of his collaborators, along with some beautiful deep-dives on his creations. In this issue, we also showcase the works of SUPERJUMP Managing Editor Bryan Finck and feature Barraka in our latest On the Radar update.

We hope you enjoy this issue. Please consider becoming a Backer if you would like to support our unique brand of independent games journalism. Thank you.

IN THIS ISSUE

✍️ Story Showcase: Yoko Taro
⭐ Author Showcase: Bryan Finck
📡 On the Radar: Barraka
📅 This Week on SJP
🏆 Backers

Game Masters: Yoko Taro

How to recognize a Yoko Taro RPG

SUPERJUMPVitor M. Costa

NieR: Automata - An Interview with Yoko Taro, Yosuke Saito, and Keiichi Okabe

With the re-release of NieR: Automata on Nintendo Switch, the legendary minds behind the game discuss their craft in an exclusive interview

SUPERJUMPVitor M. Costa

NieR: Replicant and Experimental Narrative

The video game medium excels at defying expectations

SUPERJUMPBrandon R Chinn

Nier Automata Explores “2B or Not 2B” but Doesn’t Provide an Answer

Yoko Taro’s nihilist painting of the future, featuring hope

SUPERJUMPAntony Terence

We Need to Talk About Gay Relationships in JRPGs

Why we need more gay representation in JRPGs and how narrative design and character writing can improve

SUPERJUMPVitor M. Costa

NieR and Back Again

Returning to Taro Yoko’s dreamland

SUPERJUMPBrandon R Chinn

Getting Personal With PR: Interviewing TriplePoint’s Paul Lombardo

Video game PR explained

SUPERJUMPBryan Finck

Jusant: A Beautiful Ascent

A wonderfully creative experience

SUPERJUMPBryan Finck

How They Make the Guac: An Interview With DrinkBox Studios

Studio co-founder Ryan MacLean gives us insight into the creation of hits like Guacamelee and Severed

SUPERJUMPBryan Finck

Getting Tactical With Pierre Leclerc, Creator of Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark

The co-founder of 6-Eyes Studio tells us how they created this ode to the beloved classics of the genre

SUPERJUMPBryan Finck

How to Pitch Your Game to Publishers and Investors

A comprehensive guide that’s especially useful for indie developers

SUPERJUMPBryan Finck

Defining Real-Time Strategy With Petroglyph Games

A lifetime of designing industry-leading RTS games for everyone

SUPERJUMPBryan Finck

As game discovery has shifted more and more to shortform video, distinctive graphical styles have become increasingly important. While a lot of games have that interesting look, none stand out quite like the plasticine world of Barraka.

Young Ainhoa didn't know what she was getting into with the Barraka fair. What should have been fun and games has turned into a deadly gauntlet full of traps, killer clowns and ghosts, all set in motion by the evil witch that's secretly running the show. Getting out in one piece will mean working with some of the friendlier carnies to find a way through Barraka's killer attractions.

Barraka's primary gameplay is a top-down action/puzzle game, resembling a lot of hybrid puzzle titles from the '90s. Ainhoa collects toys that can be used to solve puzzles and incapacitate or defeat enemies. That's just the core gameplay, though. Many of the attractions feature completely different gameplay styles, such as a driving-oriented bumper cars challenge or a merry-go-round that turns into a horizontally scrolling shooter.

But it's Barraka's visual design that's the most striking aspect. The game employs a blend of different animation techniques to create a world that looks like no other game out there. Most character animations are based on stop motion, but this isn't your old-school claymation - the animations are still fluid, with plenty of detail. The result is a game that feels like it has a material reality beyond the screen.

Barraka is pending a release date.

💻 Created by Zomorro Studio
✍️ Andrew Johnston

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and the Weight of Innovation

A story that can’t keep pace with the innovative gameplay

SUPERJUMPJoe Richards

The Making of Amnesia: The Bunker

Learn the secrets behind one of the scariest games of the generation

SUPERJUMPIgnas Vieversys

Cryptmaster Evolves the Text Parser Adventure Game

Inventive, wry gameplay makes for a great adventure

SUPERJUMPLucas Di Quinzio

WordPlayer: Wide Ocean Big Jacket Is A Perfect One-Hour Game

A full life, but small

SUPERJUMPJames O’Connor

Hellblade II Shows the Burden of Acceptance

A poignant exploration of mental illness and trauma

SUPERJUMPMarvel Maximus

Bethesda Game Studios is the First Microsoft Video Game Studio To Unionize

A first for large developers in the industry

SUPERJUMPPriya Sridhar

Thank you to Berke, Brandon, CT, Cathie, Claire, Geena, Lexi, Nick, Oren, Peter, Troy, Radha, and Wes for supporting independent, cynicism-free games publishing.