Hello everybody! I’m Diego Ordoñez, Senior Programmer at Rubber Duck Games. Our humorous action role-playing game Evil wizard is out now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, and I wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the game and how it was made!
The beginning
When you start work Evil wizardI wanted to make a game that has humor and funny moments throughout the game. Also, I’ve always been very fascinated with characters that use magic, such as mages and sorcerers. The concept of magic is great from a narrative perspective as it allows the designer to create the rules needed to make the gameplay or story make sense. Finally, I wanted to have a hook, something innovative that I could use to tie everything together. I chose a twist and told the story of what happens to a boss after he’s been defeated. This setting gave me the opportunity to explore humor in a different way. Every player has played a game where the protagonist is a hero and has to defeat an evil wizard. Because of this, I felt that players would immediately understand the setting of the game and the context of the story.
find the humor
After the setting was fleshed out, I started writing jokes in the form of dialogue between the characters. These can be found throughout the game. The evil wizard makes fun of the NPCs, enemies chat with other enemies in funny cutscenes and there are instances where the evil wizard talks directly to the player. Breaking the fourth wall has always been interesting to me, and the video game medium offers a very unique way to do that as the player controls the protagonist.
When we started production, we found humor in other parts of the game besides the dialogue. Ruben Gómez was responsible for the game’s aesthetics and he also happens to be a very funny guy. He has implemented many fun moments throughout the game in the form of environmental art and collectibles. These can be found in almost every level of the game, for example hanging underwear on the castle roof, paintings of the evil wizard with pop culture characters and many rubber ducky collectibles related to pop culture characters we know and love .
In addition, Pablo Pérez, our pixel art animator, did a wonderful job creating fun animations with enemies and NPCs. These are everywhere, from the concept art (like a chef attacking by waving a frying pan with red-hot chili peppers) to the way most enemies die.
But what about action?
In development Evil wizardWe knew we had to offer players a good action RPG that complemented the game’s humor and setting. We wanted to create a good combat system and exploration design for the players who didn’t find it Evil wizard very funny. We started by making combat the heart of the game. This is another pillar of the game and consists of huge bosses, optional mini-bosses, a very wide system of spells and elements, and melee combat with risk and reward systems. We took inspiration from other Action RPGs and Metroidvanias and made the whole world into an intertwined castle of different rooms that the player has to explore to reach the final level. We filled the levels with secrets, riddles, random combat encounters, and fun cutscenes to balance the experience between combat, exploration, and humor. Gonzalo Banki Martínez, our producer, was responsible for most of the original design of the castle rooms. Each room has an environment; the Castle Terrace, Armory, Laboratory, Dungeon and more. We’ve created multiple connections between these rooms to allow players to explore to find secrets and defeat optional mini-bosses hidden around the map.
Finally
I hope you enjoy the weird and wonderful world Evil wizard and we would love to hear from you about your experience. Get ready to play the villain for a change! You can buy as part of a special introductory campaign Evil wizard for a 10% discount until June 1st, 2023! stay angry
Evil Wizard (Xbox)
E-Home Entertainment Development Co.,Ltd
$19.99
$17.99
“There are songs that still tell the story of heroes’ most daring deeds. After a long battle against the evil wizard, the castle he called home was besieged and overrun, and the wretched servants who had served him for generations were slain by the dozen.” While the corrupt villain himself managed to escape, this day marked an amazing victory for the forces of good…” Or really?! Evil Wizard is a humorous action role-playing game with Metroidvania elements and carefully designed pixel art environments. As a defeated villain, narrowly surviving a tough battle, you must face an army of so-called heroes to reclaim what is rightfully yours. Rediscover your powers, infiltrate your own castle, unleash devastating spells and rid your ancestral home of those miserable excuses for an enemy. Are you ready to get your hands dirty? It’s time to be the villain for a change! GAMEPLAY FEATURES: ● A Quest of Vengeance – Face off against hordes of enemies, avoid deadly traps and solve challenging puzzles as you reclaim the halls of your castle from the heroes who now inhabit it! ● Metroidvania-Inspired Design – Explore carefully crafted locations and navigate intricate levels. Use your skills and elements to interact with the game world and unlock new paths. ● Fast-paced, skill-based combat – Unleash devastating melee strikes, unlock world-shattering spells, and dash across the map to crush your enemies. You are in full control of every battle! ● Elements and Powers to Master – Control the power of Fire, Ice, Void, Lightning and Earth. Mix different elements to unleash devastating attacks and exploit your enemies’ weaknesses! ● Unique Enemies and Boss Battles – Upgrade your character to defeat increasingly challenging enemies. Choose from dozens of upgrades as you prepare to defeat a series of bosses, each with their own unique skills and fighting style! % We recommend playing the game on Xbox Series X|S %
