Read Only Memories: Neurodiver, Creator’s Diary

Happy Birthday, Neurodiver

There are still a few days before we submit our game for certification. Our release date announcement trailer is behind us and we are adding the final updates to Readable Memories Only: NeurodiverFor the eye-catching sequences, I give the Neurodiver itself a birthday: May 16, 2024, and then we let it go out into the world.

The day after

May 16th has passed and the game is now out. I have been working on it for the past six years with several others who have come and gone. A lot has happened to MidBoss, our team and the world in that time, but the game is finally out and a wave of relief has washed over us, quickly followed by a lot of fear. The game is at least shorter than our previous one and its story is well-paced. I still play and enjoy it in my free time though and am proud of what our team has accomplished. I have had the pleasure of working and collaborating with many wonderful people.

Past and present: planning the game

Read-only memory: Neurodivers is a very personal project, both in its history – however short – and in its development. I was the original director and lead artist/animator for 2064: Read-only memory. It’s a game I have a complicated relationship with. A lot has happened, with the original team and with me. I finally feel comfortable sitting with my roommates and watching them play as we celebrate the release of our current game. My head is spinning with all the interactions and logistics involved. It’s very impressive that we’ve done this. I’m proud of this game too, but it came at a high cost to develop.

We couldn’t aim for the same scope as the previous game. It just wasn’t possible. But after we had worked out the initial story plan, we were very happy with the result: a gripping] light and fast paced adventure. A pseudo-sequel with an established protagonist who can delve into memories and chase after a renegade psychic hiding within them. Whose memories would we be exploring? I wanted to see some old friends from the original game again, a chance to see how they were doing five or six years later.

Dive into the details

Luna Cruz de la Vega, or ES88, is a young and ambitious paranormal agent who works at Minerva. She is the only one connected to a special genetically modified esper called a Neurodiver. This Neurodiver allows her to not only view and interact with memories, but also repair them. Every day she wakes up and throws herself straight into work. ES88 wants to prove something to herself and her colleagues, and although she is confident in her abilities, she still doubts herself.

A psychic being known as the Golden Butterfly haunts people’s memories, fragmenting them and causing lingering fears. These fragments range from something as simple as a lost password to forgetting where you left off with someone important to you. It’s ES88’s job to repair these fragments and drive Golden Butterfly away. It’s a tall order. Could it be too much? How far is she willing to push herself?

Read-only memory: Neurodivers is a capsule filled with many things we love. ES88’s days play out like an episode in an anime, commercials and everything. She dreams of herself as a magical girl. The soundscape is filled with shiny, vibrant FM tones reminiscent of old Yamaha-powered sound cards. It was a joy to bring each expression to life. Each character has exactly the voice we imagined in our heads. And it’s all wrapped up in an homage to Japanese adventure games of the past.

Readable Memories Only: Neurodiver is a game that expresses our passion for the things we love. It was an opportunity to spend time with old friends and meet new ones. Even though it’s only a short trip, I hope it will stay with you for a long time.