CataclismoandMoonlighterare two very different games. The latter, which was released in mid-2018, is an action RPG with a pixel-inspired art style that tells the story of a shopkeeper exploring a massive, complex dungeon and then selling the treasures they acquire in their home village.Cataclismo, which is Spain-based studio Digital Sun’s upcoming project, is a 3D real-time strategy and castle-building game set in a dark world where humanity continues to fight against the destruction wrought by the titular apocalyptic event.
Game Rant sat down with Digital Sun CEO Javier “Javi” Gimenez and creative director Vicent Ramirez to talk all thingsCataclismo.The pair frankly discussed the challenges of making a game so different from both of their previous titles,MoonlighterandtheLeague of Legendsspin-off gameThe Mageseeker.However, both Gimenez and Ramirez felt that the lessons they learned from developing the two games allowed them to make a product they are extremely proud of withCataclismo,which will be Digital Sun’s first self-published title.
The Most Important Lesson Is To Take Time
When asked what they had learned fromMoonlighter,Gimenez’s response was immediate:
“Giving enough time to a project to really find good solutions is worth it.”
Moonlighterwas the studio’s first title, but the team was careful not to rush it, to be patient, and to take the time they needed to polish the game. This ended up being worth it, asMoonlighter wasreleased to generally positive reviews. Gimenez also excitedly described howMoonlighterhas become an enduring game, with new fans and players still discovering the game five years after its initial release.
Gimenez and Ramirez also felt that makingMoonlighterhelped give them the courage to self-publishCataclismo.While they enjoyed working with 11 bit studios, they felt that they could produce a higher-quality game if they were able to maintain a continuous dialogue with the player base, consistently receiving and implementing feedback. They also drew courage from working with an established IP,League of Legends,when makingThe Mageseeker,and they were confident in creating an elaborate original world forCataclismo. Cataclismo’spost-apocalyptic settingdraws inspiration from Studio Ghibli, Mike Mignola, and more.
Digital Sun Gives Love To Each Game They Make
The other lesson the team learned from makingMoonlighter,besides patience, is the importance of putting love and passion into every single project. When comparing and contrastingCataclismoandMoonlighter,Javi Gimenez said:
I think we learned that patience, attention to detail, love, and care pay off in the end, and players can see that.Cataclismois much more sophisticated thanMoonlighterand much more difficult to produce, but I think they share the same spirit of giving love to everything that the game is.
MoonlighterandThe Mageseekerare far from the only things Digital Sun drew upon when makingCataclismo.Vicent Ramirez compared the game’s man vs. nature struggle, in which the remnants of humanity must face down beasts mutated by the titular Cataclysm, tothe Studio Ghibli filmPrincess Mononoke.Ramirez feels that Studio Ghibli’s many works have been a major influence on all of Digital Sun’s games, starting withMoonlighter,which borrowed from Ghibli’s frequent portrayals of idyllic small towns existing alongside fantastic supernatural beings.
Ramirez also compared the art style ofCataclismoto both the work of Romantic painters such as Caspar David Friedrich, as well as Mike Mignola’s distinctive art in theHellboycomics. Gimenez felt that thereal-time strategy owed a great deal toWarcraft 3andAge of Empires,while the game’s central building system honored LEGO. Overall,Cataclismodraws from an eclectic mix of varied inspirations, andMoonlighteris just one of the pieces of media that helped it become what it is today.
Cataclismois currently planned to release on PC via Steam in Q2 2024.
