Chapter 58: Chapter 59: Deep Abyss (1)

Shortly after the console release of Hellic 2 was announced, the Japanese gaming community buzzed with excitement.

“I’ve played it on PC myself.

I can confidently say it’s a masterpiece, a game beloved by Aldred Russo of Valhalla.

It’s the 2011 Indie Game of the Year and has received high praise.

I am looking forward to its console release.

I recommend it to all of you.”

The overall response was quite positive.

A minority of negative reactions came from users who were concerned that the console version might not live up to the PC experience. However, their voices were drowned out by the substantial interest in Hellic.

There was particularly a lot of talk about Alice’s character model.

“Is that girl the main character?”

“Yes, the game is played from her perspective.”

“Wow… the model looks great.”

“The action is good too, I recommend it.”

In general, the Japanese culture had a strong interest in moe elements. So, games featuring young girls as protagonists already had a built-in appeal. Add to that a guarantee of gameplay quality, and many people became interested. Furthermore, the curiosity about the story grew due to a previous “no spoilers” incident in another country, which further solidified the interest of potential buyers.

But until then, it was still a minority interest.

In the end, that’s what it was.

No matter how much it was called an “Indie Game of the Year,” from the perspective of most gamers, there were already more outstanding AAA options available. The interest in Hellic 2 was merely a passing curiosity for the average user.

That was the situation at the time.

What really boosted the interest in Hellic in the Japanese market was a viral image.

“The development team really loves the game.

(Director cosplaying as Alice)

The director cosplaying as a playable character www

“The director is really into crossdressing wwwwww”

“Koitsu wwwww is showing his true colours pretending to be a PR guy wwwww”

“Terrifying wwwwwwwww”

“The land of Japan, went wild.”

From their perspective, the director’s actions directly linked to the game’s credibility.

Of course, some might sigh at this phenomenon, but what did that matter?

“I tried drawing the director cosplaying.

(Fan art of Director cosplaying as Alice)”

Meme-like popularity is still popularity, and noise marketing is still marketing. As some would say in lamentation, Hellic’s entry into Japan was sailing smoothly amid the noisy buzz.

Humans are creatures of adaptation.

Just like the old saying goes, the rookie planner Jiseok was gradually adapting to this nocturnal-like studio environment.

As he adapted and evolved to fit the environment.

“Oh, it’s finally time to go home on time.”

It was exactly 7 PM when he finished work.

It had been about 9 hours since he arrived at 10 AM.

As Jiseok experienced on-time departure two months after starting his job, many thoughts crossed his mind.

From the day he first joined and thought about quitting, to the beginning of his adaptation when he thought, “Let’s give it a try for a little longer,” to the one-hour overtime he just had yesterday when he thought, “This seems manageable, doesn’t it?”

Each of these events felt emotionally significant, making Jiseok’s heart flutter.

Among these thoughts was the one who gave him this work, Yeonho.

Jiseok’s gaze briefly turned to Yeonho, who was busy with work.

The head of the planning team, the studio’s president and CEO, and the overall director of the Hellic series.

The information Jiseok knew when he joined was about that much, and what he had come to realize now was that he was an extremely thorough person.

To put it in metaphorical terms, he was like a personal trainer.

“Why, isn’t it just about getting used to it?”

Trainers keep pushing people to exercise just a bit more, even when they feel like they can’t do any more. They make people exercise until they’re almost about to collapse.

That’s how Yeonho handled work.

The amount of work he assigned as daily tasks seemed like something that couldn’t be done, but when you actually did it, it was a manageable amount that made you wonder, “Why did I think this was impossible?”

The first month or so felt like I was going to die, but now that I’ve gotten used to it, I feel like I can handle it if I focus.

And with that thought in mind, I wondered, “Has Yeonho had a lot of experience managing employees?”

Yeonho is 26 years old this year.

Despite being year younger than Jiseok, who is 27, he seems incredibly skilled at managing people. So, there were times when I felt admiration regardless of age.

Of course, there were also moments when those feelings faded.

“Senior, want to grab some dinner?”

Beyond the partition, Art Director Han Seorim’s head popped out.

Yeonho glanced at his watch briefly before responding.

“Oh, it’s dinner time already.”

“What do you want to eat tonight?”

“Something simple is fine.”

“Let’s go to the spicy chicken stir-fry place. It just opened.”

“I’m not a fan of that place.”

“…It just opened today.”

“I know. It’s just not that great. Let’s go have black bean noodles instead.”

“Anyway, you really loves black bean noodles.”

“What about the others?”

“They’re not coming. It’s just the two of us tonight. Get ready and come with me.”

As the conversation flowed smoothly, an indescribable emotion welled up within Jiseok.

His gaze fell on Yeonho’s face.

“…He’s good-looking.”

Even after seeing him for two months, Yeonho’s face still didn’t feel familiar.

How often does someone wonder why such a person is a developer and not a celebrity? It’s only natural to have many moments of bewilderment when such a person is with you, especially when that person is as attractive as him.

But that’s not all.

Sound Director Jo Ayoon, who would pop over the partition once a day to feed Yeonho chocolates and leave, and the Art Team senior designers who would tease Yeonho with laughter and then leave.

Even though nothing had been taken away from him, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss.

His body trembled, and at that moment, Yeonho felt Jiseok’s gaze and turned his head.

“Hmm? Jiseok, are you leaving work?”

Jiseok replied nervously, “Ah, yes. I’ve finished my work…”

“Thank you for your hard work. What about Hosu?”

“I’ll finish up some work for tomorrow before leaving.”

Hey, you!

Jiseok’s eyes reddened.

He couldn’t help feeling annoyed at his co-worker, who, despite being his junior, was voluntarily working overtime and seemed so pleased with himself.

Look at that! Happiness was spreading across Yeonho’s face.

“Do I… Do I need to work overtime too?”

I feel like I’m being too obvious.

In reality, finishing work for the day and leaving should be normal, but it was starting to feel as if it was a bad thing.

The only fortunate thing was that Yeonho had decided to leave first.

“Well, you can leave work on time, Jiseok. Now that you’ve adapted to the job, you should take some rest and adjust your pace. Everyone has their own way of being productive.”

“Oh!”

A sense of affection welled up at these words that touched his heart.

Yeonho might not even realize how Jiseok felt.

He left first.

“I’ll leave first. Hosu, finish up and leave when you’re ready.”

“Okay.”

Yeonho disappeared from his seat.

Jiseok let out a sigh and looked at Hosu.

Even though it had been two months since they started working together, their relationship still felt awkward.

They even slept in the same sleeping quarters, and it had been quite a while since that day.

“Hosu, what are you looking at?”

Hesitatingly, he approached and asked, and Hosu replied, “I’m working on some numerical corrections. If Gwanggaeto’s heart connects with Sajasinwang’s head and the Blood Stone Axe, the numbers get tangled.”

“Oh, Gwanggaeto was the core of the Ghost Ma build, right?”

“Yes, if I leave these numbers as they are, it seems like the Ghost Ma build will fail.”

He had a background in mathematics, and it seemed like he was quite thorough when it came to numerical calculations.

Jiseok scratched his cheek and nodded.

Awkwardness had returned.

“What about your work?”

Hosu was the one who asked first.

Jiseok shrugged.

“Oh, yeah, I’m… Well…”

Is this what they are going to be talking about?

Even though they were supposed to be on the same team as new hires, could they really be so incompatible?

It was a moment of sighs, despite being hired as colleagues in the same team.

“Do you enjoy the work you do?” Hosu asked.

Jiseok responded with a start, “Oh, yes. What about you, Hosu?”

“It’s fun. Especially when the values I set are implemented in the game.”

Jiseok was surprised. It was because a smile had spread across Hosu’s lips.

‘Wow.’

That person is serious.

He was thinking such thoughts.

“I want to do well. If we produce results worse than the independently designed Hellic 2, then there’s no reason for us to be here.”

At those words, Jiseok’s movements suddenly stopped.

‘Hellic 2…’

What should he say? The reason he joined this place was just for that indie game developed by only six people.

He had another thought.

It was self-reflection.

‘…Am I helping to create something better?’

He didn’t know.

The first two months of his job were a time when he didn’t even know what he was doing. But one thing was clear.

‘…’

He wasn’t approaching his work as seriously as Hosu did.

Realizing this, his body moved on its own.

Tuk—

Jiseok placed his bags beside the computer and turned it on.

“Jiseok?”

At Hosu’s question, Jiseok awkwardly smiled and replied, “Since I have nothing else to do at home, I thought I’d work a little more. I got inspired by you, Hosu.”

Hosu’s eyes widened for a moment and then returned to their usual size.

“…I’ll be done in an hour.”

“That’s good. I’ll work for about an hour more too. Oh, how about a drink after we’re done?”

“Not a bad idea. Let’s meet in an hour then.”

“Sure.”

Tada-dak!

The sound of keyboards typing filled the planning team’s area.

Jiseok resolved to himself.

‘A game better than Hellic 2.’

One word from Hosu had created ripples in Jiseok’s mind.

A clearer goal.

It was good motivation.

‘To be better than Hellic 2…’

He needed to work hard.

Even at this moment, Hellic 2 was making a name for itself on the new market stage.

***

The most delicious Chinese restaurant in Pangyo that I know of.

As I picked up the chili shrimp, Han Seorim said, “The response from Japan seems good.”

“Huh?”

“Hellic 2. It seems to have created quite a buzz since the announcement of the console version.”

Oh, that’s what she meant.

“It’s great. It has an emotional story, just the right amount of drama and twists, plus the hellish setting and console-friendly controls. There’s no reason for people not to like it.”

Basic elements for a game that should do well.

“Good for them. Since it’s a title that Sony is actively supporting, it should sell well.”

I said concisely.

But even as I said that, one thought kept coming back to me.

‘In the end, we’re going to have competition.’

In 2012, this year’s E3, Hellic 2 was entering the market as an Indie Game of the Year, but it was still treated as an underdog.

And there was a reason for it.

‘Because Last of Us was announced.’

A masterpiece released during the twilight years of the PS3.

One of the undisputed best-sellers in console gaming history whenever people talk about the best games of console gaming history.

In 2013, it even overshadowed GTV5 and became a monstrous hit that swept all the awards for that year.

However, due to various issues with the next project, its reputation has faded somewhat, but all of that was an undeniable fact.

It was the same just now.

What was shown at E3 was just one trailer.

But its impact was already huge, even in Korea, where console influence was relatively low, it was already becoming a hot topic.

How could we come close to that reputation?

At least for a few years, until the release of Legend of Zelda, which was expected in 2017, there wouldn’t be a game that would sweep the awards.

‘…No.’

Come to think of it, there was one.

‘Naughty Dog’s new game was in 2014 or 2015.’

I remembered that the new work of Aldred Russo, which had a similar impact to The Last of Us, was announced the following year.

Thinking about it, great works just keep coming.

Anyway, putting aside such idle gossip, Hellic 2 was the underdog of this year’s E3.

Of course, it wasn’t at the level of a tiny speck of dust.

Fortunately, that’s not the case.

‘Last of Us is scheduled to be released next year, while Hellic 2 is at the end of this year. For now, Hellic 2 is getting attention because it’s closer to its release. There shouldn’t be a big problem with sales.’

The console version of Hellic 2 is scheduled to be released around the same time as the sale of the PS3 Super Slim at the end of this year.

“At this level, visible results can be achieved.”

I decided to focus only on that point. There’s no need to be anxious about the performance.

“Alice modelling turned out quite well. Especially for the Japanese market. It’s a market where you can use moe elements as a sales point.”

“Yeah, we’ve talked about that a lot,” replied Han Seorim, sliding her smartphone with a quick motion.

She’s addicted to that thing. It was a moment of thought.

“But it seems like the senior really doesn’t know.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, never mind if you don’t know.”

Why is she acting like this? As I was thinking, Han Seorim closed her smartphone.

“Let’s go eat. Oh, by the way, when does our team start working? We have too many people idling.”

“Just enjoy it now. You will scream for a break soon.”

“Wow, you’re ruthless. The owner of the sleeping quarters is changing.”

“Duty room.”

“What? It’s still a sleeping quarters.”

She doesn’t understand the importance of names. I thought about saying it, but I didn’t. Han Seorim wasn’t holding her smartphone for a change.

So, we had our meal. And so, another day in July passed.

***

Seorim left work early due to a decrease in recent tasks and went home to lie down. Once again, her smartphone caught her attention. It was a considerable addiction, just as Yeonho had judged.

However, this addiction trend was not harming the studio in any way; it was only causing Seorim to search for articles related to Hellic.

“I should tell him.”

Seorim was deeply troubled. It was all because of the issue with Japan. During meals, Yeonho had indirectly asked, judging the interest in Hellic 2 only from the data.

So, Seorim hadn’t yet approached the “real reason” she knew.

“Hmm…”

Seorim stroked her chin and looked at her smartphone screen. It was a recommended post from a gaming community she frequented.

The content was a translation of Japanese reactions to Hellic. The post included a picture of Yeonho dressed as Alice, posing with a toy gun.

『(P) The Lord of Pye in Bangbaedong: What the hell are the Japanese guys doing?

(An image of Yeonho dressed as Alice with a toy gun, posing)

How far does the cosplay image spread?

WaitingforHellic3: Yeonho, Yeonho…

Flower Jaehee Cherry Lips: ???

S2 Bubbly S2: …^^

ClearwithoutT: Well drawn, lol

z Han Soo: F***…

I Love Space Wars: The world… no matter how it ends up… there are such… strange things…!』

Seorim read the post again.

Right.

Yeonho believed that the Japanese interest in Hellic was due to elements like winning Game of the Year, but in reality, Hellic was gaining attention through these grotesque fan arts that were turning into memes.

That wasn’t all. If you looked at Japanese communities, you’d find that Yeonho’s cosplay image had been transformed into various bizarre fan arts, such as dance gifs, wink gifs, magical girl Yeonho gifs, and more. Only a tiny fraction of people were interested in Alice and the butterfly themselves. Hellic’s word of mouth was reviving thanks to the 2009 G-STAR image, which had become a fresh trend in a new country.

“Should I tell him?”

Seorim pondered for a moment and then made her decision.

“…Let’s keep it to myself.”

There was no need to expose everything. Some truths were better left buried.

“Should I save the pictures?”

Of course, she never forgot to save the pictures that she wanted to see when she felt down.

Eventually, Seorim closed her smartphone and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be just like any other day.

***

Unfortunately, there are no eternal secrets in this world.

“M-Mr. President! Look at this!”

The next day, Ayoon showed the picture to Yeonho with sparkling eyes. Yeonho’s expression began to change.

Seorim thought to herself, “Wow…”

That’s a facial expression I haven’t seen in the four years I’ve known him.

It was the most dynamic expression Seorim had ever seen from /RomanceMTL