Hey there! I'm Yoshinori Ono, CEO at Lasengle.
Welcome to my blog and thanks for dropping by!
I want to talk a little about the flexible working system we have at Lasengle. We have two working options to choose from: Home Style for those who want to work from home, and Office Style for those who want to work at the office. You can find out more about that here, including information on employee benefits and the remote work allowance (in Japanese only).
Since we hit February, even office die-hards like yours truly have switched to home mode. Right now, our top priority is making sure our team and their loved ones are healthy and safe. That's why we'll all be working from home for the foreseeable future.
Right now, we're just adapting as best we can. But it's got me thinking long term too. How will this change the way we work five or ten years down the line? How will it impact the kind of environment we choose to make games?
It's not just working environments though. With people spending more time at home as a family, these changes are probably going to affect our personal gaming setups too. That's why I'm really excited about the buzz around handheld gaming PCs. (Raise your hand if you still call them Ultra-Mobile PCs or UMPCs? Well, looks like you're an old-school techie too.)
For most of us, PC gaming means being stuck to a desk, eyes glued to a huge monitor, with our serious gaming face on, mouse and keyboard at the ready. But handheld gaming PCs are changing all that. Now you can play your favorite games and hang with your family, without hogging the living room TV.
Of course, I had to get my hands on one and see what all the fuss was about. Last month, I went out and snagged my second device (and when the long-awaited Japan release of that other one drops, I'll have three!).
I'm still deciding which one I prefer, but honestly, I'm just grateful for how this tech is making PC games so accessible--especially considering the wild times we're living in. And I'm especially grateful for how easy it'll be to finally make a dent in the mountain of games I've been dying to play!
Which brings me to my featured game for blog #8, Vampire Survivors.
Last week we had some serious snowfall in Tokyo--not something us city folk are used to. The snow just kept coming down, blanketing the city in no time. I mean, we survived, but it was pretty cold for Tokyo.
Vampire Survivors is a top-view action shooter
But, the only real action is moving your character around the screen. Weapons and collecting are all automated, so your only job is to navigate your character through hordes of attacking enemies.
"Hordes, Yoshinori? Are you for real?" Yeah, you bet for real! Hordes and hordes and hordes. If you're too slow, the screen starts filling up with enemies, piling up just like the snowfall in Tokyo last week. Within minutes of playing, you'll find yourself yelling, "Wait, wh-what the? Seriously? C'mon...", as you're forced to mow down enemies like a one-man army, or be crushed by the masses.
You start off with one weapon, and your goal is to survive 30 minutes*. As you take out enemies, they drop Experience Gems that help you level up, unlocking more weapons and items. (*In the current version, after 30 minutes, an enemy shows up who can't be beaten with standard tactics.)
What I love about this game is that you start out with a super basic setup, and you've got to try and pull something together from random drops. It means you've got to mix and match characters and weapons, playing around until you find the combo that's just right.
And when you do finally nail it? It's an amazing feeling. Suddenly you're invincible, clearing the screen of enemies like hot water on cold snow.
The treasure chest reveals also add to the excitement. So many times I was waiting with bated breath, silently begging (or straight up pleading) for that one item I desperately needed to complete the ultimate combo.
But what makes Vampire Survivors so addictive is its simplicity (you're basically just running around the screen) and the 30 minute max game time. It's kinda ironic how the short play time makes it so tempting to have another go, and then another. "Meh, it's just 30 minutes, I can spare that," and hours later you're still at it.
The goal is to survive an onslaught of enemies for 30 minutes, by powering up to superhuman levels through constant weapon and ability upgrades. This upgrade mechanic is another really cool part of this game.
When you defeat an enemy, they drop Experience Gems. To level up, you have to go and collect these gems, to get your XP. In other words, an attack and run approach won't work--you've got to hang around if you want to level up.
Eventually, you get to the point where you're weaving a path through a storm of enemies, trying to scoop up those precious XP. Then, you pull out a weapon that'll clear a path through the monsters literally filling the screen, so you can dash in and grab what you can.
Or you can go for rapid-fire weapons, herding the enemy mob around the screen, like a shepherd controlling sheep, as you strategically maneuver to collect XP.
Vampire Survivor is a really satisfying survival roguelike. It's a game which is simple enough to be casual, but also has an element of strategy and progression to keep you hooked--all pulled together with minimalistic visuals.
That's my take on Vampire Survivor!
Thanks for reading.
The next game is calling my name so gotta go--till next time!
Yoshinori X（Twitter）