I had the pleasure of asking Justin Amirkhani at Vagabond Dog some questions about their new game Always Sometimes Monsters. Recently launched on PC, the media has been abuzz about this retro styled RPG.
Always Sometimes Monsters is a “choose your own adventure” type RPG, but with a unique spin. At the start you choose a male or a female, your ethnicity, your sexual orientation, and a simple outfit. Out of the 144 possible combinations, your character will be looked upon and judged based on your choices by those you meet in-game.
Out of money and out of luck you find yourself heart broken and on the verge of collapse. Your landlord’s taken the key back, you can’t finish your manuscript, and your beloved is marrying someone else. With no choice but to handle whatever life throws at you, you set out on the open road on a mission to win back the love of your life. The story from there is up to you. Can your life be salvaged, or are we always sometimes monsters? – Steam description
One of the unique things about this game is its simplicity. The controls are as simple as moving up, down, left, and right, and using the enter key to interact with people and the environment. But even in simplicity, Always Sometimes Monsters is a unique experience every time you play. Selecting a different response even once, can set you on a completely different path on this narrative adventure.
First, before we begin with the interview, I’d like to give a shout-out to Justin Amirkhani, and Jake Reardon. I met them in the middle of their journey on the way to PAX Prime on the plane. They had just picked up Devlolver Digital as their publisher, and were headed to the indie booth at the convention. Both Justin and Jake were extremely sincere and polite to me, and we had some good talks on the plane and at the convention. Congrats on the launch of ASM!
Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration you had for Always Sometimes Monsters? Why a game and not a book or a documentary film?
JA: Before deciding to make the game, I spent about a year travelling America as a vagabond meeting game developers as part of a journalism project I was doing. That journey was at one point going to be a book, but one of the more interesting things I was trying to convey in the texts was how your freedom to choose who you are and what you do out on the road is vastly different than when you are within society. Out there you are the only judge and your freedom is limitless. A game could convey this much better than a book because of player agency.
What kind of audience do you think Always Sometimes Monsters will attract?
JA: Anyone who’s ever thought long and hard about the free will vs determinism debate. Anyone who’s curious how they hold up when their values are put to the test. Anyone who’s interested in seeing how life can deviate given a moment’s decision.
Also, hipsters and philosophy majors.
The concept of ASM is really unique to the gaming industry. Can you explain what it was like to take a step out of the industry norm? Did you receive a lot of skeptical feedback?
JA: If there were any skeptical parties, it was definitely Jake and I. Throughout development we were constantly doubting if the game would work, whether we’d put in all this work only to find out that the lack of “fun” made it a complete bore to play.
What’s surprised us most about releasing the game is just how receptive people have been to the idea. Most folks seem to “get it” pretty quickly and we’ve been hearing a lot of really positive feedback about the experience.
ASM takes a step away from combat and looming evil to focus on moral choices and the human condition. Is this a step forward in narrative gaming?
JA: Honestly, there’s no such thing as a “step forward” or “step back” when it comes to storytelling. Believing in these concepts places a definition on quality and you simply cannot do that with art when it’s entirely subjective. This story is no more or less valid or valuable than stories about dinosaurs, massive guns, cartoon rodents, or any of the other things games use. It may connect with you personally more than others because the subject matter is more relatable, but that does not make it universally “better” as a story.
Do you think anyone will have a problem completing the game because it may make them feel too uncomfortable?
JA: What’s really interesting is that most of the “heavy” content in the game can only be accessed by pursuing it, or making choices that enable the scenes. Sometimes we surprise people with consequence, but for the most part we try and let folks be aware of what’s coming if they’re clever enough to read between the lines.
In watching people play, most of the ones who quit early because they’re uncomfortable are usually feeling some sort of guilt or unsettling awareness about their own capacity for selfishness. You are your own harshest judge, after all.
Were there any moments on your journey across North America that you decided to keep to yourself and not put in the game?
JA: Absolutely. Some things just cannot be adequately translated in a different context.
What would entice players to play the game again after they complete it the first time? Is the story different enough each play through?
JA: The variance in the story revolves entirely around the variance in your choices. If you make different decisions, explore different paths, you will find new stories and come to write an entirely different narrative.
Always Sometimes Monsters just launched this week. How are you feeling?
JA: Right now, calm. My mind was moving a hundred miles per hour in the days before launch as paranoia and ego tried to force me to hold on to the game just a little longer – make it a little more perfect. Now having let go of it, there’s this blissful calm that’s taken over and I’m really comfortable. We’re still fixing minor issues and waiting on reviews and the like, but it feels so much less turbulent by comparison.
Any word yet on a console release?
JA: We’d like to. We’re looking into it. There’s technical issues to deal with. We’ll keep you posted.
Always Sometimes Monsters launched on May 21st, and is available on Steam and on Vagabond Dog’s official site for $9.99.
