The Indie "Heat" Returns - BitSummit the 13th Joint Report [Mob Edition]

Hello, I'm Mob from the Negorabu team at SKOOTAGAMES.

In the midst of an incredibly hot summer, I wonder how everyone is spending their time. Just last week, I found myself enveloped in the sweltering heat of the ancient city of Kyoto. From July 18th to 20th, Japan's largest indie game festival, **"BitSummit the 13th,"** was held. This time, we at SKOOTAGAMES attended the festival as "exhibitors" to showcase our upcoming title, 'Momo to Crash.'

The atmosphere here is distinctly different from events in Tokyo. The sight of diverse languages I had never heard before echoing throughout the venue made me feel that the world of indie games is far more expansive than I had imagined.

Now, for this report, I thought I would change things up a bit and present a "joint report" with my senior colleague, Lee Hana, where we each share our perspectives on BitSummit. In this 【Part 1】, I, Mob, will write about two "overseas indie games" that particularly left an impression on me and sparked many thoughts among the numerous exhibits.

🌼Hana's Comment: Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Hana from the SKOOTA editorial team. Following Mob, I will be responsible for the latter part of the report. I will also leave some comments on the games introduced, so please look forward to it…!

LOVE ETERNAL: The "Commitment" of Simplicity in Art

The first work that caught my attention at this BitSummit was the striking title, 'LOVE ETERNAL.' It is a 2D platformer. The story told in a 10-20 minute demo begins with the protagonist, who was supposed to be gathered around the dining table with family, suddenly finding themselves lost in an unfamiliar otherworld. To be honest, it's difficult to convey everything about this game after just playing for about 20 minutes, so rather than a comprehensive review, I will lightly touch on the striking points that left an impression on me.

First, the game system is extremely simple. With the press of a button, you can "reverse gravity," allowing the protagonist to freely traverse between the floor and ceiling. That's all there is to it. However, in stark contrast to this simple rule, the background art is drawn with such terrifying detail that it could be described as "obsessive." Packed tightly within a somewhat cramped 5:4 screen, which is not the typical 16:9 ratio, are intricately crafted pixel art landscapes of the otherworld. The overwhelming amount of information creates an indescribable sense of immersion for the player, even to the point of feeling suffocating.

While playing, one thought kept running through my mind: "Why is it necessary to go this far?" If it is a simple action game, the background could have been less detailed and still worked. However, I believe the fact that this game did not take that route reflects the developer's firm "belief." It is a quiet yet eloquent assertion that "this game, because it is a simple action, makes this almost insane art stand out even more." This could be seen as a kind of "commitment," or perhaps something akin to "obsession."

When I heard that this game won the prestigious sponsor award at this year's BitSummit, I thought, "Of course it did." Among the many platformer games, this one stood out with a special brilliance, likely due to the indescribable persuasiveness and aura that resides within its imbalance. The game is simple, allowing all its resources to be devoted to art. What a refreshingly bold philosophy for an indie game.

There are elements in the game that I could say, "I was particularly particular about this part," and I hope that one day I can proudly say the same about a game I work on. It was a day at BitSummit filled with a bit of envy and homework left in my heart.

🌼 Hana's comment: I see, a platformer that focuses on the background is indeed rare. I can't quite articulate it well, but it was a very convincing mechanism as a "strategy to stand out among many games." I plan to introduce platformer games in my report as well, so I hope you'll compare them.

A Week in the Life of an Asocial Giraffe: Living in a Kind World, a Quiet "Empathy"

Next up is the point-and-click adventure game A Week in the Life of an Asocial Giraffe, which feels oddly relatable just from its title. As the name suggests, it tells the story of a giraffe who struggles with communication and somehow manages to survive a week while interacting with various people.

The entire game is enveloped in an astonishingly "gentle" atmosphere. Softly colored illustrations, soothing background music, and adorable character designs all provide a calm experience without overstimulating the player. However, contrary to its appearance, the game's difficulty was quite high. The giraffe would quickly become lost if players didn't repeatedly experiment and carefully consider the order of using the given information and items. This might express how challenging this world can be for those who struggle with communication.

What moved me most about this game was its theme of "universality." The developer is said to be based in LA (Los Angeles). To be honest, I have a very stereotypical image of Americans as people who can easily start small talk with someone they meet for the first time in an elevator. However, in a game set in such an America, I was surprised to see the "frustration" and "awkwardness" I feel in daily life depicted. The difficulty of social interactions may be a common concern that everyone faces, transcending countries and cultures. Through this game, I was reminded of this obvious truth, but the developer themselves was surprisingly communicative and lively, leaving me confused, "So, which is it?!"

And this game awakened another emotion in me. It brought back memories of a distant past, a time when the term "indie game" didn't even exist, and we lived in the atmosphere of "FLASH games." The simple controls and the gentle graphics reminiscent of children's games. The feeling of being absorbed in free games created by unknown developers in a corner of the internet came rushing back vividly.

Back then, I experienced extraordinary stories through games, like humans escaping from aliens or fighting against evil organizations. But now, I find myself deeply empathizing with the daily life of a giraffe struggling with communication, presented in the form of an indie game. As times change, the stories that games tell also change. "The Week of the Communication-Challenged Giraffe" is a wonderful work that gently and slightly comically teaches us about the changes of the times and the universal human struggles that remain unchanged.

🌼 Hana's comment: The story of stereotypes is interesting. I also played FLASH games a lot when I was young, so I can really relate. The art looks cute from the photos, so I will try the demo on Steam later!

After the Excitement, the "Questions" and "Empathy" that Remain in the Heart

Now, I have talked about two unique overseas works that I encountered in the excitement of BitSummit. While "LOVE ETERNAL" showcased the developer's unwavering "commitment," "The Week of the Communication-Challenged Giraffe" reminded me of the "universal empathy" regarding the difficulties of communication.

At first glance, these two games seem to be completely different types. However, I believe there is a common thread beneath them. It is the fact that the personal philosophy and experiences of the creators transcended borders and cultural barriers, resonating deeply with my heart as a player in faraway Japan. The excitement of the international event BitSummit may have made me feel not just the lively atmosphere of diverse languages but also a stronger sense of "soul resonance through games."

These gaming experiences have provided me with a lot of stimulation and, at the same time, posed several questions. What is my "commitment"? What is the "empathy" that I truly want to convey? I feel like I have been given an opportunity to confront these fundamental questions as a person in the gaming industry.

And at this festival of excitement, of course, Japanese games, as well as games from Korea, which is from the same Asia as us, shone just as brightly.

In the upcoming [Part 2], my senior Hana will present the world of "Korean indie games" from her unique perspective as someone from Korea. I will be clocking out soon, so I’ll leave the rest to her. Stay tuned!

🌼 Hana's comment: In Part 2, I will introduce the "Korean indie games" that left an impression on me at BitSummit! Please look forward to it!