We recently got the chance to preview Riot Forge and Digital Sun’s The Mageseeker, a new pixelated spinoff based on the League of Legends universe.
After previewing the few levels in the game, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with some of the Digital Sun team. Find our full interview below!
What made you choose the 2D art Style for Sylas’ story? Was it to go with your previous game?
We had a character for this game and Riot had us pitch ideas for a game. We tried to apply what we learned from our first game with a huge narrative and complicated game. It was safer for us.
Also the idea of an indie game, but we thought we could put something into this League of Legends world.
If you had to redevelop the game from scratch would you still choose to use the same art style or try something else?
I think we would do the same because it’s the brand of our studio. We do pretty good pixel art we think and we think people like our style of art.
The game is very Demacian focused with its character. Once the game is out are there any ideas for expansions or exploration to other regions?
No, this is our solo focus. It depends on others.
What did it take to find the balance for this game? Sylas has his own natural spells and the ability to take others’ spells and being able to cast them.
That was one of the biggest problems of the game. We had to balance a lot of things. We wanted to think about how would Sylas be played outside the M.O.B.A. We had to recreate the mechanics that Sylas has.
The balance of the game was more about the enemies in each combat. The combat is more like a puzzle. combat and copying this spell from one enemy and casting it towards another.
In terms of balancing, I don’t really know because it’s the designers’ team that does that stuff.
With Sylas recruiting different people, is there any point where you can fail recruitment, or is it just like you complete the mission and they are guaranteed?
In the game, it is a linear story. You go to different regions inside Demacia and you find the recruits for your team. You free mages and they join Sylas in the hideout. You can improve the hideout, the building, and access better power-ups and spells.
There are main recruits that are part of the story. There are also some that are kind of like farm recruits that help you get stronger. There are collectible and secondary missions that help you recruit. The game will feature side quests.
Are any of the characters that are being introduced, are they one-offs or will they stay a part of the League of Legends universe?
That is something that Riot has to decide now. We don’t know. We created the story, but there was a lot of communication with Riot.
So why Sylas specifically, or did they go we want to make a game with him?
This is a funny story. When Riot wanted us to pitch ideas for a game. We had an idea about a character that can use abilities from others. Not specifically copy but use abilities.
The same day that we sent the pitch to Riot, they released Sylas. We did not know anything about Sylas. We take that idea again and rewrite it with Sylas at the center and we sent it back to Riot and they loved it.
Are there any future games with different characters or use Sylas for another game?
We’ve unsure of that at the moment.
How much input did Riot have after you sent the script?
We wrote the main plot. The thing that happens and how it progresses through the story. They did the actual writing so they could control the narrative and mood. It was a lot of communication.
We had the story we wanted to tell and they helped us a lot to help with the continuity of the characters. We had creative liberties outside the established characters. We could not kill Sylas.
Is The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story coming to Gamepass?
No.
That’s all we’ve got – thank you so much!
The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story is launching on April 18th for Windows PC (via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
