After explaining the core content of Divide, everyone returned to their respective tasks. With the annual vacation approaching, Chen Xu focused on briefing Qin Yi and the others about the game's core gameplay concepts. At the same time, Ruan Ningxue's art team began creating the necessary materials. However, full-scale development would be postponed until the following year.
This game was chosen to offer players a refreshing change of pace. Dark Souls had already earned its share of resentment from players. It was time for something more harmonious and loving, a game that would radiate warmth like the gesture of praising the sun. This approach would not only diversify the game offerings on the platform but also follow up on the success of Overcooked. A couple's cooperative game would surely spark discussions and interest.
As the work progressed, Ruan Ningxue, responsible for the art direction, noticed something unique about the divide.
"This feels more like an animated movie!" she remarked, marveling at the storyboards in front of her.
"To an extent, you're right," Chen Xu replied with a smile.
While Overcooked had a cartoon art style, the approach for Divide was distinct. The comparison of various scenes, characters, and themes created an exaggerated style of expression. The game leaned heavily on cinematography, using composition and color schemes typically found in animated films.
While the development of Divide continued, the recent annual gaming event was still making waves. Thanks to its influence, sales of Game titles surged, particularly Dark Souls, which had won the award for Best Role-Playing Game. This success attracted a wave of new players eager to experience the soul-crushing world Chen Xu had woven.
However, these newcomers quickly discovered Chen Xu's brand of love and passion for players permeated every corner of the Dark Souls experience. The names Dark Souls, Neon Games, and Chen Xu dominated conversations during this period, with players and industry experts alike eagerly speculating about Neon Games' next move after their recent triumph.
When employees returned to work on the eighth day of the first month, Chen Xu wasted no time. He gathered Qin Yi and the others for a meeting in the conference room. During the New Year holiday, Chen Xu finalized the design concept draft for Divide. While staying true to the original vision, he made some adjustments to the game's content.
For instance, an Easter egg titled Escape from the Sky remained untouched, as it didn't significantly impact the overall game. This feature paid homage to a previous work by the game's designer.
Another notable inclusion was the abundance of movie tribute lines. One example was Cody's line when captured by the space gorilla:
"In space, no one can hear you scream."
This iconic line was a reference to the movie Alien. However, Chen Xu decided to revise the fake Oscar recording Easter egg from the TGA segment to better align with the game's context.
There are also darker scenes in the game.
Although Line of Two uses a cartoon art style, it carries a depth similar to the early versions of Grimm's fairy tales. Grimm's fairy tales are a collection of European folk stories from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. During that time, Europe was overshadowed by the wars brought by Napoleon.
While these tales are labeled as fairy tales, they were written for adults and naturally feature some dark and profound themes. These stories resemble Strange Tales—they appear to be fairy tales on the surface but are rich in metaphors.
The same is true for Divide. Despite its cartoonish appearance, it is not a game for children. Many scenes in the game are quite cult-like. For instance, the vacuum cleaner on the first level and the pink elephant later on stand out for their eerie imagery.
Content-wise, there are no major issues, but the style of expression has drawn criticism in the past. To address this, the developer optimized certain visual elements, ensuring the game avoided appearing overly cultist like before.
The game's unique art style, cinematic features, innovative use of split-screen visuals, engaging storylines, and rhythmic level design all contribute to its distinct identity. Each scene integrates special abilities and gameplay mechanics tailored to its theme.
Chen Xu explained the core elements of Divide thoroughly. Compared to the fragmented memories of last year, Ruan Ningxue, Yang Xin, and Qin Yi all grasped the essence of the game.
At the same time, it became clear why Chen Xu previously mentioned time constraints. Although the game has the feel of an indie project, its depth and scope are immense. It is second only to Dark Souls among Neon Games' creations, surpassing even the earlier Escape.
Following Chen Xu's explanation, a Q&A session began.
"Will the levels in this game be too complex?" Qin Yi asked.
The intricate level designs and corresponding special abilities amazed him. However, he noticed that some sections—especially those involving platform jumping—required players to cooperate seamlessly.
If the teamwork clicked, it would be fine. But without good coordination, the experience might suffer. Qin Yi couldn't help but recall Overcooked, a game infamous for sparking heated arguments on video and live-streaming platforms.
How did the Overcooked earn its reputation?
Isn't it just as the players say?
"When facing a BOSS battle, as long as one person remains alive, the other can be resurrected infinitely. The game saves progress in real-time, so players won't face the frustration of losing progress due to failure," explained Chen Xu.
"The game's difficulty is quite reasonable. We're also planning to add a dynamic difficulty adjustment. If players remain stuck in the same area for a certain period, the game will display a helpful prompt," he continued. This approach includes some thoughtful changes based on experiences from earlier designs.
Hearing this, Qin Yi nodded in agreement, showing full understanding.
Zhang Yi, responsible for game operations and promotion, then joined the discussion. "What's your plan for promoting Divide?" he asked.
Chen Xu replied, "We'll follow last year's model for Overcooked. Before Valentine's Day, I'll prepare a promotional video. The game's slogan will be Couples Game,' and the themes for promotion will center on passion, cooperation, and friendship."
"As for the operational strategy, there's no need to go for a buy one, get one free deal like last year. On the Neon game platform, if one player owns the game, they can invite another player to join in. This strategy will also continue to promote the platform itself."
With this plan in mind, Zhang Yi nodded in agreement, ready to move forward with the promotion.