Dex - Interview @ Gamecloud

Gamecloud has an interview with Lead Designer Jan Jirkovsky about his RPG Dex.

How do you feel being put up against the likes of other Sci-Fi RPG games such as Deus Ex?

Jan: It is quite ok, actually. We haven’t faced any comparison in the negative sense of the word, rather in the positive way, which is good for us. I think the key to stand out of the crowd is either by having something absolutely unique (in the sense that the game is hard to compare with anything at all and draws attention for this reason) – or – to have a nice and fresh take on an already existing topic or genre. For the fans of RPGs, cyberpunk or metroidvania games, we offer something familiar, yet in a new way, with very specific atmosphere and several innovative concepts.
 
What inspired “Dex”, and who thought of the name?

Jan: Dex is mainly inspired by Neuromancer as for the story, atmosphere and because of our devotion to W. Gibson’s work. Dex as a name comes from his novel Neuromancer. The second most important inspiration is the Deus Ex series, myself and other team members being its avid fans since the first installment from 2000.

How would you explain “Dex” to someone unfamiliar with the game?

Jan: I would refer to one of our trailers as it is likely the fastest way to get a glimpse of everything!

In my own words, Dex is a sidescrolling RPG, in a cyberpunk setting, with focus on exploration and player choices. The game is story-driven, however, there are numerous side missions for you to undertake and the whole city for you to explore. You can improve your skills and get yourself augmented with various implants that either boost your abilities or offer whole new abilities. And, last but not the least, the gameplay (as well as the storyline) takes place both in physical world and in cyberspace. In cyberspace, you do all the hacking and infiltration. Plus, many NPCs are there, both hackers as well as advanced AIs, whom you can fight or talk to (or learn something from).