KIDS OF KARENDOW
I have to be honest, I chose Kids of Karendow because there was an open spot to demo this game (something that is hard to come by at MAG). I am so glad I did though! Overall, I was surprised by this adorable horror game. Even though I only played the first level, it was clear that this game has a lot to offer story-wise.
Set in the kingdom of Karendow, a group of young adults are on a quest to topple the menacing monarchy that rules the land with a bloody iron fist. This game is unexpectedly dark but also full of dry, witty, and sometimes shocking humor. For example, at the beginning of the first level you have to break out of jail with the help of your friend. As you battle jail guards you also find yourself faced with toilets that throw poo at you! I definitely felt like a little kid laughing at the potty humor during this part of the demo.
Kids of Karendow is in a classic JRPG style; It’s clear that Final Fantasy was a big inspiration for this game. The game is top-down and has unique 2D sprites. You are able to see multiple rooms at a time as you navigate through levels, which is unique to top-down RPG games like this. The music was also beautiful. The composer who created the music for the game was at the booth and he told me that he never really thought of himself as a composer but somehow found himself making music for the game back when they were teenagers.
Oh, did I mention the development for this game actually began with a group of 15 year olds back in the 90’s? The developers originally made a smaller version when they were just kids! Now that creating games is so much more accessible, the developers decided to circle back to their teenage dream and create the full game. If you’re a fan of Adorror (adorable horror), Kids of Karendow is definitely worth keeping on your radar even though it is in its very early stages of development.
Fae: So, first, to start off, what was the inspiration for the game?
Blair: So Kids of Karendow was actually a remake of a game we made when we were kids. Like, we were in High School, maybe 15 years old or something. So a long time ago. We, as adults, now we're like, well, we want to really remake this game and something a lot more modern and a lot more fun and bring it to a much wider audience. And so, the game was inspired by a few different source materials in terms of gameplay. It's from this game called Grandia, where the combat system was really heavily inspired from and some of the other systems, like the menus and stuff. There's Phantasy Star, which kind of a game from the late 80s to early 90s for the Genesis, and other things like Final Fantasy. So some of that as well.
Fae: Okay, yeah.
Blair: The story actually is quite a bit darker than people probably initially realized because of the name of the game. You're basically trying to overthrow the King. There are two scenarios that will ultimately be the end of the game: one where you play as the good guys, which is what we have here, and then one where you play as the bad guys who ultimately learn they're the bad guys. And then, not to spoil too much, but they then actually go toward the other.
Fae: Oh!
Blair: There is some inspiration from a lot of science fiction, as well. I’m a big Star Trek guy. So there are definitely elements of Star Trek in the story as well. Do you want to add Gary?
Gary: I don’t know, I'm just the music guy. So I make all the music in Kids of Karendow. That all kind of started, I guess, back in the day. In the olden days, when we used to make games on computers, I was also the music guy just because I had that background. And I just kind of grew into this role. I don’t know.
Fae: Yeah, I was gonna say the music is beautiful in it, and I wanted to ask who did it.
Gary: Okay, yeah, it was me.
Fae: Wow! It is wonderful. I love it.
Gary: I never thought of myself as someone who would compose music. But I've always done it. Like ever since the very first game that we actually made together as a team, which was actually this game when we were in high school. Like, it's pretty cool that I get a chance to do this again.
Fae: So you said that you guys kind of made a game similar when you were about 15. And so what sparked now to kind of rebirth that again?
Blair: I think that our minds — for me at least, I won’t speak on your behalf — it was unfinished business. I've always had to go back and recreate this thing because I always had a love for it. It was a lot of nostalgia and a lot of passion for it. I knew we could make it. I think we can make it good. Hopefully, people play it and think it’s good.
Fae: Yeah.
Gary: Yeah, in that area, that long haul between us finishing high school until now, we've always kind of talked about one day we want to do this, right? And then we can come and show our game at a convention like this. And so here we are.
Fae: Right, yeah.
Gary: People are coming and playing it, and they are liking it. It’s wild.
Fae: Yeah. Has it been easier to access being an indie game developer more recently than it did in the past, maybe?
Blair: Oh, absolutely. So it was like the 90s.
Fae: Yeah. (laughs)
Blair: We were both from a small city in Canada. Now I live in New York, and he lives somewhere else in Canada. So there's a lot of lot more resources out there. The internet's full of tutorials and stuff, and tools have come such a long way. And there's like game development cooperatives that have popped up. I remember Gumbo. Gumbo, which was a New York game cooperative. There are a few other people that are actually here from Gumbo as well.
Fae: Okay, yeah.
Gary: Like, imagine this: back when we were in high school, the internet was almost not even a thing, it had just started in the mid-90s, I guess? Getting access to like learn how to do stuff was really, really tough.
Fae: Yeah, to even make the game that you want to make. Yeah. We're an indie game-reviewing company. So we focus on indie games and focus on solo developers and stuff like that. So it's really exciting that there are more people that are able to fulfill that dream.
Blair: Yeah, absolutely.
Fae: And so, is this available on Steam?
Blair: There's a demo on Steam. The game is not done yet. it's gonna be a few more years in the oven.
Fae: Oh, yeah. Okay.
Blair: But yeah, so we were hoping for probably 2027, so still a few years from now.
Fae: Perfect, yeah.
Blair: I hope anyone who listens to this or reads the article will come follow us. Either Wishlist us on Steam or join us on our Discord.
Fae: Okay. Yeah, I played a demo of it. I had a lot of fun. I was like, “Oh, I didn't even check the time.” I was like, “I probably should get up!” But otherwise, I would keep playing this. This is awesome.
Gary: Can you tell us what your favorite thing about the game was?
Fae: I love music. First of all, I really liked the music. I also think the characters are fun, and as you said, it seems like there's kind of a darker story than you would expect. And one genre that I know my sister and I have been talking about is a “cute horror” kind of a thing.
Blair: Oh, yeah.
Fae: Where it's like it's a kind of a cute game, but it's more of a horror and like kind of a darker themed game, and so I really like those. So that kind of attracted me I was like, “Oh, interesting. This about, you know, they’re little kids going through this thing, but it's definitely a more like scary a little bit.”
Blair: Yeah.
Fae: (laughs) It’s a little bit creepy. Like in a fun way. Yeah.
Blair: Yeah, that’s a misconception I think you learn as you get in it. Like, it’s called the “Kids” of Karendow, but it doesn’t refer to the kids you’re playing as.
Fae: Oh, okay.
Blair: They’re actually — and you find this out as you play the game — they’re actually in their early 20s mostly.
Fae: Okay, yeah.
Blair: Yeah, but the “kids” actually means the kids of the country of Karendow and all the children
Fae: Oh, see? I’m so interested. There is such a big story.
Blair: Yeah, there is a little more of a story there.
Fae: Yeah, well, thank you so much. Is there anything you want to add?
Blair: I think I’m good. Thanks for playing, and thanks for the interview!
Fae: Oh, of course, yeah!
coverage by
JENNIE HIPP
transcription by