LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You is a bishojo game that pursues “gameplay” beyond the visual novel format. We talk to developer Astronauts and publisher Shiravune about the genre and bringing niche Japanese games to Steam – AUTOMATON WEST
When people hear the term “bishojo games,” the first thing that probably comes to mind is the visual novel genre. And while the format is the simplest and most intuitive way to shine the spotlight on the story, beautiful character designs, and illustrations of bishojo games, there have always been development teams that pursued unique “gameplay” within the genre.
One such team is the adult game developer Astronauts. While many may not be familiar with the name “Astronauts,” the studio has a niche but faithful fanbase, and boasts a distinctive and highly praised art style courtesy of illustrator M&M. Instead of pursuing a classical visual novel style, Astronauts have always been taking on new kinds of gameplay. Their back catalogue includes the dungeon management DEMONION series, the card-based VERETHRAGNA, and the RPG-like DUNGEON OF REGALIAS and CHAOS DOMINAS.
Most recently, Astronauts released the roguelite RPG LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You for Steam. This is the first time the studio has released a title localized both into English and Chinese. The company responsible for localization and distribution of the title is popular bishojo game publisher Shiravune.
Recently, AUTOMATON had the opportunity to interview developer Astronaut and publisher Shiravune about the bishojo game scene, the development of LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You, and both companies’ future plans.
Interview with Astronauts
—There are probably some people who are not familiar with Astronauts, so could you please briefly introduce yourselves?
Astronouts:
We’re a game development brand that debuted with DEMONION in 2012. We develop gameplay-heavy titles like LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You and the aforementioned DEMONION, as well as story-driven visual novels like the Kyokugen Chikan Tokuiten series.
Without limiting ourselves to a specific genre or style, we’re a brand that has focused on creating games that we wanted to make and play.
—Did you, as the Astronauts team, offer any input when it came to selecting the first title that would launch on Steam? Why was Labyrinthos chosen, and are there any other Astronauts titles that you would personally recommend besides it?
Astronauts:
Ever since the planning stage of Labyrinthos, there was talk about how it would be much better received in overseas markets than in Japan. However, we are a small development team, and we were super busy just with developing new titles, so we couldn’t quite manage to handle localization on our own.
Following the release of Labytinthos, we had the opportunity to consult with Shiravune about a localization, which eventually led to the game being released on Steam. Personally, we really enjoy the atmosphere of Hyakki Ryoran no Yakata and Enjou Gakuen, so we hope overseas players give them a try as well.
Also, while Kyokugen Chikan Tokuiten does present some localization challenges due to its themes, it’s a series that has earned steady support in Japan, so were currently in discussions to find a way to bring it to overseas audiences as well.
—Bishojo games used to be somewhat of a Japan-only thing, but recently they’ve been expanding to global audiences thanks to Steam. What are your thoughts on this phenomenon?
Astronauts:
Steam is vastly greater in scale compared to the domestic bishojo game market, so we think it’s wonderful that there’s now an environment where many users who previously weren’t able to play such titles can now experience them.
On the other hand, due to the nature of the genre, there are also cases in which games end up violating the expression regulations of the platform or the countries and regions they’re being published in. So, we do feel that it is much more challenging to release such content outside of Japan.
Additionally, it’s not uncommon for bishojo games to have a greater volume of text compared to other genres, which makes translation much more expensive, thus presenting a major challenge in terms of localization.
—Visual novels are the most common format of bishojo games, but the games you develop are often designed to feature unique systems and gameplay elements. What is the reason behind your commitment to this style?
Astronauts:
Rather than making adeliberate decision to stick to a certain style, we strongly feel that our brand naturally became what it is today simply as a result of us continuing to make the games we want to make.
Also, our personal impression is that bishojo games from before the year 2000 featured an even wider diversity of systems and genres, and our admiration for that era has also helped shape the games we have been making.
—Are there any specific games that left a lasting impression on you?
Astronauts: In particular, the multi-ending sci-fi visual novel NOVA by Cat’s Pro left quite an impression. We also enjoyed the side-scrolling action Briganty: The Roots of Darkness by GIGA, the RPG DALK by ALICESOFT, as well as its Toushin Toshi series. By the way, back then, there were also many brainteaser puzzle games like Cyberblock Metal Orange by Custom, which also left a strong impression on us.
—You’ve made games set in a realistic, modern-day world, and games set in fantasy worlds. What is the reason behind wanting to tackle both of these genres simultaneously, and which one do you think is more popular with players?
Astronauts:
To be completely honest, our current style naturally took shape as we developed projects we thought were the best at the time.
If you stick to a genre and worldview to some degree, it might be easier to achieve stable sales and brand recognition. But on the other hand, we think it is precisely because we’ve taken on a variety of genres that we’re able to continue developing games in the long term without our creators getting stuck in their comfort zone or losing interest.
Back when we released Demonion, fantasy titles were generating considerable sales. However, maybe it’s because the bishojo game market has been shrinking, but in recent years, titles that focus primarily on adult content have greater chances to perform well in the market compared to titles that focus on gameplay.
When it comes to our titles set in the modern day, the Kyokugen Chikan Tokuiten series, which we’ve been consistently releasing in recent years, has also been garnering steady support.
Looking at the results of user surveys, the genres players most expect us to make are split almost evenly between fantasy and contemporary, and we are striving to fulfill such expectations.
—Regarding the “bad end” scenarios, player opinions are quite divided. While some players don’t want to see their favorite characters meet a tragic end, there are also those who would, on the other hand, love to see more “bad ends.” What are your thoughts on this?
Astronauts:
Games are an active medium where players make their own decisions and experience the story. A unique appeal of video games, which doesn’t exist within other media, is that they depict multiple different endings, like a “good end” and a “bad end,” and allow the player to experience each one for themselves.
On the other hand, we completely understand that some people may feel distressed by the mere possibility of their favorite character meeting a bad end.
“Bad ends” have always been a defining feature of our games, and if you have a look at user surveys, you’ll see that over 60% of our players expect to see “bad ends” in our games. Since there are many people among those who have supported our work for a long time, we intend to take these expectations to heart.
On the other hand, about 40% of players are hoping to see “pure love stories” rather than “bad ends.” Neither of these options is the absolutely correct answer, and we intend to pay close attention to the demands of our players. If this ratio significantly shifts, it may impact how we create our future titles going forward.
—M&M’s art style is one of the most recognizable features of Astronaut’s games. What do you think is so appealing about their characters and CGs?
Astronauts:
M&M’s art style is, in terms of bishojo games, not too close to the “moe” style, nor does it strongly emphasize the physical, fetishistic elements. So, we consider it to be somewhere in the middle.
It is not the type that impresses viewer with its flashiness or fetishistic elements, but it’s the greatest when it comes to depicting the variety of characters, with their own distinct personalities, across different genres and worldviews.
It’s precisely because of this power of expression that our company has been able to develop titles across various genres. In short, Astronauts wouldn’t exist without M&M.
—As many of your players are also fans of M&Ms art, do you have any plans to put out more merchandise?
Astronauts:
Actually, up until now, we didn’t really have a clear idea of how much demand there actually was for merch of our own characters. As a result, so far, we’ve only released merchandise in response to requests from other companies.
Additionally, since we had prioritized development efficiency, many of our characters that don’t have a full-body design, which made it difficult to produce acrylic standees and similar merch.
Though, if there are any specific requests in terms of what kind of character merch you’d like to see, please let us know. Based on that feedback, we hope to explore more merchandise options in the future.
—Do you usually read player feedback, and does it ever influence development?
Astronauts:
Opinions of players do, in fact, interest us, so we regularly look through them, and even use them as a reference in game development. However, it is quite important to consider who those opinions are coming from, and what kind of works they usually prefer.
In our case, themes and genres vary significantly from game to game. Compared to other development brands which release games focused on specific genres and themes, we tend to get much more divided reception and opinions from players, depending on the specific title. So, rather than taking each individual opinion at face value, we think it’s crucial to consider whose opinion it is, and why they felt that way.
—How do you feel about the current state of the bishojo game industry?
Astronauts:
Aside from the fact that entertainment content has become extremely diverse, there’s also a strong tendency among users to prioritize value for money and time efficiency.
With these conditions considered, it will we difficult to continue developing games solely within the traditional format of so-called “full priced bishojo games.”
Furthermore, as the domestic market shrinks, attempting to expand overseas inevitably raises the big issue of localization costs required to cover the massive volume of text. Therefore, continuing development in the same format and scale as before will become even more difficult going forward. In order to preserve our brand, we want to push boundaries in terms of pricing, content volume, sales methods, and overseas expansion strategies.
—When developing your future titles, will you be considering the preferences and needs of your global player base from the very beginning?
Astronauts:
Of course, we do have a rough idea of what kind of games are in demand in the current market. If you’re thinking about expanding overseas, then it’s important to consider the themes and expressions that will resonate with overseas players.
However, the “widely-supported, optimal answer” for the current market has already been achieved at a very high level by major studios with strong development capabilities and financial backing. A small studio like ours has no way to compete in that kind of market, even if we aim in the same direction.
That’s why, rather than going for something that will appeal to everyone, we’re aiming to make niche and unique works that will make a select group of people feel, “This is exactly the game I wanted to play.” As a small-scale developer, we believe that’s a valid survival strategy.
—Could you share anything about the new projects you’re currently working on?
Astronauts:
We can’t reveal any details yet, but we’d love to give you a special sneak peek of the characters that will appear in our next title.
Currently, we’re developing the game at full throttle in preparation for release. It may take a bit more time, but please look forward to the official announcement.
—I see you’ve designed full-body sprites for the characters this time.
Astronauts:
That’s right. After all, you can’t have acrylic standees and life-sized wall tapestries without full-body illustrations. In fact, for M&M, drawing a single standing character sprite takes much longer than drawing an in-game illustration.
—Finally, could you please share a message for your players?
Astronauts:
Looking back, LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You has some obvious flaws and rough edges to it. But on the other hand, it’s an extremely unique game, with very few other titles that resemble it.
We’re really happy that overseas players who hadn’t heard about our studio before will get to experience Labyrinthos thanks to the new Steam release. We’re a small development brand, but we believe that, precisely because we develop on a small scale, we’re able to create games that are uniquely ours and put out projects which major companies might have a hard time getting greenlit.
We hope you enjoy LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You and look forward to what we do next!
Interview with Shiravune
—First, could you give us a brief introduction of the Shiravune brand.
Shiravune:
Shiravune is a publishing brand dedicated to bringing Japanese games to the world. Our work is focused on slightly niche works, including bishojo games. When selecting our games, we are constantly mindful of delivering a wide variety of genres and themes to our audience.
—What made you decide to pursue bishojo games despite the current conditions of the industry?
Shiravune:
It’s true that the domestic market conditions remain tough, but there are also titles and genres that are thriving overseas. If we look at it a bit more broadly and call them “18+ games” instead of “bishojo games,” one could say that the genre is experiencing significant growth overseas. We find it to be a very interesting field of work now that we’ve actually got to tackle it.
The popularity of anime and manga goes without saying. However, while many of them are now based on light novels, up until recently, bishojo games made up a large portion of anime and manga source material. And we think there are still many bishojo games that offer a similar kind of enjoyment.
There is no type of medium that can surpass visual novels in terms of being able to produce long stories with unique ideas at a low cost, while also leveraging a multimedia approach. Going forward, we hope to continue delivering groundbreaking and authentic works that you can’t find anywhere else, so please give them a try.
—What were the difficulties of bringing a bishojo game to Steam, and how did you overcome them?
Shiravune:
Many of the regulatory rules and restrictions regarding the information that can be published on the Steam store page are not explicitly disclosed, which is why making concrete decisions can be difficult in certain cases. Since violating these rules can, in the worst-case scenario, bar the title from ever being published on the platform, it is of utmost importance to handle the situation with caution.
By leveraging our experience in releasing numerous titles for the overseas markets, we make sure to identify all of the potential risks that may arise during platform screening in advance and make necessary adjustments for each title.
Drawing on the insight and know-how we have accumulated until now, we’re making an effort to ensure the games pass the screenings as smoothly as possible and are safely delivered to our overseas players.
—Based on your experience so far, have you noticed any difference in preferences between Japanese and overseas bishojo game players?
Shiravune:
Since overseas players are also looking for the unique charm “only Japanese bishojo games can offer,” we feel that their tastes are surprisingly similar. However, there are differences when it comes to which types of characters or scenarios resonate with people depending on their age and country of origin, so there may be some titles that are received differently overseas compared to Japan.
—Could you tell us how you came to release Astronauts’ game on steam?
Shiravune:
Astronauts’ works are very popular overseas as well, and the great support from overseas players is what led us to consider releasing the game internationally. Furthermore, the developers also expressed the desire to release the game overseas, and they told us that the game was originally created with a global launch in mind. Based on the developer’s wishes, and the response from overseas users we’ve received so far, we decided to deliver the game to the wider global audience via Steam.
—Why did you choose LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You as the first Astronauts title to release on Steam? What makes this game stand out among their other works?
Shiravune:
We decided to choose Labyrinthos as the first title because we wanted users to experience an Astronauts title that is thoroughly enjoyable from a gameplay perspective. Since it incorporates roguelite and dungeon exploration elements, the defining feature of Labyrinthos, other than the story and characters, is that the gameplay requires players to think strategically as they progress. We believe that this kind of gameplay is what will make the title enjoyable for Steam users as well.
—Do you have any plans to release other Astronauts titles on Steam as well？
Shiravune:
It depends on player feedback and the development team’s resources, but we think it is achievable. Ultimately, what happens in the future all depends on your support!
—Do you think it would be possible to achieve a simultaneous global release in the future? What are your aspirations regarding this?
Shiravune:
That’s a tough question…! While there are opinions within the company calling for more of these kinds of releases, it’s inevitable that this would place a burden on our budget and the budget of the developers as well. We are constantly looking into making it a possibility, but we wonder how much demand for it there is from our players.
—Finally, do you have a message for the players?
Shiravune:
Thank you for always playing our games. The true stars of the show are the original developers who gathered the courage to release their works overseas, and Shiravune is merely a ship that sails to deliver those works. We’d be very happy if you thought that “Shiravune is one fine ship.”
—Thank you for your time.
LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You is currently available for PC (Steam), with English and Chinese (Simplified, Traditional) support and Japanese voice acting.
