After the successful launch of the Solo Leveling anime (review), Sung Jinwoo is back on our screens in the highly anticipated game, Solo Leveling: Arise. The game was globally released after a lengthy wait. Luckily, I had early access to the game (review in progress) and had the privilege to interview two members of the Solo Leveling: Arise development team, Inho Kim (Art Team Lead) and Seong-Keon Jin (Netmarble Neo Producer), about their approach to the beloved Solo Leveling IP.
We covered many topics, and the developers shared insights on Solo Leveling: Arise’s mechanics and future. Here’s what happened:
Q. After playing the preview, my first impression is of the well-designed character designs and artwork. How did the team maintain the visual style of the manhwa while approaching character design?
Inho Kim: “When incorporating the Webtoon characters into the game, we reimagined the designs from the original series. The artist of the original series and his assistants provided feedback and comments on the new design. Additionally, Solo Leveling: Arise showcases stories from the perspective of Sung Jinwoo and those of other Hunters that have never been told in the original series.”
“The author of the original series also helped us create these stories.”
This statement emphasizes that collaborations with the series creator can enhance adaptations by creating new content based on the same intellectual property. Netflix’s One Piece Live Action series also found success through this approach. One Piece author Eiichiro Oda supported the Netflix team throughout the process of bringing the live-action series to fruition.
Q. The Solo Leveling story unfolds in an MMORPG-style world tailor-made for a video game adaptation. How did the dev team integrate original story elements into game mechanics to ensure balance and enhance the gaming experience?
Seong-Keon Jin: “Our goal has been to expand the Solo Leveling universe without compromising the original IP’s integrity, while remaining true to the core narrative. We’ve divided the content into two parts to deliver an engaging gameplay experience: segments requiring impactful presentation and those demanding player control.”
This endeavor has yielded positive results. “The original author commended the expanded narratives in Solo Leveling: Arise,” with fans echoing appreciation for how the game authentically brings the source material to life.
Moreover, Netmarble’s collaboration with Chu-gong, the series’ author, adds an intriguing layer. Seeking his insights on the game’s original content and narrative elements has garnered favorable responses from the development team regarding future game additions.
“We are working together with Chu-gong, the author of the original series, to get his thoughts and input on the game’s original stories and elements.” – Seong-Keon Jin
“The essence of an action game lies in the enjoyment players derive from combat. I firmly believe that combat serves as the initial impression of a game and is the factor most capable of attracting players. In my view, providing enjoyable combat content is sufficient for a game to offer a satisfying gameplay experience to users. This is the aspect that players of Solo Leveling: Arise praise the most.”
The key direction for Arise’s development is to develop a game that can maximize the charm of the Solo Leveling IP. Let’s discuss it from two different points: 1) the faithful reproduction of the original IP; and 2) maximizing the fun of combat.
My gameplay experience reinforced this approach. The game adeptly balances faithfulness to the source material with intensified combat, providing an entertaining yet challenging journey for players.
Q. Reflecting on my initial playthrough, particularly the demanding boss battles, I noticed a high level of difficulty and grind similar to Soulsborne games. Was the intention to mirror Sung Jin-Woo’s leveling grind, and how does the team justify these authentic challenges in the game?
Seong-Keon Jin: “Players, embodying Sung Jinwoo, will engage in battles and conquer dungeons, enjoying personal growth along the way. The inclusion of intense Boss Dungeons aims to deliver thrilling moments for players.”
Solo Leveling: Arise offers plenty of content that will make users feel as if they’re on the journey of Sung Jinwoo themselves.
Q. Considering a significant portion of Solo Leveling’s community comprises gamers, how did the team balance fan expectations with creative freedom during the game’s design phase?
Inho Kim: “When working on an IP with an established original work, we face varied criticisms. Replicating the original content may prompt fans to question the game’s purpose, while straying too far can lead to accusations of diluting the source material. We empathize with fans’ attachment to the series. As Solo Leveling has concluded, the game will naturally diverge from the original narrative, introducing its unique storyline.”
While Solo Leveling: ARISE aims to expand the universe of the original series, we don’t intend to deviate from the original IP.
“While Solo Leveling: ARISE aims to expand the universe of the original series, we are committed to staying true to the original IP. We strive to faithfully reflect the original story in the game and incorporate scenes from the webtoon. Additionally, we have included various narratives that capture the unique atmosphere of the game, providing a refreshing experience for users familiar with the original work.”
Q. In my playthrough of Solo Leveling: Arise, I found it to be a faithful adaptation of the source material. Have there been significant creative changes to the narrative impacting gameplay? How did the team approach developing abilities for minor characters like Juhi or original characters like Emma Laurent?
Seong-Keon Jin: “The core storyline of Solo Leveling: ARISE remains true to the original series. Users who enjoyed the webtoon or web novel will appreciate seeing the original story unfold through the game’s narratives and visuals. In addition to the main series, Solo Leveling: ARISE introduces untold Hunter stories, offering users a new and enjoyable experience.”
“For example, players will learn about Cha Hae-In’s story when she first awakened as an S-Rank Hunter, or about Yoo Jinho forming a strike squad while Jinwoo was in a dungeon. These original stories, such as those in Solo Leveling: Arise, are created and developed under the supervision of the original author.”
Q. Jin-Woo’s evolution from weakest to strongest hunter embodies Solo Leveling. Can you elaborate on the game’s character progression decisions and how they enable players to experience the growth akin to a hunter?
Seong-Keon Jin: “In my opinion, one of the aspects that fans liked the most in the original web novel and webtoon is how the main character, Sung Jinwoo, levels up like a game character, grows stronger, and defeats challenging enemies.”
“We incorporated this element of leveling up from the original series into Solo Leveling: ARISE so that players can experience the character’s progression and feel the narrative of the original series as they play the game. Just like in the original series, Sung Jinwoo in Solo Leveling: ARISE ‘levels up’ and develops as the story unfolds.”
“When Sung Jinwoo levels up, he gains ability points. Players can allocate these points to various abilities such as strength, vitality, agility, intelligence, and perception. It’s up to the players to decide how to allocate these points; in other words, they can choose to have Sung Jinwoo similar to the character in the original series or make him different.”
“Players can explore a variety of action styles using various weapons for Sung Jinwoo and other Hunters. Additionally, the Skill Rune System enables users to experience multiple effects on their skills. By combining skills and weapons, players can create their own action patterns, providing a highly enjoyable experience.”
Q: Has Netmarble considered developing a VR title based on Solo Leveling? I believe that experiencing Jin-Woo’s leveling-up journey in VR would be an incredibly immersive experience.
Seong-Keon Jin: “Experiencing Sung Jinwoo’s story in VR from a first-person perspective would indeed be captivating. Currently, our focus is on delivering the best gameplay with Solo Leveling: ARISE. We eagerly anticipate the possibility of supporting Solo Leveling: ARISE on VR platforms in the future.”
Q. With Solo Leveling’s success, does the team plan to adapt other manhwa or manga series into games?
Seong-Keon Jin: “While we are exploring various appealing manhwa/manga IPs, our current priority remains Solo Leveling: Arise.”
Q: Finally, what does the future hold for Solo Leveling: ARISE? What plans are in place to ensure that players continue to return to the world of Solo Leveling: ARISE?
Seong-Keon Jin: “We intend to regularly update the game with new chapters from the original series, focusing on Sung Jinwoo’s progression as a hunter and incorporating immersive cinematic cutscenes and narratives. Additionally, we plan to introduce various dungeons and raid content suitable for an action game.”
“Furthermore, players can look forward to encountering more Hunters, Shadows, and strategic skills unique to Solo Leveling: ARISE. We are also considering implementing a guild system, which played a significant role as a community element in the original series.”
We will allow users to create their own guilds and form communities within Solo Leveling: Arise. We will allow [Solo Leveling: Arise] users to create their own guilds and form communities within the game. We will continue to communicate these updates with players.”
And that concludes our interview with the developers of Solo Leveling: Arise. We extend our sincere thanks to Inho Kim and Seong-Keon Jin for their time, as well as the Netmarble team for granting us this opportunity. We hope this interview has offered you a glimpse behind the scenes of the game’s development and its future prospects. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the game in the comments below!
0 Comments