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We caught up with Melbot's founder and creative director to learn all about this action-packed, television contest-inspired shooter/slasher, which has a rich transmedia cartoon lore and an engaging gameplay loop to it. Before it reaches Early Access in April, it is part of Steam's Beat'Em Up Games Party.
"Hi Gamereactor friends, this is the BCN Game Fest, formerly known as the IndieDevDay and this is the final day and this is the final interview and I'm here joined by Josema who's telling me a little bit more about GodsTV, which is a game I was acquainted with and it's, you know, it's closer and closer, it's around the corner, it's gonna release in Early Access next year and, you know, there's many crazy things I want to learn about So, first of all, tell me about the lore, about what's going on, about what are the gods, what are the TV gods here?
What's the deal with the gods?
What's the deal with the gods?
So, in this universe, alien megacorporations have presented themselves as gods because they want to turn every living soul into a consumer, right?
So what they do is, like, they use this arcane evil technology called television that you may have heard of and it's used for mind control and also to sell all kinds of shit to everyone alive, right?
So everything in the game is a product, right?
So these gods are basically, you know, you cannot imagine anyone so greedy that will, like, do anything, like, for profit and for attention, right?
So, like, we created this, like, very, very unfathomable universe where, like, the gods feed off of the attention and the fame of the contenders through the viewers so everything is a product."
"The contenders are basically living banners for these products and all they do is, like, they want to be famous, right?
So the gods feed off attention, the algorithm gods, if you will, you know and basically you have to be not only a fighter, you gotta be a star."
"So everything that you do in combat is to be flashy and to try to appease the gods, call attention to the products, sell those signature weapons and, like, get this, like, sponsor power-ups, right?
But also, when you die, you revive at the backstage.
And the backstage is the backstage of a TV show where, like, maybe in front of the scenes, in front of the camera, you are, like, you're, like, hey, look at me, I'm this great person."
"And then behind the scenes, you are this motherfucker who doesn't want to save anyone, doesn't want to help anyone, just want to be as profitable, as famous, as well-known, no matter the cost.
So behind the scenes, there will be this kind of reality show sitcom where you, like, navigate fame in this showbiz kind of, like, career to stardom."
"Yeah, yeah, it sounds to me like The Voice meets Viewtiful Joe or something like that.
But that's about the lore.
But then what do you do? What is the gameplay loop like here?
It looks like a hack and slash, but there is some shooting to it."
"And how do you progress through the levels?
Is this episodes in a TV show?
Yeah, that's a really good question.
So every time you start a run, right?
You're in American Ninja Warrior or, like, a show like that."
"So, like, Takeshi's Castle.
What you want to do is to get as far as you can and, like, beat the actual other famous, like, bosses and rivals, right?
So you are in the show, right?
So everything you want to do will be, like, hack and shoot."
"There'll be a lot of enemies, but also there'll be TV events.
TV events change a little bit the mechanics.
So you have to, like, learn not only how to fight and shoot with style, you also have to navigate this, like, changing mechanics, kind of like you have to, like, for example, get the dice roll, like, in your favor three times."
"You get the wrong face, then you have more enemies or you have, like, some, like, putada, some trolling that will happen to the player, right?
But as you progress, you also, like, face, like, for example, a DJ that you can play already in the demo that we have on scene."
"Whislist now! And as you fight this DJ, like, he's sending this tune and you have to, like, dodge the hazard that goes to the music.
So there's, like, this, like, music number, right?
And musical number in the show."
"So, like, we want to introduce, like, mechanics that people know, they're familiar with, with a bunch of, like, TV show tropes, you know?
Like, even, like, power-ups will be, like, a little bit of The Price is Right sometimes.
So there'll be a lot of mechanics that remind you a little bit of gambling, a little bit of, like, Takeshi's Castle, you know?
So you gotta play with, like, the tools that you have, the mechanics that you have, like, shoot and slice, right?
But you can also, like, find yourself in a moment where you have, like, all these, like, immortal disco balls and you have to get them through a goalpost, right?
So, like, you don't have to kill everything that moves, you have to actually score, you know?
And how are you rewarded for your stylish moves?
Do you have some sort of medal system at the end of the level?
Or how do you sort of recognize what you're doing, like, in a stylish way?
So there are two basic systems."
"One is, like, we'll give you tools, like, to actually, like, connect these movements, and, like, for example, like, super knock back the enemies and get them out of the screen and, like, obliterate them.
There's some combination of moves."
"Using power-ups and combining them, the synergies of power-ups will also, like, grant you more star power.
So when you get all the star power, which is kind of like viewers, right?
In the middle of a live show."
"So when you hit the star power, then you go viral.
When you go viral, some of your power-ups will get stronger for a period of time, and you have this bar that goes down.
So you wanna keep it up?
You gotta be stylish, you gotta keep killing, and you gotta do all this stuff to be relevant."
"Because what you want to do is always be relevant and famous and all that stuff.
So when you pass, when you die in the game, then, like, your star power will be also converted into fame.
And fame is your XP."
"Then you upgrade.
When you go to the backstage, your fame will be your level, right?
So you can level up.
And leveling up will, like, unlock NPC quests, narrative stuff, but also, like, challenges."
"So as you progress with those challenges, you'll get better sponsors, you'll get better weapons, you might unlock contenders.
These contenders live with you.
So, like, the four contenders are, like, roommates in this really twisted, like, reality show."
"And you can talk to them, but you can also, like, turn into them.
And each contender has their own fame level.
So each of them have their own, like, path to stardom with their unique story, unique plot twists, and, you know, this, like, downward spiral to fame."
"It's amazing because you have a lot of background to it, a deep lore to it, and, you know, the way it looks, the way it looked since the very first time I saw it, it's very, very, like, an animated cartoon or an anime or something like that.
So I heard you have some transmedia plans for it as well."
"What can you tell me?
How will players, slash, viewers, slash, users get to enjoy the wider GodsTV universe?
So we are very ambitious and kind of psychopathic about certain things.
And so, like, originally we were looking for a partner to do, like, some animation for the game."
"And then we contacted the guys at Spud Gun who are the team behind Mashed on YouTube.
And they have five point something million subscribers.
And my initial pitch was like, hey, we'd love to do something for the game.
And they were like, what about YouTube content?
What about, like, an animated show?
So we're like, dude, that would be amazing because we can cut costs on how we make the game and how we make the TV show."
"And the idea is to start with, like, some shorter episodes presenting the contenders.
And in time have, like, during the early access, a way to relate to the show and the game.
So this is something that is, like, kind of a secret.
But, like, we want to introduce things that happen outside the game that we reference in the game."
"But you have to watch the show to get the full thing.
And then there will be things that happen in the animation that we, like, answer in the game.
So you want the full experience?
You have to watch on YouTube."
"And then you have the game to, like, play through it.
Okay, you should do a traditional CRTV TV show where it airs on national TV and something like that.
But anyway, you mentioned, if I'm correct, you mentioned April for the early access.
So what's left to do?
A lot."
"You know, we're deep into Q4.
And this is right after Q1.
This is correct.
I didn't want to get you stressed.
No, I mean, like, I'm a game developer."
"I'm always stressed.
You know, the things, like, the game has had a very rocky production.
Because, like, we had a publisher two years ago.
And now basically we're, you know, looking for partners and trying to, like, beef up this early access."
"But also we have a lot of things that we originally cut out from the game that looks like we can bring back to the scope of the game throughout early access.
So throughout early access we'll be not only showing, like, the core game loop and, like, some of the narrative during early access.
There will be, like, the first act of the TV show.
You were asking about episodes."
"So there will be, like, around five episodes.
You could consider, like, five episodes with, like, a lot of subplots in between.
And then throughout the early access we'll be adding more narrative.
We'll be adding more content, new contenders."
"The game will come out with two contenders.
Co-op, multiplayer, like, the core basics.
And then depending on the response of the players and what they really resonate with, we'll be adding stuff.
And, like, getting the feedback, which is something that we're very proud of."
"Like, we took everything that we did on our Kickstarter.
Yes.
And we have so, like, so many, like, really passionate players, like, coming to us with ideas.
And we're trying to incorporate as much as we can."
"Wow.
And we realize that there's a lot of power in that because, honestly, like, they are sometimes crazier than us, you know?
So it's really cool to, like, sense, like, that people resonate with it and they want to collaborate and participate.
And help us, like, make the game better."
"So early access seems like a really good way to, like, involve them in the process.
Okay.
And I see in the background, I see PC, Steam.
But are you planning other platforms already or perhaps after the early access?
Yeah, we're trying to be, like, very ambitious but cautious."
"So as of now, we aim to release 1.0 early 2027.
And depending on, you know, how the last few months of early access go, then we'll have a different platform deal.
We're, you know, we love to play on PlayStation 5, on Xbox, maybe Switch.
But as of now, we're going to be PC first."
"And, you know, like, let's see how that early access goes before talking platforms.
Fantastic.
Looking forward to playing it myself.
Good luck with the final stretch on the early access."
"It's been a pleasure.
Enjoy the show.
Thank you so much.
Pleasure."
