Bronie's new work was promoted through Elysia's vlog. Additionally, Elysia cosplayed as Madoka, flaunting Bronie's presence by her side.
If she were a regular streamer, she might have been heavily criticized for publicly announcing her romantic relationship. But as viewers often said, "God loves everyone, the Devil love only one, and audiences want to see gods and devils together."
And for someone who created games like Elden Ring and Getting Over It, Bronie could be seen as the Devil too.
If it were girls being affectionate, they could easily be forgiven. Plus, Elysia was very attractive, making it easier for her to be forgiven for anything she did.
It was like a devil and an angel falling in love with each other.
Both so different yet bot match one another.
So, Elysia subtly revealed her relationship with Bronie online.
To be honest, Bronie found it quite thrilling. It was like driving a truck with its cargo hold modified into one-way glass: you could see out, but no one could see in, and then doing something daring in a crowded place.
Thankfully, Elysia didn't go that far—it was just a metaphor. Publicly disclosing their relationship might bring some blessings but also some harsh criticism, which Bronie found hard to address.
However, Elysia had achieved her goal. She proved to Bronie that she wouldn't sacrifice herself like Madoka, using her actions to demonstrate this.
Though it was a bit silly, it was very effective!
So, animation projects were put on hold for now.
Dying Light was a game born in 2015. It marked an era when AAA titles began to proliferate. Games like Rainbow Six, The Witcher 3, and GTA V emerged, showcasing high freedom and massive content, proving that open-world game technology was nearly mature. Players yearned for these kinds of games, seeing maps full of question marks and collectibles, knowing they promised extensive, satisfying gameplay.
In Bronie's memory, these games filled a significant part of her cherished youth. At a time when others were playing Dungeon Fighter and League of Legends, Bronie didn't join in because... she had too few friends.
Her personality determined this, but fortunately, large single-player games were enough to let her enjoy the beauty of gaming. After experiencing those meticulously crafted stories and games, Bronie never felt her friendless youth was sad.
If she had to rank various games in her heart, Dying Light would be among the top. The first game was a classic, and the second had many merits too. If it weren't for the overly perfect female lead's face, the second game would have little to criticize.
Since Bronie released one open-world game after another—Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, The Legend of Zelda—even opening the door to a new world for game developers worldwide, countless game creators realized, "Ah, games aren't just sandbox or level-based; they can be open-world too!" High freedom combined with rich content, requiring a team's precise cooperation and substantial funding, was needed to build such masterpieces.
"This is how you make games? This neural link device is amazing..."
"It incorporates some of Mobius's technology. Perhaps in the future, it could develop into cognitive science technology. But creating games purely by imagination is still challenging, so many artistic details, modeling, and map details are handled by Haxxor Bunny Studio."
This time, Elysia also participated in the game development process. However, upon seeing the game's art style, she felt reluctant.
Compared to previous styles, Dying Light was more realistic.
And this realistic style clearly isn't Elysia's cup of tea.
Cute girls and zombie apocalypses just don't mix.
Though this doomsday setting does create a sense of despair, Elysia has seen so much of it in the previous civilization that she's a bit tired of it.
However, Elysia isn't someone who loses interest quickly; instead, she focuses her efforts on costume design.
"Bronie, what do you think of this outfit?"
"Hey, isn't this Fire Moth style?"
Bronie immediately recognizes the outfit's resemblance to the Fire Moths from Honkai Impact 2. Though it looks a bit ragged, it conveys a strong sense of survival in an apocalypse.
"Eh hey, you know, this outfit's design incorporates a bit of how little Kevin looked while surviving in the city during the last era!"
Elysia gazes at the jacket, briefly lost in memory.
"Oh? Kevin encountered Honkai in high school, and you saved him?"
"Of course not. But there's a record in the Fire Moth archives of Kevin bravely fighting a Chariot-class Honkai beast with a baseball bat. I was drawn to that brave boy's spirit."
"Wow, a baseball bat against a Honkai beast? That's impressive."
Bronie is genuinely impressed, not sarcastic. A Chariot-class Honkai beast is at least three meters tall, and the more formidable ones could reach five meters. Being silicon-based creatures, they're as hard as rocks. Knocking one down with a baseball bat makes it seem like Kevin is already treading the path of destiny.
"Right! Brave and strong. Later, when he joined the Fire Moth and saw me, his shy and timid expression is something I'll never forget.
"That sounds quite interesting. I can't forget how seriously Kevin told his cold jokes."
"Hahaha! That's one of the few pleasant memories! Kevin was always concerned about his humor not making everyone laugh, likely because his sense of humor was frozen along with him."
"Still... running between tall buildings, avoiding zombies in various structures... to be honest, this experience is quite novel. Although in reality, it might be a bit dreadful, such lawless environments... experiencing it in a game is pretty interesting, right?"
"Eh? But isn't Cyberpunk 2077 somewhat similar?"
"But causing trouble in Night City would still attract the police, and there's a reputation system in the game. Randomly killing people would make others despise you. But in this game..."
"The reputation system is gone?"
"No, I've hidden the reputation system. Though it might not be noticeable on the surface, it will affect transaction prices with NPCs based on your reputation. I just hope players won't regret their choices... treating this game a bit more seriously would be better, right?"
"I see... if it's too strict, the game might become less fun. Adjusting prices also guides players' choices, right?"
"Different factions and gangs have different moral inclinations. One side might increase prices while the other lowers them. There's no worry about me forcing a particular worldview. Am I that kind of person?"
"Spreading hope through tragedy, everyone calls you the devil!"
Elysia's jab makes Bronie feel a bit helpless. This kind of evaluation is actually a compliment. So, Bronie takes it as a badge of honor.
"Everyone loves the characters in the game! I'm sure they all adore Chiaki Nanami! Haxxor Bunny Studio has already commissioned an animation company to produce the Danganronpa anime!"
"Hmph! I'll remember this grudge against Chiaki Nanami!"
Later, during her involvement in the game's development, Elysia sees the nests of Night Hunters. Those nocturnal creatures and their lairs are truly terrifying. Just seeing caves filled with corpses creates an invisible pressure, discouraging players from exploring deeper.
Nighttime is the domain of the Night Hunters, but their nests are safe. Conversely, during the day, weak zombies rule, but Night Hunters return to their nests, making them extremely dangerous.
Especially in the early stages, parkour alone won't necessarily shake off the Night Hunters. The sight of those blood-red eyes chasing players through the darkness often makes them afraid to go out at night. Yet, many tasks have to be done at night.
Though Dying Light appears to be a hack-and-slash or parkour game on the surface, it has plenty of horror elements.
The thought of players being chased by Night Hunters, crying and screaming, makes Bronie's lips curl up in amusement.
Handcrafted DIY weapons are also a unique feature of Dying Light. Unfortunately, the first game only had basic enchantments, with most items being stat-based. There's significant potential in the weapon system that wasn't fully realized, possibly due to technical limitations. Nevertheless, firearms and melee weapons offer a rich combat experience.
In keeping with a pursuit of excellence, Bronie plans to add more interesting elements to the weapon system.
For instance, in the zombie game Dead Rising, the weapon combination system turned realism into fantasy, providing a unique sense of satisfaction.
Although combining random materials seems absurd, the fact that players can create powerful weapons from everyday items adds to the fun. It makes zombies seem like no problem at all, with the biochemical apocalypse bringing freedom.
However, the storyline of Dying Light is quite heavy. It's filled with tests of humanity, with the protagonist struggling between their role as an agent and a family member in a chaotic world. The final outcomes emphasize the importance of players' choices on the protagonist's fate.
Aside from the plot, the parkour system is the game's standout feature. First-person parkour significantly enhances immersion.
Speaking of which, Bronie remembers a game called Mirror's Edge, a parkour combat game that might have inspired Dying Light. The overall content of Dying Light is extensive, making it a quintessential AAA title. Hence, its development time is considerable, even longer than the initial creation of the Genesis system followed by The Evil Within.
A massive city divided into different zones, with a modern but slightly decayed feel. This kind of city always reminds Elysia of those destroyed by Honkai. Some cities were abandoned due to Honkai, but according to multiple Fire Moth investigations, some cities, despite being damaged by Honkai, still have a few resilient survivors.
As for the lockdown of cities... the military's approach in the game is almost identical to the Fire Moth's' early attitude towards Honkai.
What? Honkai appeared? Lock down the city. No one gets out.
Officially, it's due to a special disease or disaster, regardless of how many civilians are still struggling inside. If there's a young genius, they get recruited; otherwise, they're left alone.
Thinking about that time always puts Elysia in a bad mood. And if Elysia is completely upset, the entire Golden Courtyard would suffer. She would throw little tantrums with the kids, leading them in dress-up games and such. It's all about an explosion of girlishness. Sin and Black Seele couldn't handle the pink hell, and neither could Bronie.
So Bronie regrets choosing such a theme to stimulate Elysia. If she had known... if only she had made Angel Beats! or Plastic Memories instead.
But after several months of effort, by the end of the year, the game is finally completed, despite numerous hurdles. Meanwhile, the World Serpent organization has everything ready, and Nagazora is prepared to face the Third Honkai Eruption.