"Hector, you burned the rice again, and you're still chopping vegetables!"
"What do you want me to do? You said you'd do the dishes, but there's not a single clean plate! What else am I supposed to do besides chop veggies?!"
"I swear you're driving me crazy!"
"I was so mad!"
In the Nebula Games office, Zachary, who's in charge of level design, was talking to Hector, who handles the game's stats.
This was the fourth time something like this had come up during testing after the game demo was released.
"Boss Lucas, is this game really meant for couples? To help build their relationship?" Anna stared at Lucas with a strange look.
Rachel didn't say anything, but she nodded like a woodpecker, clearly thinking the same thing as Anna.
"Ahem, it's not just for couples. Friends, brothers, anyone can play this game together," Lucas said seriously.
"It's really just that Hector and Zachary are both super competitive," Lucas added.
"Something about this feels off," Anna muttered while staring at the screen of "Overcooked."
At first, she thought this game was something everyone would love.
But now?
She wasn't so sure—especially after playing it herself.
Beating the levels on easy wasn't too bad.
But going for three stars? That raised her blood pressure fast. Sometimes she just couldn't take it.
"Alright, Anna, you and Rachel keep an eye on the game trailer. I still have to do a media interview."
Lucas saw the two still wanting to talk about "Overcooked" and quickly changed the topic.
"Media interview?" Anna and Rachel were both a bit surprised.
"A GameSpace exclusive interview—part of the promo for the new game," Lucas said.
After hearing that, the two of them nodded in understanding.
After a few more words with Rachel and Anna, Lucas headed to the office.
Even though the interview was meant to help promote "Overcooked,"
there were actually quite a few media outlets interested in him personally.
Sure, in the broader game dev world, he wasn't on the same level as the top designers and legends,
but in the indie scene, Lucas was a pretty well-known name.
"Mr. Lucas, nice to finally meet you!"
When Lucas opened the office door, GameSpace editor William greeted him excitedly.
Ever since he randomly discovered "Undertale" and was blown away by it,
he'd quietly kept an eye on Lucas, and Lucas's later games never let him down.
"To the Moon" moved him so much he almost cried, and as for "Outlast"—
he didn't personally enjoy horror games,
but even he had to admit it was a top-tier horror game, the kind that could scare a grown man into peeing his pants.
You could say he had long admired Lucas as a game designer.
So once he found out there was a chance to do an interview, he immediately asked his editor-in-chief for the opportunity.
"No need to call me Mr. Lucas, just use my name," Lucas said, feeling a little awkward about the title.
Even though, in his previous life, tons of talented newcomers had emerged, and "Mr. Lucas" plus those legendary images on his hard drive didn't mean much anymore,
in the photography world, "Mr. Lucas" was still a founding figure.
So being called that himself just didn't feel right to Lucas.
William froze for a moment, not knowing what to do. In his mind, "Mr." was just a sign of respect—it's normal in the game industry.
"Uh… then, Boss Lucas, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview,"
he said, adjusting his wording. He didn't know why Lucas didn't like being called "Mr.," but he couldn't just call him by name either.
"No need to be so stiff. Let's just chat casually first," Lucas said with a smile as he handed William a bottle of cola from a nearby box and grabbed one for himself.
"Uh… sure… okay." William looked at Lucas's smiling face and instinctively took the cola, placing it in front of him.
"Let's start with 'Undertale.' After all, 'Mirror' isn't exactly easy to report on. The main reason I made 'Undertale' was that I saw a gap in the market. Meta concepts had mostly shown up in books and films, so I started wondering—why couldn't this kind of idea work in games? Plus, in terms of immersion, games actually have an edge."
"To the Moon? I think countless players have already given their answers on that. As for Outlast, I really poured my heart into making it, and judging by the feedback, it seems the players felt that too."
"Players wanted it, and the market lacked games like it, so we made it. That's why I say I see myself as a warrior of love—every game we make is filled with the same passion for players, like a volcano about to erupt."
"The new game is the same. It's also filled with my love for players."
A new game!?
When William heard that, his eyes lit up.
Finally, a headline-worthy moment. Though he knew deep down, Nebula Games probably agreed to this interview mostly to promote their new game.
Still, it was a solid scoop—at least something exclusive to publish.
William asked hopefully, "Boss Lucas, could you give us a little teaser about the new game?"
"Of course. The new game is a co-op game suitable for all ages, and it's coming out on February 14th—Valentine's Day."
"We hope this game can help couples grow closer. And for those without a partner, it's just as fun to play with your good friends."
Lucas smiled as he spoke, his tone completely sincere.
He also showed two concept art images for the game, inspired by Overcooked.
Adorable little crocodile chefs, the Onion King, and Kevin the dog. In a busy kitchen, two chefs with chef hats were happily working together. Everyone was smiling.
If you had to sum it up in four words: peaceful and full of love.
Add another four: warm and full of joy.
At first glance, it gave off a very cozy and friendly vibe—definitely the kind of game you'd play with friends.
...
The interview wasn't very long—just under 20 minutes.
With a warm and friendly smile, Lucas personally walked William to the door and watched him enter the elevator.
"Young people…" Lucas sighed.
Inside the elevator, holding a voice recorder and an unopened bottle of Coke, William slowly snapped back to reality.
He replayed the whole interview in his mind.
His head felt a little foggy.
Wasn't he supposed to be the interviewer? Why did it feel like he'd turned into a note-taker?
Looking at the recorder and Coke in his hands, William fell deep into thought.
When did he lose control of the conversation?
Probably around the time he accepted that Coke.
"But at least I got something out of it—Lucas's new game is juicy news. I need to start drafting the article fast!"
"I'll title it 'Spreading the Love.' And based on the concept art, this game gives off such a warm vibe. Looks like players with girlfriends are in for a great Spring Festival this year!"
(End of the Chapter)
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