South Korean indie studio Cat Society is a small team with big ambitions. The three-person studio, made up of Minjin Ko, his wife Hyemyung Lee and their friend Yeram Kim, has been working on their debut title Dungeon Inn since 2019. The game blends turn-based strategy with management and is set in a rowdy inn where adventurers and rival guilds collide.
The idea for Dungeon Inn was born during a board game session. “I love board games,” says Minjin Ko, co-founder of Cat Society. “I had the idea while enjoying a drink and playing a board game with a friend who loves board games as much as I do. ‘What if there was an inn where monsters and adventurers could stay together? But without knowing each other’s existence.’”
The concept evolved from there, eventually centering on an inn caught between two rival guilds of adventurers. “The main character had to have a reason to take such risks and earn money,” Ko explained. This led to the creation of the innkeeper Sara and her pact with a dragon who both challenges and aids her. “I wanted to create a witty dark comedy for the overall atmosphere of the game,” says Ko.
A Society of cats
Each of Cat Society’s three members juggles multiple responsibilities. “Since there are only a few of us, each person is taking on multiple roles,” Ko explains. He handles programming, system and level design and storytelling. Lee focuses on art direction, UI/UX design and related programming tasks, while Kim takes charge of illustrations, adventurer designs and animations.
This collaborative dynamic reflects the team’s studio philosophy. “The cats, they kind of feel like they live independently, don’t they?” Ko says smiling, explaining the inspiration for the studio’s name, Cat Society. “We believe in respecting one another’s abilities and individuality, so we have faith that by doing our own thing independently, we can create a wonderful game together.”
Double-Dealing
The central theme of Dungeon Inn is ‘double-dealing’ and the team aims for every element of the game to reflect this. “It is the core of the game, and we hope that ‘All Gameplays Lead to the Theme,’” Ko adds. From mechanics to level design and even the story and visuals, the team has worked to align everything with this focus. The innkeeper’s covert dealings with rival guilds create a mix of strategic gameplay and narrative tension. Players must carefully balance their actions to avoid suspicion while maximizing their profits, all within the constraints of a turn-based management system.
The game’s visuals play a vital role in setting the tone, blending a picture book-inspired aesthetic with dark comedy. “Hyemyung Lee, who is in charge of art direction, wanted to express the characteristics of each character, including the adventurers, in various ways to provide a variety of visual fun,” Ko says. “This visual style was inspired by Yvan Duque, an artist that Hyemyung admires.”
Difficulty Balancing
Balancing the game’s difficulty has proven to be quite difficult. “The same game was too difficult for some people and too easy for others,” Ko shares. Initially, Dungeon Inn had a single difficulty level, but feedback from events like the Steam Next Festival made it clear this wasn’t sufficient. “After much effort, we realized that it was impossible to achieve a perfect balance,” Ko admits. The team opted to divide the difficulty levels, catering both to casual players and those seeking a more strategic challenge.
Based on Early Access feedback, they plan to add an intermediate difficulty level. “We want people who expect comfort from Dungeon Inn to enjoy it casually, and those expecting strategy to find a challenge.”
Player feedback has been invaluable throughout the development process. “Players have the sharpest eyes of anyone,” says Ko. Some issues the team hoped to resolve later were discovered almost immediately by players. However, this scrutiny has also been a source of joy. “Players are also the ones who give us joy and inspire us the most. We still have a lot to learn from our players.”
Funding and Marketing
Initially, the team self-funded development with income from other jobs. “Until June last year, we were developing the game while working at another job,” Ko explains. “Since then, Hyemyung has continued to work on other jobs, while the rest of us have focused solely on developing Dungeon Inn. We were financing the game with Hyemyung’s salary and the money we had saved up.” Later, they turned to crowdfunding in South Korea and partnered with Spiral Up Games, who now assist with funding and marketing.
Dungeon Inn is out now in Early Access on Steam.