Known for his breakout solo project, Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield, Neil Jones has now teamed up with British dev studio BetaJester to bring its successor, Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield, to life. “I drew heavily from the first game’s reviews to design this one, striving to create something better,” says Jones. “I carefully considered every comment and aimed to improve. So, I hope fans of the first game return to see how I’ve addressed their feedback.”
The success of the first game, Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield, paved the way for collaboration on the successor. “The first game was a solo project, but its success allowed me to collaborate with BetaJester on the sequel,” Jones explains. “I shared the concept with them early on, and they were fully on board, which boosted my excitement. We built this game in an incredible 11 months, a testament to the power of player support and our team’s dedication.”
Marinating in my head
BetaJester’s role was crucial in handling the functionality and technical aspects of the game, allowing Jones to concentrate on the design elements. “They handled functionality, building everything off the first game, letting me focus on creative aspects like story, cutscenes, music, voiceovers, and art,” he notes. This division of labor was new for Jones, who was used to doing everything himself. “Working with a team daily was a new experience, requiring me to document my ideas and explain my concepts instead of just implementing them myself.”
Jones hadn’t initially planned on creating a sequel. However, the idea gradually took shape after the first game’s release. “At the end of the first game, I added a last-minute after-credits scene that showed the two characters were still alive and introduced a new setting,” Jones recalls. “That brief addition stuck with me for a year or two, marinating in my head and giving me so many ideas and concepts. Watching people play the first game and seeing how they interacted with it pushed me to develop a sequel, even though I hadn’t planned on returning to the indie game space.”
Control two characters simultaneously
One of the features Jones is most proud of in We Never Yield is its unique gameplay design, which allows solo players to control two characters simultaneously. “Controlling two characters simultaneously is hard; our brains aren’t wired to handle it,” he says. “I’m proud of the design, which achieves this concept, even if it takes some getting used to.” For those who find this challenging, there is always the option to switch to co-op mode. “I’m also very proud of the story, which incorporates a lot of the themes from the first game as well as answers a lot of questions without the need to play the first game.”
This time around, Jones embraced extensive collaboration in the development process. “I’d create an initial design pass, then hand it off to the team to refine and match my vision,” he explains. “We’d iterate through multiple feedback rounds until we were all aligned on the final product.” This collaborative approach allowed for more time to polish and refine ideas, incorporating feedback earlier in the process. “My approach was to create something cool, bring it to the team, and work together to polish and integrate it.”
Overcoming Challenges
The development process was not without its hurdles. “Certification was a significant challenge, with minor issues causing repeated delays,” Jones acknowledges. Despite these challenges, the team achieved remarkable results within their time frame and budget, thanks to the support from the community. “The majority of funding for this game came directly from the support of players who enjoyed the first game. Without our loyal community, this game wouldn’t exist.”
Marketing the game also posed its own set of problems. “Marketing was quite stressful, as I aimed to clearly communicate the game’s cultural and community-focused aspects while ensuring it appealed to a broad audience,” Jones says. “At the end of the day, I really like how this game turned out though, and that’s all a part of me really cares about.”
Respect Game Developers!
Through the development of We Never Yield, Jones has learned another valuable lesson about the games industry. “The biggest lesson I learned is that people really don’t give enough respect to video game developers,” he says. “If the industry keeps going with its current practices, there aren’t going to be any people left who even want to make games anymore.”
For a long time, Jones struggled to find his place in the industry, applying for countless jobs but never getting a break. So, he decided to start his own studio and make the game he wanted to make. That was Never Yield in 2021. He aims to create games that stand out, featuring black characters and unique stylized designs. His goal is to contribute to a more inclusive gaming industry and pave the way for other black developers to follow in his footsteps. “Ultimately, I hope this game proves that a game led by a black game developer, featuring an all-black cast and culturally relevant soundtrack, can be successful,” he asserts. “The notion that it couldn’t was always a flat-out lie!”
Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield is out on 16 July 2024 for Steam, Epic, PlayStation and Xbox.