Astlibra Revision is a genre-blending, timeline-hopping experience that makes the usual JRPG plot of steadily escalating toward fighting god look downright tame. It feels like reading a '90s sci-fantasy manga in a wind tunnel. It's also infuriatingly difficult to explain without spoiling the crap out of it (I gave it a try in 2022). That girl in the above image? I cannot begin to describe her character arc.
Fortunately, I recently had the chance to talk with the game's solo creator, Keizo, about the 15 years of development behind this wild narrative, which has quietly become one of the best-rated JRPGs on Steam (it's also on Switch) and a personal favorite of mine. I was, of course, immensely pleased to hear that he was equally surprised by his own creation.
I asked Keizo how Astlibra Revision evolved during development, and about the twists and turns that – cognizant of the fact that there are some things for which the human mind just is not equipped – I could only assume were added in as he went along. "Exactly," he replied (via translator). "The story evolved gradually as development progressed. The Japanese term "行き当たりばったり[go with the flow]" fits perfectly. Therefore, it was a miracle that the story came together in the end."
Nailing the story was actually the hardest part of the whole process. "With storytelling, there are no clear answers," he adds. "Once the flow of ideas stops, I might end up thinking about it for months, feeling like it will never be completed. Also, I would feel demotivated when working on all other parts of the game if I had compromised on the story. For the other parts, there's a comforting assurance that, no matter how much time it takes, there is progress as long as I keep working."
Nevertheless, Keizo's advice to any current or aspiring game devs is to learn to love the whole process. "Development consumes a significant portion of one's life, so finding joy in the process is everything," he says. "It is both the goal and the daily achievement. I believe it is important to never forget that. Regardless of what awaits beyond completion, consider it an additional story, not the core. I hope that one could develop games with this mindset."
