Review Fix Exclusive: Inside ‘George is Scared of The Dark’


Review Fix chats with Alex Petlenko, Founder, Wall West, to find out all about the incredibly hard, but endearing mobile platformer “George is Scared of The Dark.” Developed solely by Petlenko, the game was a labor of love.

Review Fix: What makes George cool?

Alex Petlenko: George is too cool for school! No seriously, I mean he is a ghost — so naturally, he’s very cool … but he doesn’t like to brag about it.

Review Fix: What games inspired George: Scared of the Dark?

Petlenko: I’ve always loved retro games. I also enjoy mobile games. This game pays homage to that. I wanted to create a game that was more than just a casual mobile game — with more depth, mystery and story. In particular, I wanted the game to feel atmospheric — for the player to be temporarily immersed into the magic of the game world. At its core, I wanted it to have a central theme of overcoming challenges and conquering fears. It kind of has a nostalgic feel that’s both fun but also reflective in many ways. As the story develops and you help George on his journey, some of that world begins to open up for the player.

Review Fix: What has development been like?

Petlenko: Development has been fun but also challenging.  It’s been a solo project, so I’ve had to be strict about the scope of the project and my time-keeping. The game spun out of procjam2015, which is all about procedural generation – writing code that creates something. The hardest part was creating a level-generation algorithm that creates fun but challenging levels — keeping the experience unique each time. I also work in massive peaks and troughs. Some days are slow; it’s all about experimenting and taking it easy — allowing the creative process to unfold naturally. Other days, once I know what needs to be coded and those design decisions have been made, it’s full pedal-to-the-metal coding! I also like to hang out and be part of the London indie scene to break up my routine — and that has been great for inspiration, feedback and support.

Review Fix: With all the competition on the mobile market and in the indies now, how difficult was it for you guys to try and make something that stood out?

Petlenko: Yeah, tell me about it! It’s tricky to stand out for indies. For me, it’s just about creating something that I’m passionate about and allowing that to shine through in the finished game. Yes it’s a platform game … but the mashup of cute graphics, difficult gameplay, and magical-but-at-times-eerie feel makes for a very unique experience.

Review Fix: Any chance at a PS4 or Vita release?

Petlenko: I wouldn’t discount ports to other platforms, but there are no concrete plans at this time. Initially, I will be looking to improve and develop the iOS version. I’m already working on the Halloween expansion!

Review Fix: Bottom line, why must someone play this game?

Petlenko: To help George overcome his fears — of course!

Review Fix: How do you want this game to be remembered?

Petlenko: That’s a tricky one. I think the players will ultimately decide that one. I want it to be remembered as a fun and challenging game.

Review Fix: What are your goals for this game?

Petlenko: For me, it’s a flagship game for my startup game studio in 2016. I hope players will simply enjoy playing it.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Petlenko: I have a massive future “wishlist” for George: Scared of the Dark that doesn’t fit on my laptop! There are many development directions. I will be taking a close look at the feedback for the game and considering ways to improve it. However, I also have a few new ideas for other games to explore during 2017.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 13802 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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