Review Fix chats with Creative Manager for X-Files Deep State, Brandon, who discusses the development of the mobile and what makes it a unique one for fans of the series that can actually connect with new fans.
Review Fix: How was this game born?

Brandon: To put it briefly, an opportunity came our way to partner up with FoxNext Games to make a game based on the X-Files IP, and we jumped on it.
Review Fix: How does it feel to work with the X-Files franchise?

Brandon: It’s exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. The X-Files has been around for 25 years and It’s been almost 15 years since the last X-Files games came out.
Fans of the franchise are very discerning and perhaps our most difficult task is to meet these expectations and reproduce the true spirit of what ‘The X-Files’ is.
Review Fix: How true is it to the series?

Brandon: The X-Files is very diverse, you can tell almost any story, in any genre. I think this largely explains the secret of its longevity and popularity. One of the strongest qualities of the series was that they explored the subconscious fears of society. We tried to find these fears and build a story around them, without forgetting at the same time about the established mythology. We have made great efforts to stay within the framework of the canon established by Chris Carter and his co-authors. It was Chris Carter himself who proposed the name ‘Deep State.’
The plot of the game takes place between the old and new seasons of the series, from some time in 2010 to the eve of December 22, 2012 – the date that is familiar to the fans of the series.
Mulder and Scully had long since left the FBI, their office was covered with dust, the alien plot and the insidious all-powerful Syndicate remained in the realm of insane conspiracy theories … or not?
Review Fix: What was development like?

Brandon: We’ll let you know when it’s done! As of today, we have 15 days until the worldwide release.

During our soft-launch we noticed there was a shift in the gaming market preferences for certain mechanics, we quickly adapted, made a lot of improvements on gameplay and balance based on feedback from our players.
Fortunately, the first playtests showed that people from the first case can get emotionally involved. They scream, laugh and sometimes even cry.
Review Fix: Any fun dev stories?

Brandon: We rented a room and locked ourselves in it for almost a week. Trying not to raise the suspicions of our neighbors (the walls were thin), we seriously discussed how an FBI agent can carry weapons to the White House and other strange things. We had a large whiteboard where we drew up a sinister scheme to overthrowing the government.
Several times in the room, under the pretext of picking up / bringing in a chair, the administrators of the place came in – at the same time we simultaneously stopped all discussions and silently waited for the person to leave. Of course, we looked incredibly suspicious. I’m surprised that we were not arrested then. Especially after it became clear that the marker for the board was permanent and not washed away.
Review Fix: What makes this game special for fans who love the show?

Brandon: One of the most exciting aspects of the world created by Chris Carter is the fact that you can’t be sure of anything. Behind each “truth” there can be hidden an unexpected turn, behind each silence is a new story, new secrets and new characters. In our game, the original story, and we tried to make it accessible even for those who had never before had anything to do with the “X-Files”.
We really wanted to give players the opportunity to choose between Mulder’s idealism and Scully’s skepticism, and built in the appropriate system for this.
The actions that the player makes in the course of the plot, there are consequences – both short-term, and long-term. Did you save someone’s life? Later, this hero will be able to help you or vice versa, to sink your whole business. Have you gone beyond your limits during the investigation? Your boss will not let you forget about it.
Review Fix: Can it attract new fans to the show?

Brandon: It’s not outside the realms of possibility. If someone comes to our game without knowing the X-Files, we’d be more than happy to introduce them.
Review Fix: What games influenced this one the most?


Brandon: There’s been a lot of comments from people wishing that Telltale games was making this game. To those people we can say you won’t be disappointed!
Review Fix: As an indie studio, what do you think you guys do differently than other studios?

Brandon: We’re small and flexible enough to develop and experiment as game market trends grow and change.
Review Fix: What’s your favorite memory as a gamer?

Brandon: Too many to share really. Instead we’d like to shout out some of our other titles: Nitro Nation Drag Racing and ZooCraft!
Review Fix: How does this game disrupt the mobile video game landscape?

Brandon: The X-Files: Deep State is an adventure game with elements of Hidden Object games and strong support for the storyline. It is believed that the adventure genre (and especially hidden object) in the mobile market is a typical female genre. We decided to change this dynamic and set ourselves the goal of attracting both female and male audiences equally. So far according to our results, we see that we are succeeding.
Review Fix: This is a mobile game, but it is surprisingly deep. Any chance at a Nintendo Switch or Vita port?

Brandon: That would be great, but we don’t have any plans for those platforms at the moment.
Review Fix: Who will enjoy this game the most?

Brandon: Fans of the X-Files, people who love adventure, mystery or detective / investigation type games with an engaging story line, those who are into the paranormal, the supernatural, occult, UFO, conspiracies, creepy and spooky stuff.
Review Fix: How do you want this game to be remembered?

Brandon: The best X-Files game ever made!
Review Fix: What are your goals for the game?

Brandon: Similarly to the original series, in The X-Files: Deep State the story is revealed gradually: each episode and each season gives players more information about what is happening. Episodes can significantly differ from each other in genre and mood. Here you find yourself in the center of a terrible detective, but you are investigating a political conspiracy, and in the next series you suddenly find yourself in a hilarious (and sinister) comedy. In this case, even in episodes such as “Monster of the Week” there are elements of a “mythological” plot, and each investigation helps you to get better acquainted with the world of the game and the central characters.
Review Fix: What’s next?

Brandon: After the launch of the game, we’ll be releasing the end of Season 1 and start developing and releasing Season 2.
On March 2nd we’re hosting a ‘The X-Files: Deep State Agents Mixer’ pre-party at the X-Fest Convention
March 3rd we’ll be at the X-Fest convention with a booth, as well as participating in sessions and other fun throughout the day. For more details visit https://thex-fest.com/
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Brandon: Do not skip the dialogs! Not having talked with the person, you will not understand, if they want to help you or knock out your brains.
The truth is out there, keep watching the skies!
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