Review Fix Exclusive: Inside ‘Naked Sun’

Review Fix chats with Maksim Burdilov (CEO, Door Z Studio) who breaks down the VR goodness that is “Naked Sun.”

About Naked Sun:

Naked Sun places you on a futuristic cargo train bound for the Mexico City arcology (once the global capital) on a mission to bring the city’s automated defense systems down. Retaking Mexico City is the first step – and the only way – to bring humanity back from the brink.

Review Fix: How was Naked Sun born?

Maksim Burdilov: After working through several concepts for our first game, we realized that movement is what makes VR “pop” – especially when players are moving at a high speed or through changing environments. However, motion sickness is a huge problem when it comes to simulated movement on a first-person shooter. After a lot of testing, we discovered that putting the player on a platform with a frame (or cabin) around it prevents motion sickness. A player standing inside a vehicle could experience movement-rich environments and shoot at enemies on a 180-degree plane without feeling nauseous. That’s how the technical concept of Naked Sun came to be. The dystopian “AI turned against people” theme was inspired by our love of sci-fi books and movies – and just how cool robots are in general. The futuristic setting also allowed for greater freedom in terms of the art style.

Review Fix: What was development like?

Burdilov: We went through four different concepts for Naked Sun before settling on the current one. Just to give you an idea of how complicated the process was: At times, we felt that we wouldn’t be able to find the winning formula at all – but thankfully, the right concept was just around the corner. Technical difficulties notwithstanding, everyone felt really inspired to be working on their first VR project. We went to game expos, got to meet awesome people – fellow developers and gamers – and just had a ton of fun making and testing the game. It was a great experience!

Review Fix: What makes Naked Sun special?

Burdilov: The movement is what makes Naked Sun stand out. In most VR games, players move either by teleportation or free locomotion – and the in-game environment changes only when players start to move. The speed with which players experience environment changes is slow – and the changes are predictable. In Naked Sun, the player moves forward at a really high speed – more than 60 mph. The game environment isn’t procedurally-generated but is built piece-by-piece. This is unconventional, to say the least – and quite versatile. Just going forward can be a lot of fun in VR! Add an intriguing storyline, lots of action – and no motion sickness – and you end up with a unique game.

Review Fix: What games influenced this one the most?

Burdilov: I’d say the concept and style in Naked Sun weren’t really influenced by any particular game – but we wanted to follow Robo Recall and Serious Sam in terms of gameplay.

Review Fix: Any fun stories or wild moments during development?

Burdilov: There are lots and lots of fun little situations I can recall – but they’re more like private jokes and probably won’t sound that exciting to your readers. One interesting fact is that two of our main developers came to work at Door Z Studio all the way from Sakhalin Island, which is just north of Japan. That’s a pretty wild job relocation!

Review Fix: What makes this game challenge the VR genre?

Burdilov: Integrating FPS with high intensity of motion is still a problem in the VR industry. Currently, we’re not aware of any other VR titles on Steam like Naked Sun that combine high-speed movement, action, and quality environments while avoiding motion sickness. We’ve got quite a few comments along the lines of “people should be fine with experiencing a bit of motion sickness when playing great VR games; it’s no big deal.” However, we think all developers should strive to deliver next-gen VR to gamers by solving this particular problem.

Review Fix: What’s your favorite memory as a gamer?

Burdilov: I love the Half-Life series and have many fond memories about those two games. The one that stands out is a specific moment in Half-Life 2: After driving on empty roads for a long time – fighting in the cities and on rough terrain – you finally reach the Resistance base. I remember so clearly (even now) that I was incredibly happy to see those people. There was almost a sense of calm. This was just an in-game situation with characters someone else created – but in that moment, I felt really close to those people. That’s what special games can achieve.

Review Fix: Who will enjoy Naked Sun the most?

Burdilov: Naked Sun’s concept appeals to a huge percentage of VR fans. The action is fast-paced, but the gameplay also has tactical elements. There are quite a few intense and challenging gunfights – especially on the highest difficulty, which also draws a lot of people in. The standout element is probably the storyline, though. I think gamers who like sci-fi will especially enjoy Naked Sun as a futuristic VR shooter.

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

Burdilov: Because Naked Sun offers gamers an opportunity to fully experience intense fast-paced action in VR without motion sickness!

Review Fix: How do you want Naked Sun to be remembered?

Burdilov: I don’t have a particular vision of how Naked Sun should be perceived by players. It’s a game that, like I said earlier, will appeal to many people. Some will remember the action and gunfights, others will have more appreciation for the atmosphere and art style. What’s important is that players remember it as a game that they’d like to play again :)

Review Fix: What’s next?

Burdilov: At this point, we’re fully focused on Naked Sun. We’ve already started working on getting the game on the Oculus and PlayStation (PSVR) Stores . Those are the priority tasks. We also have a few ideas for new content – for example, two new arcade levels with different “themes” that introduce new gameplay.