How Brothers in Hell Went from a Dream to Reality

Based upon a dream that I had in 2018, I’ve been working on it since 2019 until I brought that dream to life in the form of a game. It took me a little longer than I thought it would and even though the idea was rejected multiple times I kept working on it until I got to release it.

Brothers in Hell shares the story of two close brothers who are murdered amid their mission to protect and liberate the people of the desert from the Apocalypse Bringers yoke. Because of that event, Death gave them the chance to come back as an “Emissary of your Wish” to finally fulfill the objective

Developing an open world for a story-driven game was proven to be a significant challenge. Creating an immersive and live environment where players could explore freely while maintaining the integrity of the narrative and the constraints of the world was really demanding. It was no easy task to come up with the idea to add boundaries that don’t feel like boundaries.

Crafting a compelling narrative was another hurdle. While the main story came from the dream I had, there are still some other parallel stories that needed to be engaging and work as an incentive for exploration and discovery of various subplots within the world.

Drawing inspiration from modern classics, stories are told in a souls-like manner. Crafting narratives that were emotionally resonant, providing a moment of reflection or morally ambiguous situations, and thematically consistent proved to be a creative challenge. The stories of allies and enemies, while diverse, adhered to a coherent storytelling style and theme, enhancing the overall immersive experience for players.

The whole story is narrated in a stealthy setup where you work from the shadows and in silence, although sometimes you have to make some noise to continue the journey, and believe it or not it was about to be a bullet-hell game!

Implementing stealth mechanics in a meaningful way was crucial: the stealth idea came to slow down the pace and alongside the open world gives a brief relax in between the action of the boss fights that kept the bullet-hell idea.

The journey from the initial idea to the game’s release was marked by rejections and setbacks. The concept and early prototypes faced rejection multiple times, which was disheartening. However persistence coupled with continuous improvements based on feedback from my friends was key to bring the dream to life. Overcoming rejection and turning it into a driving force for improvement became a defining aspect of the development process, along with drinking coffee and huge working shifts.

Character and map concept drawing

In the process of facing these challenges the game was transformed from a mere concept into a fully realized immersive experience. The open world with its stories and challenges became a canvas for both gameplay and narrative exploration. The struggles faced during the development only strengthened the game’s foundation, resulting in a final product that not only fulfills the dream but also exceeds the expectations that I’ve set for it.

I hope that players can feel the dedication, creativity and passion embedded in every aspect of tBrothers in Hell. The game’s final form turned out to be an unique blend of action, stealth, and deep stories, inviting players to embark in a journey that goes beyond mere gameplay, delving into the depths of human emotions and the complexity of wishes.

I invite you to experience the desert, explore its stories and uncover the deeper meaning behind the tale of these two Brothers in Hell, available today on PC.

Thank you for joining me on this incredible journey.

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