Interview with the Developer of Kejora
There’s nothing like having two friends with you when things hit the fan. Thankfully, when disaster strikes for the friends in Berangin Creative, there’s three of them to help solve their problems. Kejora, Guntur and Jaka may just be kids, but they can be pretty clever when they work together.
A huge thank you to devs over at Berangin Creative for answering my questions about their gorgeous game!
Can you tell me more about the team behind Kejora and how the idea for the game came about?
Coming from the animation industry, the Berangin Creative team has worked on various projects, ranging from outsourcing work to producing anime using the frame-by-frame method. Starting as a small team of three, we have now grown to a total of 12 members, consisting of a game director, game designers, writers, project managers, 2D animators, 2D artists, and programmers. As our team grows, our ambition remains the same: to be recognized as a game developer focused on 2D animation.
The initial idea for our game comes from a story rooted in Indonesian folklore, about a village that suddenly vanishes and turns into a forest. We combined this with the theme of confinement, inspired by the anime The Promised Neverland. To deepen the story of Kejora, we introduced a time loop as a central narrative device.
For the gameplay, we drew inspiration from Valiant Hearts, with its puzzle elements that are simple and accessible, designed to help players easily follow the story.
What inspired the main characters for the game to be kids?
The main reason is that it aligns with the narrative. Children are often associated with innocence, a lack of worldly knowledge, and a perspective that is untouched by the life experiences adults typically carry. This allows players to step into the mindset of a child, who is still unfamiliar with the concept of time as it relates to individual meaning and consequence.
Can you explain a bit more about the time loop curse in Kejora? Will players be able to change things so that each time loop is a little bit different from the last?
The time loop concept is used as a narrative device where Kejora must resolve the core conflict before midnight. Otherwise, the loop resets and the same day begins again. It’s not about changing elements with each loop to create different outcomes; rather, the loop repeats exactly until the central problem is solved.
Kejora has the main character and her two friends exploring the area around their village. Will there be a lot of exploration in the game or will the friends visit just a few familiar locations around the village?
Kejora's journey will pass through various locations surrounding her village, such as dark forests, swamps, an abandoned village, and underground tunnels. Each of these areas features unique gameplay mechanics tailored to its specific environment.
What kinds of abilities do Kejora and her friends have to traverse the environment?
Kejora is accompanied on her journey by two friends: Guntur and Jaka. Guntur is physically strong, he can help Kejora reach higher places and break certain objects. Jaka, on the other hand, he is clever enough to do something, allowing him to know how to push heavy objects and throw stones with precision.
Were there any platformer games that inspired Kejora?
We are heavily inspired by Valiant Hearts, which focuses on delivering a narrative combined with puzzles in its gameplay.
Kejora was first announced in 2021, what are some big changes that have been made to the game during the last few years of development?
The most significant changes have been in the gameplay experience and more polished animation. During the early development of Kejora, we experimented multiple times with how to call upon Guntur and Jaka to find the best way for their interaction. The puzzle-solving mechanics are quite similar to the early stages of development, but as the story progresses, the game introduces a variety of puzzles, each themed differently. The 2D animation used in each cutscene has also been improved, enhancing the movement, coloring, and environment details.
If you were stuck in a time loop, which friend would you like to bring along with you to help you solve the mystery?
If I had to choose a character in the game, I would pick Guntur because he is both intelligent and quite athletic. With his calm demeanor, he can think clearly in any situation and remains focused, making him the best option in my opinion.
What does “indie” mean to you?
A developer who creates games with a small team, aiming to tell compelling stories and immerse players in those worlds, allowing them to experience the narrative or gameplay in a meaningful way.
Kejora is available to wishlist on Steam now and you can play the demo!