A New Kind of JRPG – Starbites

Siri:
Starbites is a big departure from other games that Ikina Games are known to make. How long has this game been in the works?

June Ho Bae:
So the first time that they really worked on this was 2021, and that’s when they started creating their concept. And then in 2022 is when they determined the prototype and that prototype was developed. So it’s been a three-year progress of creating the game. Three years. I mean, that seems pretty fast. Like I said, this is a night and day difference in what y’all normally release. What was the original concept behind Star Bites and how did it evolve from the idea to execution? So a lot of his staff at Ikina Games Love JRPG. So then the conversation started with let’s create a jrpg. Initially, the first the conversation was should it be a SRPG or JRPG. In the end, we always wanted to create a jrpg, so let’s go with the JRPG. (Make a Paragraph) Within the JRPG genre, there’s a lot of fantasy. It is difficult to stand out if they abide by that video fantasies type of JRPG. So they needed a unique concept. And then the unique concept that we were very inspired by was Hatsune Miku’s music video Suna No Wakusei.

Siri:
So from Hatsune Miku to a JRPG, I don’t even understand the correlation that even worked, but that’s amazing in itself. So when you first pitched or conceptualize the project, what was the core vision you wanted to achieve?

June Ho Bae:
In Korea, there are a lot of creators that were raised on JRPGs. So internally at Ikina games, there’s a lot of people that love JRPGs. So then that brought up the question, what’s a JRPG that Korean creators can make? And then it won’t end up being American nor Japanese. It becomes this fluidity of Korean/Japanese influence. So then it becomes a very original type of JRPG that only they can create. So then it starts with a small story that ends up being discovered of the character saving the world, and even characters that have character development within the story of the game. And then there’s a lot of focus on battle. So then those three factors and aspects was something that they heavily took from JRPGs.

Siri:
Going back to the fact that this is y’all first major JRPG or a big departure of what y’all normally have done, would you say that Star Bite itself is a passion project for you and wanting to see how it’s going to be portrayed out to everyone else as opposed to the other games that Ikina Games have made in the past?

June Ho Bae:
So yes, to answer your question, and then there are other people within their company that loved indie games, like Metro Mania games. So then because of that, they created their own game inspired by what they love called the Ramsey. And then for Star Bite, the director of Star Bite and other core members that did take part in creating the game, they love JRPG. So that’s where their inspiration started for the game.

 

 

Siri:
Oh, okay. Wow, that’s great. And the game mechanics and story, sorry. Yeah, the game blends the mechanics like Mecca and all this stuff, and the storytelling itself, how do you balance those elements so that one doesn’t overshadow the other?

June Ho Bae:
So this was something that was very hard to do to make sure that they both got the attention that it needed without overshadowing each other. So when they developed it, they thought of it in a perspective of what’s fun to play as a jrpg, who loves JPG? So if the story isn’t fun, then when you play the demo, it’s not as moving emotionally. And if the battle isn’t growing as they play, then it won’t be fun either. So they kept thinking, is this fun playing this JRPG as someone that likes playing JRPGs? And then their fear was RPGs are known for their stories being quite long, so they wanted to avoid that. And before the story gets too long, within Starbites, they made sure to put battles and then put character developments here and there. So it’s not just fully story.

Siri:
So would you say the full runtime of this is relatively shorter than what normal JRPG span?

June Ho Bae:
So recently, for games that I’ve come out, like Metaphor, they do have a longer play time, like 60 hours. So if you compare it to that, then StarBites is definitely on the shorter side from 25 to 30 hours estimated.

Siri:
Okay. That sounds good. And Starbites has a very distinctive atmosphere, like the very animated characters, more cartoonish on the cartoonish end. What themes or messages did you want to convey through its world and story?

June Ho Bae:
So the messaging and story would be hope. The setting and the environment is a deserted land, which is caused by spaceship, so it’s very hard to live in for humanity. And Lukida, the protagonist has a lot of debt that she has to pay off. So living in such a hard condition, she’s always so bright and holds a lot of thoughtfulness for the characters around her. So even in a hard setting, she is the beacon of hope and light that she can provide to others. And we live in a certain time where a lot of things are uncertain, like peace and stability. So with that, even in such an uncertain future, he wishes that the message that people can take on from this is to focus on the people around you and the people that you love and loves you, and to live in the present.

Siri:
Oh, I love that. That’s great. When I play RPGs, the battle system is very important to me personally. Could you explain what a player would experience in Star Bite’s battle system?

June Ho Bae:
Players can think of ways to battle, and then the feeling that you get when it’s successful. So then they try to focus on that type of emotional aspect of it. And then much before, they were heavily influenced by octopus traveler, and that’s a game where you can focus on creating and thinking of turns to defeat the enemy. So then in Starbites, depending on the characters you pick, it changes the battle in turns of it as well. So there are six playable characters, but three are playable in Battle, and three are supporting characters. Meaning depending on which characters and which supporting characters you choose to team up together, it creates new skills and then completely customizes in a way of how the battle goes.

 

 

Siri:
Right. Well, first of all, I want to say thank you for not over oversizing your team base, because one of the biggest things I’ve always hated was when you have 12 people in your team and you have to choose three of the 12, and you have to level ’em all up, it’s crazy. But if you have a small, I like that the fact that you contained it down to six, that you don’t have to worry or think or have to level these characters up, all these characters up at the same time and stuff. So I love Thank you for doing that.
What’s one of the single most important lesson that you learned during the making of Star Bites? It doesn’t have to be single. If you have other one that’s fine too.

June Ho Bae:
So there is someone that has once said that it’s very hard to create games, and he feels the same. And Starbites is a small team compared to other creators and companies. But within Ikina games, it had the biggest team for all the games that they’re creating. And then the hardest thing that they’ve learned, or the hardest lesson that they learned is how to get everyone on the same page, because you can be thinking and then talking about the same thing, but then the way that everyone interprets it and the envisions and what they see in their head is very different. So trying to get everyone on the same team, all communicating with each other was something that was very hard, but they learned from it.

Siri:
That’s great. I mean, for a first time, RPG, I can only imagine the trials and tribulations that you would’ve encountered. My hat’s off to you on that.
You said earlier that there were multiple games that inspired you to make Starbites. Do you have any personal favorite RPGs that you have? A top five or anything?

June Ho Bae:
So definitely Final Fantasy VI. And it might not be as popular in America, but it’s a Korean game called Astonishia Story . And then it’s the first ever Korean RPG made. And then he felt that when he saw him played, that he felt that, oh, he created this type of game. And then to continue the list, Octopath Traveler 2, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and then Final Fantasy V.

Siri:
So Big Final Fantasy fan. I love Father Fantasy VI. That is one of my favorites too.
What do you personally hope players feel or take away after playing Starbites?

June Ho Bae:
As a child, he played Final Fantasy V and VI, and the feelings he felt playing that is the type of feelings that he wants. Players playing Starbites to feel. An example would be the happiness after meeting these characters and wanting to feel more of like, oh, I want to play with these characters. So if the players that play Starbites are able to feel that, then that would make him very happy.

Siri:
Okay. Well, as long as they’re not any scary world dominating clowns like VI did, then I am perfectly fine. Perfectly fine. I just lost my place. There we go. Oh, was that the last one? Oh, okay. Okay. One more thing.
For NIS to be put into play here itself to being the first South Korean video game developer to be under NIS for publishing here in America? How did that get into fruition? I mean, that’s an incredible feat in itself. How did you all get the wheels rolling on this?

June Ho Bae:
There was a mutual person between NISA and Ikina games who they’ve connected with in Japan, and his name is Kino san, and he came to their company in Korea under different circumstances, so not to talk about this in particular. And then the conversation went to like, oh, are you working on anything new? And then they said that they are creating Starbites. And then Kino san asked, are you planning on publishing this in America? But then their answer was No all the time.
And then Kino san said, leave it to me. I got it. And then after literally that conversation happened, he went to America the week after, and then I guess when he was in America, he was visiting NISA to talk about it. And that same week, NISA reached back out to Ikina games saying we’re interested. So it was a very short timeframe between Kino san being at Ikina games, Kino san being at NISA, and then that conversation starting between NISA and Ikina

Siri:
Did Kino san try the game out and then he believed this has to come to America?

June Ho Bae:
Yes, he went and play and was like, you need to publish it now.

Siri:
So not even the month.

June Ho Bae:
And then also, he liked Disgaea as a kid, so of course knowing Disgaea, you’re aware of an NISA. So because of that, his own personal connection to Disgaea, he looked up to the company. So then when they found out that NISA was interested, he was also like, we’re very interested in working with you too. And then NISA president, Mr. Yamoshita, is highly well known and regarded in the gaming industry. So he was like, please, I’m more than interested.

Siri:
That is incredible. I have to say that is, especially not even thinking of not wanting to come to America, I’m so glad that it is coming to America, but to finally just have a turn like that is an incredible experience. I cannot wait for the the game to come out. In the future, is there any plans for expanding the universe of Starbites, or are you planning on making or seeing other games coming more into the US instead of being only in South Korea?

June Ho Bae:
They are thinking of both of expanding the universe of Starbites and also bringing other games that they’ve published or to be published to America. And then for Starbites, they are thinking of what’s next, what’s to come? And then they are working on that right now. And then this scenario is what’s being worked on right now. And he believes that it’s something that’s very fun and funny or not funny, very fun. So he’s very excited about that and they are thinking of creating new genres of games, being inspired by the universe of Starbites.

Siri:
Oh, okay. Wow. That’s great to hear. Well, thank you so much for your time, Jun Hove. I really appreciate your time with me. And like I said, I cannot wait to check this game out when it comes out, and hopefully in 2026 I’m crossing my fingers.