Chaotic Minds’ founders gave us a deep dive into Vilde, a new first-person roguelite shooter

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The founders of Chaotic Minds, Ibrahim Khasaev, who deals with technological matters, and Ismail Mits, who often relies on the experiences of players, that is, deals with PR, talked to us about their upcoming game Vilde. Thanks to them, we got a detailed insight into the game itself, what we can expect from it and how its development is going.

Vilde is a rougelite first-person shooter inspired by Norse mythology. In the game, you take on the role of a warrior who must defeat an evil version of herself, and that evil version has decided to revive all her enemies that she defeated in the past. This game features procedurally generated levels and RPG elements; various weapons, powerful cores that give active and passive abilities to build our character, a gradual increase in difficulty every time we defeat a boss and a special currency that serves us to buy things within the game to increase our health or improve weapons.

Vilde will launch in the second quarter of next year for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Launcher.

Can you tell us about Chaotic Minds, its journey and how many people are developing Vilde right now?

Ibrahim Khasaev: Ismail Mits and I started Chaotic Minds together. Ismail looks after getting our game to players and making sure we have all the resources we need, while I take the lead on the tech side. We have 11 great people on our team and sometimes work with others outside to make sure Vilde is the best it can be. Everyone helps out, and we all decide together on the big choices to keep our game’s special indie feel.

Ismail Mits: Ibrahim and I aren’t just co-developers; we’re cousins. Despite growing up in different countries, our summers were all about gaming, from local gaming cafes to hosting Dota tournaments. Those memories? They’re the heart of Vilde.

How long has Vilde been in development? The game is releasing next year, but when can we expect the demo version of it?

Ibrahim: We’ve been at Vilde for over a year. We believe in taking our time to do it right. You can catch a demo in the upcoming months, and the full game should be out by next year.

What inspired the decision to combine Norse mythology, FPS, and roguelite elements in your game? Is it inspired by any other titles?

Ismail: We’ve always been drawn to Norse stories. Games like Rune and God of War were definite inspirations, but we also wanted to bring in the engaging art styles of titles like Overwatch and Sea of Thieves.

Ibrahim: Roguelites have this captivating unpredictability, and we’ve seen this in games like Roboquest and Gunfire Reborn. Vilde is our take on this, promising a fresh experience each play.

What challenges did you encounter in balancing FPS action with the roguelite progression model, and how did you address them?

Ibrahim: Mixing FPS and roguelite elements can be tricky. We’re investing a lot of time in enemy behavior and level design to make sure players get both thrill and strategy.

What’s your opinion on events that showcase a lot of games like Dreamhack Beyond? What are your expectations since Vilde is also participating?

Ismail: We value events like Dreamhack Beyond. So many indie gems often remain undiscovered. Such events shine a light on them, and with Vilde participating, we’re excited for the opportunities it presents.

What kind of research and preparation did you do before starting development of your game?

Ismail: We started with a lot of Norse lore to get the feel right. But we also wanted to wrap it up in a way that feels fresh and contemporary for today’s players.

Ibrahim: Technically speaking, we spent time dissecting successful roguelikes and FPS games. This ensured we started our coding with a clear direction.

How important is the Ability Core usage; how powerful will passive and active abilities be, and how will players be able to use them to their advantage?

Ibrahim: Ability Cores in Vilde let players tweak their strategy. You could throw fireballs, put up ice barriers, and more. With four slots to play with, there’s room to find the best fit for your playstyle. And yes, our passive cores might be subtle, but they can be game changers in battles. Pair them with our weapons and perks, and every game feels unique.

How many bosses are there in the game, and how will you balance them?

Ibrahim: Vilde has four main bosses, each offering a distinct challenge. We’re making sure they’re balanced and work well with the various ability cores and strategies players will use.

Are there specific Norse gods, creatures, or myths that players can expect to encounter?

Ismail: Instead of taking on gods – we’ll let other games handle that – we’re diving deep into Norse folklore. Players can expect to run into creatures like draugrs, valkyries, trolls, Huldufólk, and Jotunns. And trust me, that’s just scratching the surface!

What would you say is unique about your game that might get players hooked easily?

Ismail: Vilde is all about letting you play as you like. With our Ability Cores, you can mix up your battle style and face new challenges every time you play. But it’s not just about action; there’s also a cool story behind it all.

What will the currency inside the game be used for?

Ibrahim: In Vilde, we have a dual currency system designed for progression and in-game strategy. Yggdrasil drops focus on long-term progression, allowing for character enhancement. Coins are vital for in-run modifications, like weapon adjustments or purchasing Ability Cores.

What engine is running behind Vilde? Graphically and environmentally, it looks beautiful, how much details and effort do you put into it?

Ibrahim: We used the Unreal Engine 5 for ‘Vilde’. This lets us show detailed and beautiful scenes, from old runes to pretty landscapes. Our team worked hard to make everything look and feel right.

Can you talk about procedurally generated levels in Vilde; how will the levels shape, what will players be able to find in them, how randomized will enemies be and how will one level function in general?

Ibrahim: In Vilde, levels change every time you play. We have many designed areas that get mixed up to create new challenges. You’ll see familiar places, but they’ll be different each time. Also, where and which enemies show up changes, so it’s always a surprise.

What kind of weapons will players be able to find in the game? Where did you get the idea to combine modern weapons and mythological abilities?

Ibrahim: Players will find both modern guns and special ones inspired by Norse legends. For example, we have powerful railguns and even an AK, but with a twist. We wanted to give players something they recognize but in a new and fun way.

Finally, what can we expect from Vilde in the future? Any new updates or insights you’d like to share or something we don’t know about the game yet?

Ismail: Ismail: As we move forward, we’re gearing up to release a gameplay trailer for ‘Vilde’ later this year. On top of that, we’re rolling out a beta test phase. It’s a chance for players to dive in early, experience Vilde, and offer feedback that could shape its final form. Interested? You can sign up for the beta here. We truly value player insights, and this is your ticket to be part of our development journey.