2D Art in JOIN US!

I’m Gen, I work on all the 2D illustrations for JOIN US; menus, HUD, icons, scribbles, basically anything that involves pens, ink, or a paintbrush eventually ends up on my very chaotic and unorganized desk.

Steam post image Where the magic happens.

JOIN US is actually the very first video game I’ve ever worked on. Before this, my world was entirely offline. I’ve always worked with real ink and paper, running my own small craft shop, spending weekends at fairs and comic-cons, selling prints and handmade goodies.

In a very digital era, I’ve been pretty stubborn about sticking to traditional tools. My use of technology barely goes beyond scanning my drawings so they can be printed. I don’t even own a graphic tablet. Ironically, that exact stubbornness paired with my total inability to work digitally, is precisely what Join Us was looking for.

Steam post image Some of the UI images. Also the Wolf Haus logo that Gen drew.

From the start, the Wolf Haus team had a strong vision: a game that feels handcrafted, not factory-made. Something with a soul. A game where you can actually feel the presence of the people who worked on it. For that vision, it just made sense that the art itself should be made the same way : on real paper, with real brushes, real ink, and real mistakes.

Steam post image Teachings, perks, buildings, and UI images all share a consistent style.

That mindset shaped the art style of JOIN US. It’s mostly black and gray ink, full of splatters, drips, and imperfect lines. Just like the world of the game, it’s never fully controlled, only guided, nudged, and influenced, while hoping everything doesn’t completely fall apart.

Steam post image Some of the many weapons in the game.

Working outside the digital world comes with its own set of challenges. You can’t back up a piece of paper. There’s no “Save As.” Fixing something usually means adding more ink… or starting over completely because I didn’t know the exact gun model that exists in the game (sorry again, Joe…I didn’t know the difference between a Glock 34 and a 1911).

But working without a safety net also opens the door to things that would never happen in the digital world. There’s no Ctrl+Z, so every line counts. Accidents stay. Happy mistakes become part of the piece. And that unpredictability gives the art a texture and personality that feels alive, just like what we hope the world of JOIN US will be!