THE DEV DIARIES #1 - Inspirations

When creating The Vigilante Diaries, we have drawn inspiration from many different forms of media to create a compelling experience with the aesthetics we envisioned.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, we drew inspiration from narrative RPGs such as The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante, Suzerain or The Pale Beyond. We wanted a story with choices, where the narrative was at the center, and there was a lot of branching and replay value. We were also aiming for a story focused on conflict and that was politically and ethically charged.

As for the vigilante himself, depending on your decisions he can turn out very differently, but within a range of possibilities. There was an article about Captain America that said Republicans would want him to kill Bin Laden, while the democrats would want him to expose the president, and those two sides are the kind of choice we wanted to give our players.

To create the image of our vigilante, we’ve looked at many different characters and stories, but mainly those with mundane superheroes, meaning those that don’t have powers and don’t use unbelievable gadgets. From things like Kick Ass by Mark Millar to Kill Or Be Killed by Brubaker and Phillips, and from classics like The Spirit, The Shadow, to more modern vigilantes like Question or Rorschach from Watchmen.

We have looked at other heroes like Batman or Spiderman too. Because, even though sometimes we forget, they’re also masked vigilantes who beat up people, and technically, that’s against the law. Does that mean that their way of fighting crime and helping those in need is wrong? Well, that’s not for us to judge or decide.

Finally, as for the setting and the general vibe and aesthetic of the game, we’ve also looked at movies and TV shows that represent the different types of vigilantes you can become in the game, such as V for Vendetta or The Punisher, movies from the 70s and 80s set in the United States of the time, such as Taxi Driver, others like Unbreakable, which addresses the plausibility of a superhero existing in the real world.

As you can see, The Vigilante Diaries is a mix of inspirations, but we’re trying to take a realistic approach to the situation and looking at the political and moral implications of it all. What do you think of these inspirations? Are you a fan of any of these works? We encourage you to leave a comment.

If you’re interested in the vigilante and his story, remember to add the game to your Steam wishlist. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2841600/The_Vigilante_Diaries/