Uncovering the Depth of Human Experience through Interactive Storytelling

Roman Alkan's journey in game development began at the age of 18, transforming from a hobby to a career upon realizing the potential for financial gain. Today, she leads indie game studio Larky Labs and has been recognized as part of the Ensemble cohort, an exhibition highlighting underrepresented ethnicities in the UK games industry. Alkan shared her story and passion for creating games that delve into complex characters and moral ambiguities during an interview at the Ensemble photoshoot. Initially, Alkan developed dress-up games for girls, later launching Rinmaru Games, a platform for online play. This success prompted her to pursue more substantial story-driven games. "I started creating visual novels on my website and, seeing how much people enjoyed them, decided to create a larger, more serious story game," she explains. Her first commercial game, Cardinal Cross, released on Steam in 2017, received positive reviews, solidifying her focus on interactive story games primarily aimed at women. In 2020, Alkan relocated from Turkey to the UK, establishing Larky Labs and beginning work on Glam Pursuit, a game that builds upon her experience with narrative titles and explores morality and complex character personalities. When asked about her motivation, Alkan reflects, "I'm exploring myself, my feelings about life and politics. Cardinal Cross, set in a sci-fi, cyberpunk world, was written during a difficult time in Turkey and my personal life. I had to express those emotions somewhere." The majority of big-budget games still focus on power fantasies, rarely offering complex character explorations or morally grey issues. Alkan hopes to balance entertainment with deeper, more complex storytelling in her work. "Power fantasies are enjoyable, but there's a balance to be found. We can focus on artwork, feelings, and personalities while entertaining players," she says. Alkan aims to create main characters that are flawed and relatable, rather than perfect heroes. However, she acknowledges the risk, as players must still engage with these characters. "It's okay to push boundaries," she asserts. As the conversation concludes, Alkan encourages studios to explore different character types, especially antagonists. "Start with the person and understand what drives them towards certain actions. Focusing on this can help write more complex characters and villains," she advises.