By James Dominic Flores
Contributor
Name a Filipino video game character. How are you able to tell that he/she is a Filipino? Is it because the game said so, or do their characteristics and backstories properly represent the culture?
Take for instance Josie Rizal, a character in Tekken 7. Josie has attracted a strong following for her cheerful and cute demeanor, outside her Filipino themed costume and her name, there is nothing elseabout her that’s Filipino.
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The same goes for Neon, an agent in the popular shooter Valorant, Though she carries a Filipino name (Tala Nicole Dimaapi Valdez), says a few Filipino words in-game, has a traditional Filipina’s complexion, nothing really screams “Pinoy” about her.
If one would change Neon or Josie’s name and/or character background, nothing about them would even suggest that they are Filipino to begin with.
Enter Bayani and Good Knight
Filipino game developers have now taken upon the challenge to create and represent the rich Filipino culture in the digital space. Ranida Games, started to develop “Bayani: Kanino Ka Kakampi!?”, an alternate universe version of Filipino history showcasing characters inspired by notable heroes and persons duking it out for supremacy.
“The concept was born from a controversial social media post asking why Apolinario Mabini never got up from his chair in the movie Heneral Luna.” Said Robert Cruz, Game Director at Ranida Games.
Because of this the developers of the game were inspired to create an enjoyable game to play and can serve as a sparkplug of interest for our history.
Just like Ranida Games, a group of Baguio-based game developers have come up with a simple yet challenging one-button game called “Good Knight.” Good knight is a game where you are to avoid getting hit by screen-filling projectiles with precision.
Packaged in a way to showcase Filipino mythology and history, it is a love letter not just to the developers’ own interest, but to the Philippines itself.
“We placed as much of our country’s identity to the game, from pre-colonial to post-colonial. Loving the Philippines is not just about loving our country but the world as well, as Spain, Japan and so on has been part of our identity despite the history," Good Knight co-creator Alex Valdez said.
How to take on the big boys?
Bayani and Good Knight have faced many challenges over the past few years. Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, they have tackled a genre of games that are relatively niche compared to what Filipino gamers consider mainstream.
To compete with juggernauts, it is vital for these games to receive community support so that the public can feel that these games are continuously being developed and tweaked shared Cruz.
Financial and manpower issues are also experienced by these developers, “Good Knight is handcrafted and contains so much details. It takes two hours just to make six seconds of Good Knight gameplay.
There is six to eight hours of the game in the hardest difficulty mode alone.” According to Valdez who is considered the all-arounder of a team of six people responsible for creating the entire game.
Despite these challenges, they still press on with their vision “Gaming is an emerging industry all over the world…” Cruz said, “…People have the misconception that people in the gaming industry all just laze around playing all day. However, being in the gaming industry is much like having a regular job… To set yourself apart, you will need to put in the work and have the discipline to push yourself forward.”
Most of all, Filipino Game developers need exposure and support since they are banners that represent our rich culture in the vast world of video games. Products of love, resilience, and determination just like the Filipino people, as Valdez points out, “Filipinos are cool, from our culture, our language, our music to our hardworking fishball vendor, to our teachers, to our neighbors… we are cooler than we think we are!”
Both Ranida Games and Team Good Knight are active in various gaming conventions in the Philippines, and their games; Bayani: Kanino Ka Kakampi!? and Good Knight, are also available through the Steam gaming platform.
About the author: James Dominic Flores is a lecturer at Far Eastern University Manila, specializing in psychology. He is also a competitive gamer specializing in fighting games.
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