Interview: Here Be Monsters iPad

May 1, 2014

Ever since its inception, Here Be Monsters has proven time and time again as the little browser game that could. Starting its run on many PCs around the world and published by Gamesys, Here Be Monsters places thousands of concurrent players in a persistent world ripe with exploration, item plundering and mythical creature capture. Intrigued by a universe where you could do whatever you please at the pace you prefer, I managed to catch up with the executive producer Michael Heywood to chat a little about the game as well as the recent release of Here Be Monsters for iPad…

NGP: So Here Be Monsters focuses on a handful of primary activities such as foraging for rare resources, hunting and trapping monsters. If you’re more of a pacifist or like to know more what the rest of the game has to offer, are there plenty of other alternative activities for players to enjoy?

Michael: “As of now there are about 600 varied quests present within the world of Here Be Monsters. They take form of seasonal episodes set in stylised regions based on real life locations such as London. The tale that is told within each quest heavily involves the player’s avatar and hisher current exploits to create a relative and personal experience while immersed in the game. Each quest is varied based on objective and difficulty, as well as new episodic content releasing regularly so there is definitely something for everyone.”

NGP: Due to the mythical nature of the game, were there any other video games such as crossover titles that inspired the diversity of legendary creatures featured in Here Be Monsters?

Michael: “First off, we took inspiration from a functionality angle as opposed to aesthetically. Our main sources were along the lines of Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, namely the pacing and carefree nature of tending to a town along with its inhabitants. A lot of research thanks to online resources, encyclopedias and the Final Fantasy series helped shape the diversity of the monster designs as well as their integration into Here Be Monster’s lore and universe. It was definitely an interesting part of the design process!”

NGP: As established before, Here Be Monsters begun as a browser game and has now seen an iPad release. Are there any cross-play benefits or incentives to make the jump to the iOS platform?

Michael: “Most certainly! The ease of access and comfort of the tap mechanics makes playing a breeze and will entice the most hardened of Here Be Monsters browser gamers. Progress is carried over so if you want to take a break from staring at the computer monitor, take your game to the couch and tap away on the iPad version!”

NGP: As Here Be Monsters expands onto more than one platform, will we see the game release on other portable devices, like the PlayStation Vita?

Michael: “Unfortunately, there isn’t anything planned for other devices until we ensure that the iPad version is performing at its best. We have a history of releasing our titles on the Android platform, so don’t count the possibility out just yet!”

Here Be Monsters is currently available for download on iPad for free.