NIGHTMARE OPERATOR Developer Nolan Joseph on the Clutch System and Low-Poly Horror
NIGHTMARE OPERATOR won Best Game Design at BitSummit PUNCH by grafting fighting game command inputs onto a TPS horror shooter, a hybrid that sources say was evaluated highly for its originality.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer.
At BitSummit PUNCH, held May 22-24 at Kyoto's Miyako Messe, developer Nolan Joseph of DDDistortion discussed his TPS action horror game NIGHTMARE OPERATOR. The game features a system called Clutch, which lets players switch weapon modules by inputting fighting game command sequences. Joseph said he created the system to introduce more people to the appeal of fighting game command inputs. The Clutch also functions as a reload action, inspired by manual transmission driving. The game uses low-polygon graphics to reduce on-screen information and guide players naturally, a style Joseph said is influenced by early PlayStation-era horror titles like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. The setting is a devastated Tokyo overrun by yokai and ghosts, which Joseph chose because he has only lived and worked in Japan since 2018. The demo stage is set in Nakano Broadway. NIGHTMARE OPERATOR won the Best Game Design award at BitSummit PUNCH. Joseph said he wants players who enjoy the game to try fighting games like Guilty Gear -Strive-.
Joseph said he started working in Japan in 2018 and previously worked at an e-sports company doing web development. He proposed game development to the company president, got approval, and built a demo of NIGHTMARE OPERATOR with three other developers in about a year. The team has since grown to nine people.
The Clutch system name comes from manual transmission cars. Joseph said he finds the reload action in most shooters boring and wanted to eliminate waiting time. The Clutch functions as both a weapon module switch and a reload. It can also be used during attack or dodge animations to eliminate command input gaps. Joseph said he intentionally does not want the Clutch to be essential, comparing it to fighting games where players can choose charge characters or grapplers instead of relying on complex inputs.
For the low-polygon style, Joseph said the biggest reason was to avoid interfering with gameplay. He cited older games like the original Silent Hill and Resident Evil, where limited graphics clearly guided the player. He also mentioned the indie game SIGNALIS as a fellow low-poly title he admires. Development started about four years ago, before the recent low-poly horror boom. Joseph said seeing the boom made him feel "I'm late to release!"
The HEAT gauge system for ammunition came from player feedback at earlier exhibitions. Joseph said at the first exhibition some players panicked and could not think about the Clutch, so he changed the ammo system to the current gauge. Using the Clutch reduces the gauge, creating synergy between shooting and command inputs.
Joseph said he wants to release more information about the story and organizations in the game. The terrorist group "Twilight Blade" worships yokai and supports them. Stronger enemies are based on well-known yokai like Kuchisake-onna and Inugami, while minor enemies are original designs.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.