{"id":15280,"date":"2026-07-24T03:05:04","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T22:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=15280"},"modified":"2026-07-24T03:05:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T22:05:04","slug":"aftertaste-unrealtor-sisyphuss-worst-day-devs-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=15280","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Aftertaste&#8217;, &#8216;Unrealtor&#8217; &#038; &#8216;Sisyphus&#8217;s Worst Day&#8217; Devs: Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tFor 10 years, the <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/usc\/\" id=\"auto-tag_usc\" data-tag=\"usc\">USC<\/a> Games Expo has quietly served as one of the industry\u2019s premier launchpads for emerging indie game developers. Long before games like <em>Journey<\/em>, <em>What Remains of Edith Finch<\/em> and <em>Threes!<\/em> earned critical acclaim and reshaped conversations around interactive storytelling, their creators walked the halls of USC\u2019s School of Cinematic Arts\u2019 Interactive Media &amp; Games Division, experimenting with ideas that would eventually influence the medium.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tThis year\u2019s annual showcase offered a similar view into what could be next.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tHeld each spring, the USC Games Expo exhibits a variety of student work where visitors can play everything from digital and tabletop games to themed entertainment installations, while the student creative directors watch real players interacting with their creations for the first time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t\u201cIn layman\u2019s terms, the USC Games Expo is the largest academic games showcase in the world,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/jim-huntley\/\" id=\"auto-tag_jim-huntley\" data-tag=\"jim-huntley\">Jim Huntley<\/a> told Deadline after this year\u2019s event, which took place in May. Huntley serves as an associate professor of Interactive Media &amp; Games and head of marketing for USC Games. \u201cWe\u2019ve been doing it for a little over 10 years now, and it\u2019s been getting bigger and bigger each time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tThe event isn\u2019t limited exclusively to students within USC Games. Any currently enrolled USC student who has created a game can submit their project for consideration, making the Expo a broad celebration of interactive storytelling across the university. But the centerpiece remains the Advanced Games Project (AGP), the program\u2019s capstone course, where multidisciplinary teams spend three semesters building an original game from concept to playable demo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s the final expression of all the stuff that they\u2019ve learned throughout their time learning with us,\u201d Huntley explained. Students spend roughly 18 months moving from an initial pitch to a finished project, working as small studios of around 30 collaborators before unveiling their games to the public at the Expo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tThat extended development period, Huntley said, has become increasingly important. USC Games recently added a semester devoted to pre-production, giving students more time to refine ideas before full production begins. \u201cWe value pre-production so much,\u201d he added, allowing teams to better understand what they\u2019re making before the larger production effort starts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tThat emphasis on preparation mirrors how the program progresses alongside an industry in constant motion. Huntley explained that USC regularly consults with outside studios and publishers to understand what graduates will need once they enter the workforce, while being vigilant not to chase every passing trend. Instead, the goal is to distinguish between short-lived industry buzz and lasting shifts worth incorporating into the curriculum.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tArtificial Intelligence is one example. Rather than teaching students to rely on AI-generated work, Huntley said the program focuses on the foundational creative and technical skills first, treating AI as a tool instead of a substitute for their game development.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t\u201cWe do want to make sure that the students know how to script and code and write and design by hand, so that they\u2019re not relying on the tool as a crutch,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s awesome to see the raw creativity that our students bring to bear. [The program is very] blue sky: what do you want to make? This is where they can make that dream happen, and it\u2019s fun seeing what kind of dreams they have.\u201d And this year\u2019s showcase reflects exactly that spirit. Here with Deadline, three creative directors that preside over <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/aftertaste\/\" id=\"auto-tag_aftertaste\" data-tag=\"aftertaste\">Aftertaste<\/a>, Sisyphus\u2019s Worst Day (Again) and <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/unrealtor\/\" id=\"auto-tag_unrealtor\" data-tag=\"unrealtor\">Unrealtor<\/a> talk about being emerging developers that embrace quirky narratives, inventive puzzle designs and liminal worlds that reward curiosity.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading larva \/\/   pmc-u-font-family-eksell lrv-u-font-size-28   \">\n\t\t<em>Aftertaste<\/em>, Creative Director \t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure   aligncenter size-large aligncenter lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:100%; max-width:1024px;\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \">\n<div class=\"lrv-a-crop-16x9\" style=\"padding-bottom:calc((552\/1024)*100%);\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-deadline-2019\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.jpg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?w=300\" alt=\"Aftertaste game USC Games Expo\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png 3447w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=150,81 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=300,162 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=1024,552 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=1536,828 1536w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=2048,1105 2048w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=185,100 185w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=60,32 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=352,190 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=110,59 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=285,154 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=320,173 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=640,345 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=800,431 800w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.50.03-AM-1.png?resize=1280,690 1280w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\" height=\"552\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-font-size-12 lrv-u-padding-tb-025\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\" lrv-u-font-size-16 lrv-u-font-size-14@mobile-max lrv-a-font-body-m u-font-style-italic lrv-u-font-weight-bold lrv-u-font-family-primary u-line-height-20 u-letter-spacing-0 u-line-height-18@mobile-max\">\u2018Aftertaste\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\" lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase lrv-u-color-grey lrv-u-font-size-10 lrv-a-font-basic-xxs lrv-u-margin-l-025\">USC Games<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>Name:<\/strong> Baozee<br \/><strong>Age:<\/strong> 22<br \/><strong>Hometown: <\/strong>Hefei, China<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/4440750\/Aftertaste\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Aftertaste<\/em> <\/a>is a surreal narrative platformer that follows Tammy, a sentient tongue, exploring the body of an overworked chef who has lost her passion for cooking. Inspired by Chinese medicine, creator Baozee transforms the body\u2019s organs into emotional landscapes, blending quirky visuals with a heartfelt story about burnout, healing and rediscovering creativity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong><strong><em> What is Aftertaste?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> <em>Aftertaste<\/em> is a 2D side-scrolling platformer where you play as a tongue named Tami. Tami is helping an overworked chef named Keh, who has experienced burnout and lost her sense of taste. So, her [anthropomorphic] tongue goes inside her body to explore the reason behind that. It\u2019s a story about recovering her sense of taste and reclaiming her memories and lost passion. It\u2019s a narrative adventure game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>When I watched the gameplay trailer, I thought, \u201cWhat a unique idea for a game,\u201d but then I also thought. \u201cOh my god, this is making me squeamish.\u201d How did you come up with the idea of making the main character a tongue?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> It started last year when I was learning about Chinese medicine while taking a stress management class. We talked a lot about how emotions relate to sensations like taste. In Chinese medicine, different tastes relate to different emotions and different organs. That became a huge inspiration for my game. We also always forget about our tongue. It\u2019s one of the most amazing muscles in the human body, so I thought, \u201cWhy not make a game about it?\u201d That\u2019s when I came up with the story for <em>Aftertaste<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>Were you worried about how people would react to a tongue walking around?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> Yeah. During the AGP program at USC Games, when I got my first round of feedback, a lot of people didn\u2019t enjoy it. They didn\u2019t think it was very appealing because they couldn\u2019t picture what it would look like. But other people liked it because it was a combination of weird and cute.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What was it like receiving that kind of feedback? Was it your first time getting direct responses to something you created?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> Yeah, it was my first time, especially receiving feedback from professionals and from a wide range of people at the school and from different industries. During our second round, we had to present the game to all of them. It was a big step for me. The director of <em>Sisyphus\u2019s Worst Day (Again) <\/em>and I were the only sophomore students leading projects, so it was challenging, but we learned a lot from it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What was the most challenging part of putting the game together?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> Recruitment. Our team consisted of students from different schools across USC, and some of them didn\u2019t have experience making games. In a professional studio, people are paid to work on a project. At school, each team has around 50 to 60 people, so it was hard to connect with everyone and figure out whether they genuinely enjoyed the game or were just there to earn class credit. That was the biggest challenge. So, I trusted my friends a lot. The design lead was my roommate, and the art director was a very good friend of mine. I trusted them, and I think friendship, love and care can build beautiful things.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What was the most rewarding part of sticking to your guns and making the game?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> Seeing the trailer come out and seeing everyone at the Expo cheering for the work we\u2019d done. We also really appreciated that we created such a cute and beautiful character. We made a lot of merchandise. That was one of the biggest gifts from my team and from the game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What games or films inspired Aftertaste?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> Definitely <em>Super Mario Odyssey<\/em>. It\u2019s a game about transformation, different abilities and tactile interactions, and <em>Aftertaste<\/em> fits within that genre. I\u2019d also say the movie <em>Inside Out<\/em> because of the way it personifies organs and emotions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What games have inspired you personally?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> <em>What Remains of Edith Finch<\/em>. It was also made by a former USC Games student. We don\u2019t usually see games with such deep and serious themes. That was the game that inspired me to study game development in college.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>Finally, what\u2019s your dream job after graduation?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>BAOZEE:<\/strong> I\u2019d like to be a freelance game developer. I have a lot of hobbies, and I\u2019m also learning anatomy, but I\u2019ve always wanted to make games, especially a good indie game with a small team.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading larva \/\/   pmc-u-font-family-eksell lrv-u-font-size-28   \">\n\t\t<em>Sisyphus\u2019s Worst Day (Again)<\/em>, Creative Director\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure   aligncenter size-large aligncenter lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:100%; max-width:1024px;\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \">\n<div class=\"lrv-a-crop-16x9\" style=\"padding-bottom:calc((572\/1024)*100%);\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-deadline-2019\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.jpg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?w=300\" alt=\"Sisyphus's Worst Day Again game USC Games Expo\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png 3447w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=1024,572 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=1536,858 1536w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=2048,1144 2048w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=179,100 179w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=660,370 660w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=1280,715 1280w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=1000,563 1000w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=910,511 910w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=681,383 681w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=450,253 450w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=250,140 250w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=380,212 380w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=296,166 296w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=248,139 248w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=200,112 200w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=270,152 270w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=60,34 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=352,197 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=110,61 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=285,159 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=320,179 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=640,358 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.56.37-AM.png?resize=800,447 800w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\" height=\"572\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-font-size-12 lrv-u-padding-tb-025\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\" lrv-u-font-size-16 lrv-u-font-size-14@mobile-max lrv-a-font-body-m u-font-style-italic lrv-u-font-weight-bold lrv-u-font-family-primary u-line-height-20 u-letter-spacing-0 u-line-height-18@mobile-max\">\u2018Sisyphus\u2019s Worst Day (Again)\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\" lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase lrv-u-color-grey lrv-u-font-size-10 lrv-a-font-basic-xxs lrv-u-margin-l-025\">USC Games<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>Name: <\/strong>Jason Lin<br \/><strong>Age:<\/strong> 21<br \/><strong>Home Country: <\/strong>Taiwan<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tWhat began as Jason Lin\u2019s fascination with loops evolved into a clever reimagining of Greek mythology. <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/4700250\/Sisyphuss_Worst_Day_again\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sisyphus\u2019s Worst Day Ever<\/a><\/em> is a 3D puzzle game that challenges players to engineer elaborate contraptions to keep Sisyphus trapped in an endless cycle, blending dark humor, inventive puzzle design, and a playful twist on an age-old tale.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>Why Sisyphus? His story seems perfect for a game, but how did you land on that idea?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>LIN:<\/strong> I initially wanted to make a game about loops or cycles. I started exploring mechanics where players would reverse-engineer AI by preventing it from reaching its goal. But I realized that premise wasn\u2019t very interesting on its own. I wanted a narrative that players would connect with, so I turned to Greek mythology, which I\u2019ve always been interested in. The myth of Sisyphus fit perfectly, so I created my own interpretation of it to serve the game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What was the most challenging part of making the game?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>LIN:<\/strong> In the beginning, we had to design the game while also leading a large team that didn\u2019t really know what the game was until we built the first demo. Our design lead had to create levels while believing they would eventually work, and at the same time assign work to teammates even though none of us knew for certain how everything would come together. That challenge extended across the whole team. Everyone had to believe in the vision before they could fully see it. Building that confidence was probably the hardest part.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What was the most rewarding part of making the game?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>LIN:<\/strong> Seeing people play it. The first time we really believed the game was fun was after we built our demo last December. Watching play-testers solve the puzzles and hearing them say, \u201cOh my God, these puzzles are really interesting,\u201d was incredibly rewarding. Showcasing the game at the USC Games Expo was also another highlight. We finally got to show the game to the public, watch people interact with it, and hear their reactions. We also had a lot of fun making merchandise and creating an experience around the game. The atmosphere at the Expo was great.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What games have inspired this?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>LIN:<\/strong> There are two main inspirations. From a narrative perspective, <em>Hades<\/em> and <em>Hades II<\/em> were major influences. They blend ancient Greek mythology with a modern game genre, and we took inspiration from their art style, including the axonometric perspective and character design. From a gameplay perspective, we looked at traditional Sokoban-style puzzle games. We also drew inspiration from <em>Order of the Sinking Star<\/em>. Its puzzle design and visual style were very close to what we wanted to create.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading larva \/\/   pmc-u-font-family-eksell lrv-u-font-size-28   \">\n\t\t<em>Unrealtor<\/em>, Creative Director\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure   aligncenter size-large aligncenter lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:100%; max-width:1024px;\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \">\n<div class=\"lrv-a-crop-16x9\" style=\"padding-bottom:calc((612\/1024)*100%);\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-deadline-2019\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.jpg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?w=300\" alt=\"Sisyphus's Worst Day Again game USC Games Expo\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png 3436w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=150,90 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=300,179 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=1024,612 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=1536,918 1536w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=2048,1224 2048w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=167,100 167w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=60,36 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=352,210 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=110,66 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=285,170 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=320,191 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=640,382 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=800,478 800w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-9.09.51-AM.png?resize=1280,765 1280w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\" height=\"612\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-font-size-12 lrv-u-padding-tb-025\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\" lrv-u-font-size-16 lrv-u-font-size-14@mobile-max lrv-a-font-body-m u-font-style-italic lrv-u-font-weight-bold lrv-u-font-family-primary u-line-height-20 u-letter-spacing-0 u-line-height-18@mobile-max\">\u2018Unrealtor\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\" lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase lrv-u-color-grey lrv-u-font-size-10 lrv-a-font-basic-xxs lrv-u-margin-l-025\">USC Games<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>Name: <\/strong>Ariel Sol<br \/><strong>Age:<\/strong> 25<br \/><strong>Hometown: <\/strong>Chicago<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\tInspired by Ariel Sol\u2019s frustrations with apartment hunting in Los Angeles, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/4420050\/The_Unrealtor\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Unrealtor<\/a><\/em> transforms an ordinary house tour into a surreal co-op puzzle adventure. Players navigate impossible architecture and perspective-bending puzzles as reality twists around them. Drawing inspiration from <em>Superliminal<\/em>, Sol blends optical illusions with an uncanny, dreamlike atmosphere that turns a familiar experience into an inventive mystery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <em><strong>This is a trippy game. How would you explain it? <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>SOL:<\/strong> <em>Unrealtor<\/em> is a local co-op game where two people play together on the couch. You and a friend are touring an apartment you\u2019re thinking about renting, but the house tour turns into a surreal labyrinth, and you have to escape while the landlord keeps trying to sell it to you. It\u2019s a puzzle game, and our main mechanic relies on perspective. You look at objects from certain angles to create a 2D image across the split screen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>How long were you at USC, and how long did it take to make the game?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>SOL:<\/strong> The master\u2019s program is two years, and the development cycle for <em>Unrealtor<\/em> was one year through the Advanced Games Project. Projects are greenlit in the fall, and from then until the next USC Games Expo, it\u2019s all ideation and development.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>How did the idea come together?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>SOL:<\/strong> There were two starting points. The first was the mechanic. I was really interested in optical illusions and the relationship between 3D and 2D space. But I also wanted a narrative because I think a game without a story is more like a toy. At the same time, I was moving around Los Angeles and thinking about all the truly terrible apartments I\u2019d toured. I\u2019d ask, while seeing these small places, like, \u201cWhere do I even fit a bed?\u201d and someone would tell me, \u201cJust put it diagonally.\u201d Without the real-life stress, apartment hunting almost becomes a game just trying to figure out the layout. That\u2019s when I realized those ideas could fit together.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong><strong><em> What was the biggest challenge?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>SOL:<\/strong> Interdisciplinary communication. I\u2019m really proud of my team because I brought them an idea that was already difficult for me to explain. If it\u2019s difficult for the director, it\u2019s even harder to communicate to everyone else. The biggest challenge was combining design and art. Normally, designers figure out the mechanics and artists make them look great. But because our core mechanic relied on visual alignment in a 3D space, art had to be involved in the design process, and designers had to weigh in on the visuals. It took time to figure out that communication pipeline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>How did you solve that?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>SOL:<\/strong> At first, we held separate meetings with the designers and artists. Eventually, it became much easier to bring everyone together in one room and ask, \u201cWhat do you need from each other?\u201d That streamlined the whole process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What was the most rewarding part of making Unrealtor?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>SOL:<\/strong> Playtesting. Especially with a puzzle game, there\u2019s nothing better than watching someone have that \u201caha\u201d moment when they suddenly understand what they\u2019re supposed to do. When you\u2019re designing the puzzles, you already know the solutions, so you\u2019re estimating where that realization will happen. Seeing players actually reach that moment is incredibly satisfying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>DEADLINE:<\/strong> <strong><em>What games inspired Unrealtor, or inspire you as a developer?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto     \">\n\t<strong>SOL:<\/strong> <em>Superliminal<\/em> was probably our biggest reference because it also uses unconventional puzzle mechanics. We also looked at <em>Blueprints<\/em> and <em>Monument Valley<\/em>. Personally, the game that really changed how I think about games was <em>Journey<\/em>. It made me realize games could be art. It\u2019s such a clean, experiential game with a beautiful story arc, and that\u2019s something I\u2019ve carried with me ever since.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For 10 years, the USC Games Expo has quietly served as one of the industry\u2019s premier launchpads for emerging indie game developers. Long before games like Journey, What Remains of Edith Finch and Threes! earned critical acclaim and reshaped conversations around interactive storytelling, their creators walked the halls of USC\u2019s School of Cinematic Arts\u2019 Interactive&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.13.48-AM.png?w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15280"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15280\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}