We’re always interested in shiny new indie projects. Today we had the pleasure of interviewing Baptiste and Hugo from OpiaGames, talking about a fascinating new title that we can’t wait to try.
It’s kind of a ritual at this point — we always start with this question. How did this project begin?
B: Everything started in October 2020 when Hugo reached out to me, telling me he had a super cool idea. At first, I didn’t really understand the concept of a sword jumping around, but the project was way too badass to decline. We also have great work chemistry, and I had always wanted to work on a larger project. I didn’t hesitate much when I was asked, even though I was honestly sure of nothing.
H: The original idea was to create a project with a new way of moving and platforming while being a sword. The idea of using such a common video game object was intriguing, and reworking its purpose in an unusual way felt like something that just had to be done at some point.
Super! Let’s talk about The Lone Blade.
The Lone Blade is basically a 3D platformer. You’re a guy in a sword, bound to this uncanny body, meaning that everything you try to do to move around will feel very destabilizing. The game also takes place in a unique world — ruined, yes, but full of history and hints that will be revealed along the way.
Why should people follow this project?
B: Well, The Lone Blade is one of those projects we hope you’ll remember long after you’ve played it. It’s a very unique game — at least we’re trying to make it feel that way.
H: We believe there aren’t many projects comparable to The Lone Blade. It’s a very special experience, whether you like the game or not (yeah, the game is pretty difficult). Following the project as things take shape is quite interesting too.
B: You’re a sword, so yeah, I guess that’s the twist.
H: It’s a sword, yes, but it also has an eye. More seriously, we have very intense orchestral music and want to improve the soundtrack quality before release.
B: The story behind the game’s universe is also fascinating and takes place in an uncanny world that we hope will capture players’ attention.
This concept is definitely interesting! Did you get inspired by other titles?
H: The main mechanics and concept weren’t really inspired by a specific project. We could mention uncanny platformers like Snake Pass or Getting Over It, but there isn’t a single title that inspired the “jumpy-sword” mechanic.
B: Concerning the artistic direction and universe, we were mainly inspired by games like Journey or Shadow of the Colossus. I mean those big indie titles in the sand — you know what I mean.
However, we also diversified our references for architecture, buildings, and ancient civilizations, drawing from Moroccan culture, traditional Middle Eastern architecture, and ancient South American civilizations such as the Inca.
Now something for tech lovers! Tell us more about your pipeline — how are you developing this game?
H: Fun fact: before settling on a specific pipeline, we struggled a lot trying to figure out the best workflow. We tried a few things before deciding on our current one.
We use Plastic Gluon to collaborate on the project. As for development, I have a dedicated scene where I explore new mechanics and scripts. Whenever I need to create something, I go there first to sort things out.
B: For props and environments, 3D models are made in Blender and ZBrush, then textured in Substance Painter. We have a main scene where every prop is first tested before being turned into prefabs. After that, we split our levels into separate scenes.
We work out basic level design, then set up lighting and rendering. It’s not uncommon for us to return later and fix things or completely redo parts we believe don’t work.
Can you explain the main gameplay mechanic? How does the sword move around?
H: Embodying a sword to move around means keeping an eye on your landing angle: the angle on the surface determines how far or how high your next jump will be. The more perpendicular the sword is to a surface, the higher the jump. Conversely, the more parallel it is, the farther the jump.
Your main movement mechanic is divided into three parts (jumping, orienting, and side-spinning), which are only available while airborne.
To get out of the ground — or whatever surface you’re stuck in — you need to jump. From there, you must reorient the sword in the right direction (forward or backward), dash whenever you feel like it, and finally execute a side spin to move sideways or slightly extend your jump.
Tell us something about the artistic direction.
B: First, we come up with cool concepts and ideas. Since we aren’t full-time on this project, we don’t have the time to draw or imagine detailed concept art. Instead, we establish main directions with recurring motifs — like sun symbols, or cubic shapes contrasting with rounder forms in buildings. Things that make sense in the world.
I then create a base asset in Blender, bring it to ZBrush to give it a sense of history or wear, and extract both a low-poly and a high-poly version for Substance Painter.
I was inspired by Lu’s smart hand-painted materials when creating TLB’s material presets. Basically, I have a range of materials that I blend into the models, which saves me a lot of time and allows me to focus more on placing assets in the world rather than creating them from scratch.
After importing the models into Unity and creating prefabs, I place them in scenes where I try to achieve a bit of environmental storytelling: landscapes that feel like they have a past and a story. Setting up everything — from colliders to post-processing and lights — allows me to assemble things in a very precise way.
