Q&A: Designer Chris Eskins on the Lovecraftian Creatures, Action Horror Elements of NOCT

Lovecraftian creatures attack in Noct, an arcade-style horror video game debuting October 22nd from C3SK and Devolver Digital. For our latest Q&A feature, we recently caught up with the game's designer and developer, Chris Eskins, who discussed creating the nightmarish new world of Noct.

Thanks for taking the time to converse with us today, Chris. For starters, how did you come up with the idea for Noct?

Chris Eskins: Thanks for having me! Noct was originally an experiment which started out as a top-down zombie survival game for my friends and I to play. They recommended I start showing it off outside of our small group, and it kind of just evolved into what it is today. I have always been a fan of Cthulian-style monsters, like Eldritch Horror. So transitioning away from zombies to something bigger seemed like the best design path to take.

Noct was a successful Kickstarter campaign. What was your experience working with the fans to help get this project funded?

Chris Eskins: It was a roller coaster. Running a Kickstarter campaign alone is a full-time job, and then you are also making the game itself. At first it was incredibly difficult to get the word out, but as fans of Noct began to trickle in, they started to spread the word about the game more, which really helped it get out there and ultimately resulted in it being funded.

Do you have any favorite video games that influenced the look and functionality of Noct?

Chris Eskins: There are a few, but one of the most predominant for me was Hotline Miami. The controls and close quarters combat in that game really inspired me to take on a top-down approach.

While creating the horror elements of Noct, were you inspired by any books, comics, or movies from the horror and sci-fi genres?

Chris Eskins: The Mist and The Thing are two of my favorites. Then close behind are cult classic Lovecraftian horror films like In the Mouth of Madness, mostly for the monster tunnel chase sequence. I like when you can kind of make out the creature/thing/monster that is after the protagonist, but not quite because it's shrouded or distorted from view, so our own imaginations need to fill in the gaps.

Noct takes place in a world overrun by a powerful evil known as Nocturnal. What can you tease to readers about the enemies they will face in this game?

Chris Eskins: The Noct, or Nocturnal, is really more of the environment vs. the monsters that dwell within it. The enemies are just the inhabitants of this new atmosphere which has swept over the earth. Players can expect to face many different enemies including their own kind, however, the creatures that dwell within Noct always have the last say, heh. Players are merely trying to survive and understand what happened to our existence, and how it was replaced with such a cold, dark and hostile environment.

What can gamers expect to experience from the multiplayer aspects of Noct, which allow for both teamwork and betrayal?

Chris Eskins: Players will be pleasantly surprised at how different Noct is from your usual multiplayer survival horror game. Due to the enemies, and the fact that death of survivors is part of the overall experience, teamwork is definitely encouraged vs. betraying your fellow survivors. I still wanted to give survivors the freedom of choice though, and all the monstrous consequences that go along with it.

Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck co-created Noct’s atmospheric score, which perfectly compliments the game’s wasteland setting. What made Finck the best fit to score the game and how did you get him involved?

Chris Eskins: Robin and Wordclock have done an excellent job creating Noct's super creepy, dark ambient vibe. Robin and I met through Devolver Digital's Mike Wilson. I have been a longtime fan of NIN since like... forever, so when Wordclock and I heard that this could be a possibility, we knew his wheelhouse would be a perfect fit for the game.

When you look back at creating Noct, what are you the most proud of?

Chris Eskins: Out of everything, I am most proud of the atmosphere we have created. Great horror needs to have an amazing atmosphere, and we really nailed it with Noct.

Noct seems like a great starting point for future stories in this universe. Do you have any plans for a sequel? If so, what would you like to explore?

Chris Eskins: While my focus is completely on Noct for the foreseeable future... not gonna lie, I have entertained the thought of a sequel to Noct. The contents of that sequel would probably be from a different perspective entirely, to further the story.

With Noct due out on PC, Mac, and Linux on October 22nd, what projects do you have on deck that you can tease for our readers, and where can they find you on social media?

Chris Eskins: Everyone will just have to wait and see what comes next! You can find me on twitter @c3sk or follow the game @Noctgame