2024 was a incredible year for Metroidvania enthusiasts. From AAA blockbusters to indie gems, the genre saw a resurgence with a range of high-quality, award-winning games. Amidst this renaissance, one title that captivated my attention but seemed to fly under the radar was Venture to the Vile. Despite its innovative mechanics and intriguing narrative, it was overshadowed by its contemporaries, leaving many gamers unaware of its unique charm.
Venture to the Vile transports players to the eerie town of Rainybrook, where they must navigate shifting planes and unravel the mysteries of a grotesque corruption known as the Vile. The game stands out for its imaginative world and characters, richly designed environments, and its fresh take on 2D exploration that keeps me hooked from start to finish. Its unique mechanic of plane shifting allows players to move between layers of the environment, adding a delightful twist on the sense of discovery synonymous with traditional Metroidvanias.
After reviewing Venture to the Vile and writing several guides, I reached out to Paul Green, co-founder of Cut to Bits and my main contact at the studio, to discuss the game's development in more detail. With two decades of experience working on acclaimed titles like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the Assassin’s Creed series, and Bioshock Infinite, Paul brought a wealth of knowledge to our conversation. It was a privilege to speak with someone of his calibre, and he offered fascinating insights into the move from AAA to Indie game development, the challenges faced by the team, and their passion for bringing this world to life.
Editor's Note: The full video of this interview is available HERE. This article covers key highlights, but the complete conversation provides additional context and deeper exploration into the making of Venture to the Vile.
Embracing A New Form
We started our conversation by discussing Paul's extensive experience in the AAA games industry. “I met so many friends over 20 years in the industry,” Paul shared. “I always liked working on prototypes, just making little bits and pieces, just things for fun, because I just love making games.” It was during his time in AAA that Paul built the connections that would eventually form the founding team of their studio, Cut to Bits. It was also during this period that the early ideas for Venture to the Vile began to take shape.
“We co-founded the project with myself doing design and narrative, Massao handling production, Najd on art direction, Olaf on audio, and Tommy on tech and architecture,” Paul explained. “The production was mostly done in about one year once we got started. We had people like John Cote helping with level designs, and Dave Wallace, an incredible talent, as our composer.”
Transitioning from a large-scale AAA studio to an indie development setting came with its own set of challenges. The team no longer had the extensive resources or financial stability that a major studio offers. Despite their collective experience, the shift required a significant adaptation.
Learning to Adapt
Paul described how the team embraced a more communal approach to development. “When you’re quite small and you’re starting out, even though I gave everyone their titles and what they were doing, everyone's wearing different hats. We swap hats all the time because everyone gets their hands on the game.”
He went on to highlight the unpredictable nature of game development, no doubt magnified due to a smaller team leading to a shallower pool of information on certain topics. “There are 101 things that you really don’t think about.” Paul said, “You think, ‘Oh, that'd be easy. We’ll just put that in,’ and then it suddenly takes weeks. And then there are times you think, ‘Oh no, this is going to be very difficult,’ and it's actually really easy.”
Unfortunately, Cut to Bits was founded in late 2019, months before the world was gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic. The team faced the unexpected challenge of transitioning to remote work along with their ransition from AAA to indie game development. “Most of us were on site, but just as we got started and decided to open up a studio space and set it all up, COVID hit. Everything got shut down, so we had to take everything back home, and we were all working remotely.”
It Takes A Village
Shouldering these challenges, the team maintained productivity and cohesion. Paul praised his team, saying “Despite the trials and tribulations, we made the timelines work. Everyone was very flexible with their time, and regular meetings kept us connected.”
He also made a point to acknowledge the contributions of the quality control team, which often go unrecognised. “Big shout out to QC, who are often very much overlooked. Our game was very large, and a full playthrough can take up to 20 hours. Jamie and Sheena, our QC team, were absolute heroes.”
In reflecting on the collective effort behind the game, Paul said, “Everyone chipped in. Everyone went above and beyond. It was a collective effort, and seeing the work come together, people took real passion and pride in it.”
Closing Thoughts
I think it is a true testament to Paul and his team that they were able to make such huge changes, and take big risks, at a time when much of the world was in disarray. The fact that they were able to create a game like Venture to the Vile, with the levels of creativity, complexity, and scale that it has, is frankly astounding.
In a funny way, I believe that the Cut to Bits team has something in common with their game’s antagonistic Vile, something very important; the will to survive.
I’d like to thank Paul Green for his generoisty with his time, and urge readers to check out our full eighty minute conversation of the Gamer Social Club YouTube channel.
Venture to the Vile is available on PC (Steam), Xbox One and Series, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch.
