Remember when it used to be cool to hate lawyers because they suckled at the teat of Satan every morning for breakfast before going to work on a kitten-drawn cart made entirely of baby skeletons?
Well, times have changed, and it's now the bankers who occupy that particular place in our 'hearts' and minds.
This has led to the, perhaps inevitable, iPhone game Bankers vs. Humans. In Neuchatel's delightfully tongue-in-cheek game, you play as either a banker or a human, who naturally have different views on the Occupy movement, and who find increasingly ridiculous reasons to jump out of aeroplanes and dodge various debris.
Karan Khemani, CEO of Neuchatel, told us more about the game's influences, all the not-so-subtle jabs at both sides of the Occupy movement, and the company's hopes for future development.
Pocket Gamer: Can you give us a brief summary of what Bankers vs. Humans is about, and what your main inspiration was when developing the game?
Karan Khemani: Bankers vs. Humans is a satirical take on the class struggle between the 1 per cent (i.e the Bankers) and the 99 per cent (the Protesters).
Our inspiration came from the public's interest in, and its heightened sensitivity to, the Wall Street scandals; whistleblowers; and the worldwide Occupy Wall Street movement.
We're essentially aiming to pick up from where the highly successful apps Bailout Wars and Greedy Bankers vs the World left off, combining addictive gameplay with the charm and usability of the industry benchmark: Angry Birds.
What do you think is the best tactic to succeed in your game?
Stock up on Golden Parachutes and navigate through Bailouts and Loopholes. These will keep you alive in the face of swathes of dangerous obstacles. So, kinda like in real life - when you've you got the SEC / cops after you - those are the only things that can keep you afloat.
And regarding getting struck by lightning - don't worry: there's a neat trick to avoid it.
Have you specially tailored the gameplay for iOS devices?
Yes, 100 per cent.
The accelerometer technology in the iPhone, along with the Retina displays on the newer generations of iOS devices, allowed our developer, FuGenX Technologies, to produce a slightly different type of game. Bankers vs. Humans is a fast-paced gamed and requires solid reflexes, for navigation is purely tilt-based.
Who should we be rallying behind in the game: the Bankers or the Humans?
It depends on whom you are more angry at. Real-life bankers will inevitably play as the Slick Banker or Fat Trader.
But, the plotline is unique for each character, and we would recommend playing the game as all four characters just to appreciate all of the game's dry sense of humour / insider jokes.
What do you consider the funniest part in the game, and why?
The game itself is addictive and fast paced, but the cutscenes and plotline are the things that will crack you up. If you want to de-stress for an afternoon, just play the game for the cutscenes.
Which of the four playable characters is your personal favourite?
That's a tough one, but I would say the Hippie just cracks me up. Stuart Sessions, our voice actor, couldn't hold back during the recording studio sessions.
Do you believe that charging 69p for Bankers vs. Humans is a big risk in this economic climate, or do you have faith that a large number of people will download the game to make up for its low price point?
Times are bad now, but they were much worse in 2009 / 2010, remember.
More importantly, considering the effort we have put into the game (professional voice actors, licensed music, a unique take on the tilt-game genre), allied to the fact that we don't abuse the in-app purchase facility at all (you can finish the game without conducting a single in-app purchase), 69p is a price we hope users will pay.
Furthermore, this 69p price point will help generate the necessary cash flows in order to fund the development of Bankers vs. Humans 2 and expand the franchise for our users in the future.
Will we ever see a sequel / update called Bankers vs. Humans: 99% Complete?
100 per cent. Wait, make that 99 per cent.
We hope we get a solid response in terms of number of downloads in the marketplace, along with relatively large members of bankersapp.com. We can, then, roll out a sequel that would include multiplayer and perhaps incorporate various genres (FPS, RTS, MMORPG).
Are there any plans to bring the game to other mobile formats, such as Android or Windows Phone?
At the current growth rates, Android and Windows-based mobile devices will represent close to 64 per cent of the global installed base by 2015.
It depends on how well Bankers vs Humans penetrates the market in the next six months, really - that will dictate the timeline behind our platform rollout strategy for the franchise.
We would like to thank everyone in advance for their support of Bankers vs. Humans, and hope to see them on the Richlist on bankersapp.com soon!
Bankers vs. Humans is available for the iPhone now for 69p / 99c [iTunes link].
I think this is understated. I always like to check out games from independent developers and this one was a gem in the rough! definitely recommending! 4/5!
Joined:
Apr 2012
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mariefredriksson |10:10 - 16 April 2012
Tried it - surprisingly good! definitely ready to recommend to my mates in the City! love the fact that you can pick up and play, and also the graphics are pretty slick too. the best part is the plot line - so funny!
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