The Selfish Snakes team is seeking $250,000 for the development and marketing of the FPS roguelike Hell over Me
We continue our series of publications about games seeking investments or a publisher. Up next is a feature on the St. Petersburg studio Selfish Snakes, which is working on the first-person shooter with roguelike elements, Hell over Me.
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The project was discussed by Daniil Rukosuev, the art director of the project.
Daniil Rukosuev
About the Team
Our team, Selfish Snakes, has existed for about two years and consists solely of young specialists, most of whom work professionally in the gaming industry. Currently, the team comprises nine people. Our lineup is capable of covering all key aspects of game development—from programming to sound.
Initially, the team was formed as part of the master's program at the ITMO School of Game Development. It was then that the concept was thought through and the first prototype of our project was created. However, from the very beginning, we planned to achieve far greater results than just successfully completing a session.
As the project grew, the team expanded. Initially, we were joined by people who were about to enter our field, and we met others at a showcase we attended. Ultimately, it was the efforts of each of us that led to certain successes in our project.
The project is currently sustained by our enthusiasm and the positive feedback we receive from players and industry experts. Apart from various printed materials that we take to conferences, no money has been invested in the project. This is the problem we are trying to solve right now, with one of the main solutions being the release of a full-fledged demo version of the game this fall.
About the Project
Hell over Me is a Roguelike FPS game where players descend dynamically into a futuristic hell. The game's style includes elements of science fiction and biopunk.
The game is set in the distant future, where humanity has reached a high level of technological development, and the world has experienced the apocalypse in its most literal sense. Hell in our game's world is a set of interconnected dimensions, each crafted by a patron to reflect their specific tastes and character. This allows for unique locations on each level, significantly different from one another.
The game is being developed using Unreal Engine 5 and other modern tools. Since our master's program is related to game development, we are actively incorporating findings from our scientific work into the project. For example, our lead programmer Fedor is currently refining a system for generating arenas tailored to specific enemy templates, and even in its unfinished state, the system looks promising. We also use artificial intelligence for animating some enemies—this is already part of the innovations from my research.
Each of us is currently focused on one main goal—the release of the demo version. This checkpoint is crucial as its main aim is to create a complete player experience. In previous versions, we primarily focused on gathering feedback about the developed mechanics and testing our various theories and hypotheses.
Almost all the main systems and mechanics of the game are ready, and we expect to spend another year and a half on development to complete the game, during which we will expand the content.
About Gameplay and Mechanics of the Project
Our game is based on dynamic gameplay, extensive character upgrade options, and a high degree of replayability. Players are given an open location where they can explore the world, fight enemies, and find various enhancements.
One of the key features of our game is the generation of everything: weapons, maps, and even enemies. This allows for unique and diverse gaming situations.
Weapons are globally divided into specific templates (rifle, shotgun, etc.), within which there are modules. The final weapon is assembled from these, and different modules give it different behaviors. For example, a muzzle attachment can determine whether the weapon fires sawblades, rockets, or regular bullets.
The map is created from clusters of islands. Each island is a unique area for exploration or combat. As mentioned, we have also implemented a system where arenas are generated for a specific set of enemies, which will also be unique from arena to arena.
Certain parts of enemies are generated and slightly change their behavior. For instance, the amount of visual armor affects the enemy's speed and health, while different weapons in its hands change its attack set, fitting into a specific enemy template.
Character improvement is achieved by collecting passive boosts that help adapt their arsenal to any situation. Each enhancement is unique and can drastically change the playstyle. From simple stat increases to adding unusual effects to shooting—the choice of enhancements is vast.
Dynamic gameplay is facilitated by a wide range of movement abilities. For example, the character has a jetpack, which allows them to jump and dash. However, the jetpack's charges are limited, so players must carefully monitor their movements.
As the player spends time on the level, a curse accumulates. It changes the world around the player, triggers special events on the level, and empowers the enemies and boss.
About the Target Audience of the Project
Our game is aimed at men aged 16 to 26. We focused on this group because it is the closest to us.
During various gaming events, players of different demographics tested our game, and we were able to capture the attention of our target audience. This is also confirmed by the metrics from our resources.
Games with a similar audience include, for example, Risk of Rain and Roboquest. However, fans of dynamic shooters and roguelikes, in general, will find our game interesting.
About the Project's Business Model
We plan to sell the game through the premium model via direct sales.
We analyzed similar projects and the roguelike market as a whole and expect to sell 100,000 copies of the game. In the worst case, the game will sell 50,000 copies. The price per copy will range from $7 to $15, depending on the region.
We see great potential in the roguelike genre, which is confirmed by market research. The genre is consistently gaining popularity, with indie projects being the main growth driver. Moreover, the roguelike market has a higher forecasted annual growth rate than the industry as a whole.
About Metrics
To successfully launch the game, we need to gather 10,000 wishlists. For this, we will use social networks, particularly TikTok and Reddit.
What We Are Looking For
We are seeking investments of $250,000 for the full cycle of game development and marketing. These funds will allow our team to fully focus on the project for a year and a half. They will also cover expenses for necessary technical tools.
We are open to any investment proposals for our project. We are confident that with sufficient funding, we can create a product that will please and leave a lasting impression on players.
How to Contact Us
You can play the prototype at:
