As some of you might remember, not so long ago we wrote about the Warszawa-based (Poland) indie games studio Movie Games Lunarium (the makers of “Lust for Darkness“) and their upcoming erotic first-person psychological horror game “Lust from Beyond”? (don’t miss out on “Lust from Beyond: Scarlet”! which is the free prologue for “Lust from Beyond”).
I mean, sure. I don’t know about you, but at least I’m very impressed by what I’ve seen so far from the “Lust from Beyond” project. That’s also why I simply couldn’t stop myself from reach out to Movie Games Lunarium for an interview.
Well, guess what? Movie Games Lunarium accepted our interview request! So, long story short. I got a chance to sit down with Michał Ciastoń (head of studio, producer, and game designer of Movie Games Lunarium) and we ended up talking about everything from “Lust from Beyond“, “Lust from Beyond: Scarlet“, lewd game development, horror, to Ciastoń’s thoughts on censorship and Movie Games Lunarium’s plans for the future.
So with that said, please enjoy our “Lust from Beyond” interview with Michał Ciastoń =)
Robin TGG
Straight out of the gates, thank you so much for taking your time to do this interview with us =) And with that said, please go right ahead and introduce yourself to our readers.
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
My pleasure. 😉 I’m Michał Ciastoń, head of studio, producer, and game designer of Movie Games Lunarium. My role, however, is not only managing and invention – I take an active part in the production, creating levels, writing texts, etc.
Robin TGG
Could you perhaps tell us a bit about how the Movie Games Lunarium studio came to be? (when, where, why, and how)
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
Movie Games Lunarium as it is today was established in 2017. Then the core of the current team was united and we decided to join forces with the publisher Movie Games, who provided the necessary financial support. At the same time, we were given full artistic freedom, which is probably apparent in our productions.
Robin TGG
At what point in time did you decide that you wanted to make erotic horror games and why? And is this something that you’ve always wanted to do?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
Erotic horror was not a goal in itself, but the creation of a horror – was. I’ve always been a fan of the genre, both when it comes to games and other branches of pop culture.
When creating my own production, I didn’t want to serve the players the same rehashed thing they’ve already seen many times before. The combination of horror and eroticism turned out to be an interesting approach.
Robin TGG
And that also brings me to the following follow-up question on the same subject. Well, since you just happen to be developing an upcoming erotic horror game called ”Lust from Beyond”, perhaps you could tell us a bit more about what it is that makes the game tick?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
Lust from Beyond is a psychological horror with elements of survival. The game takes place in a diverse setting: from a Victorian mansion, through the city of Bleakmoor, to another dimension – the Land of Ecstasy.
We play the role of an antiquarian Victor Holloway, who is haunted by visions of the aforementioned land. To solve his problem, he goes to Bleakmoor, where his paths intersect with two feuding sects – the Cult of Ecstasy and Scarlet Lodge.
However, you can learn the most about the game…By playing free introductions that show its various aspects. “Lust from Beyond: Prologue” (available now) and “Lust from Beyond: Scarlet” (available on October 15) are stand-alone stories that, apart from providing horror-erotic experiences, are also an ideal way to get to know our universe.
Each of these introductions takes about an hour to complete. Both have unique plots, so the player will not experience spoilers for the full version of the game, and his experience will even be enriched.
Robin TGG
How did you even come up with the game idea for ”Lust from Beyond” in the first place? I mean, there isn’t all that many video games on the market that mixes horror with erotic content (”Agony” is one of the very few games that fall into that category).
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
As I mentioned before, I was looking for something new in the horror genre. And I found it…Leading an RPG session as a game master. I created a being that committed macabre deeds, crossing any barriers of taste, often touching the sexual sphere.
Then I sensed “it” – something that on one-hand created a cringy vibe during the session, but on the other hand, it greatly supported the feeling of anxiety.
Long after that, I explored this theme. When I watched the movie “Eyes Wide Shut”, I felt exactly the tones I wanted. However, it was supposed to be just one of the inspirations, so I added everything I love – the art of Lovecraft, Giger, and Beksiński. This is how our universe was created.
Robin TGG
Just out of pure curiosity, how erotic, violent, and scary will the full version of ”Lust from Beyond” be exactly? And will the game be uncensored on release?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
The game is labeled Adult Only and will be released on Steam uncensored. Eroticism, brutality, and fear are inherent elements of this world and there will be quite a lot of them.
However, we try not to overdo it, taking care of appropriate pacing. Such elements work well only if there is an appropriate dose of calm moments between them. You can check what it looks like in practice by playing our introductory games.
Robin TGG
From what I understand, ”Lust from Beyond” has been inspired by everything from Giger’s creations to H.P. Lovecraft? Well, are there any other sources of inspiration that you could mention? Me, I get quite a lot of ”Dark Seed”, ”Silent Hill”, ”Bioshock” and ”Aliens” vibes from the game).
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
I think this is accurate. A lot of people catch the reference to Slaanesh from the Warhammer universe, which is also correct. Another important inspiration was the works of Zdzisław Beksiński, a Polish painter who I consider to be a visionary.
Robin TGG
I just learned that ”Lust from Beyond” managed to get fully funded via Kickstarter in just 10-hours from its Kickstarter launch. Well, did you ever in your wildest dreams expect that ”Lust from Beyond” would become such a big Kickstarter success? And what thoughts went through your heads once you realized that your game has already been fully-funded in such a short period of time?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
This result is absolutely above expectations. Especially because trust in game developers is declining when it comes to crowdfunding campaigns. The number of empty promises scared the players, and probably rightly so.
It is worth mentioning, however, that the amount collected on Kickstarter allowed us to simply finish the game and supplement it with additional content. The full budget is much larger than the one collected.
The campaign was a great experience, but it also made us aware of a lot of responsibility. We focus on not disappointing players’ expectations. I think we are on the right track.
Robin TGG
Not so long ago you released a free prologue for ”Lust from Beyond”, so, what has the response and feedback been from the players so far?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
Magnificent! The published prologue significantly influenced the popularity of the main title. The players were satisfied and we addressed some of the collected comments in the full game.
I think such a move is a great test of community perception of the game, and the sooner it is made, the more the full game can benefit.
Robin TGG
Could you perhaps give us some reasons why players should be excited about the upcoming release of ”Lust from Beyond”? And do you have a brief idea of how many hours the full release of the game will offer?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
I think that if someone gets the previously mentioned themes and inspirations, this is a good reason to play. I believe immodestly that apart from it, Lust from Beyond will be simply a good adventure, offering a full range of emotions, often extreme. And I guess that’s what it’s all about.
Unfortunately, I can’t give you the full playtime, because it’s a matter that is still worked on. However, I think the players will be pleased.
Robin TGG
What could you tell us about the gameplay itself? Because based on what I’ve seen from the game so far (and it’s Prologue) ”Lust from Beyond” seems to be a mix of both adventure, puzzle, action, horror, and sexual elements.
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
It’s a very good take on what the gameplay is going to be, and honestly, I couldn’t put it any better. 🙂
Robin TGG
Speaking of sex, how much of an impact/role will the game’s sexual content play as a whole? For example, will there be alternative endings based on your sexual actions in the game?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
Sex is an essential part of this production and part of the world represented. So this means that you can expect many scenes of this kind to occur in different contexts.
The important thing is that their presence is not only intended to satisfy the player’s fantasy. You see, this is a kind of psychological play in which we show likable images, but gradually we introduce new elements that can go far beyond the area of comfort.
As for the sex scenes in the context of alternative endings, unfortunately, I can’t say anything at the moment. I don’t want to promise something that may not appear in the game. Better to be nicely surprised than to be disappointed.
Robin TGG
What are your own expectations, hopes, and goals for ”Lust from Beyond”? What do you hope to achieve with the game? And are you happy with what you’ve been able to do with the game so far?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
After finishing the game, I would like the player to feel that he simply played a good production. We do everything to make it a worthwhile in every aspect. From the plot, the visuals and sound, to gameplay.
A lot of players have already noticed it, which can be seen in our great community on Discord, where, for example, there are constant discussions about the game’s lore.
We’re happy with what we’ve done so far and polished the game to give our fans the best experience we can.
Robin TGG
Is it really correct that ”Lust from beyond” is coming to PC on September 24th this year? If so, do you think that there’s a slim chance that we could also get to see a console release sometime in the future?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
I think we already know that this deadline has not been met. 🙂 Lust from Beyond is an ambitious production and we need a little more time for it. As for the consoles – we definitely want to do it, but at the moment we are focusing fully on the PC version.
Robin TGG
What are your thoughts on censorship and cancel culture in the games industry? And what do you think that we could do about it? (gamers, publishers, and game developers)
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
I am not a fan of these types of restrictions, which is probably not surprising. In my opinion, openness to all kinds of experiences and curiosity about the world is a sign of maturity.
Censoring the production is an attack on artistic freedom and a way to support an image of reality where brutal murder is okay, but a woman’s nipple is not.
This is due to the business decisions of specific platforms. Our money is a deciding factor, so if we want to change it, we have to use it to vote for creators going against the tide. Express our aversion to any signs of censorship.
I don’t want it to sound like I’m using this argument as an incentive to buy our production, but that’s just how it is. Games are expensive to produce, so money is an element that shouldn’t be taken lightly if you don’t want to end up broke.
The players decide and ultimately choose what becomes part of the gaming landscape.
Robin TGG
Now, as for my very last question to you. What are your plans, hopes, and expectations for the rest of the year? And is there anything else that you would like to say to our readers?
Michał (Movie Games Lunarium)
Me and my team want to bring Lust from Beyond as close as possible to perfection and, well, breathe deeply, enjoying each of the days ahead. I don’t plan my time months ahead, I value flexibility. In covid times, all plans can be thwarted, so the ability to adjust seems to be extremely valuable now.
Other than that, I’m glad that this situation does not seem to have a negative impact on the gaming industry. This flexibility is something that I would like to wish you and your readers. It may be useful.
Robin “V-Act” Ek
Editor in chief
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround
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Tags: Adult Games, Beyond, Erotic games, First-person, Horror games, Indie games, Lewd, Lust from Beyond, Movie Games Lunarium