Heya! Rinshi here with another interview for all of our lovely readers. This time I interviewed the crew over at SugarScript Studios, the amazing team who put together Cute Demon Crashers!, which I reviewed a few months ago (you can read that review here). I’m pleased to say that the game is now finished, with all of the characters’ routes available to play! You can download the game here.
All right, then! On to the interview!
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us!
Sugarscript: Thank you for having us!
What was the inspiration behind making this game?
SS:We talked about how we noticed there was a lack of erotica that we’d personally like to see: cute, vanilla, and sex-positive content. A lot of porn/eroge is usually… not easy to get into, nor aimed for women. We thought it’d be nice to have an easy introduction to eroge that felt safe, welcoming, and with respectful lovers. So we discussed the idea of making a sex-positive visual novel where the player had control over what was happening, and could stop the sex scene at anytime without having to skip or quit the game.
We basically created what we’d like to see in 18+ visual novels- scenes that show sex can be fun, relaxing, sweet, and even a little awkward or silly.
What challenges has your team encountered in the creation process?
SS: Availability was kinda tricky. Being a team spread through the all sides of the planet meant we had only a bit of time that overlapped with everyone else, and still had to balance that with our everyday lives. It all worked out in the end, though :’D
What has been your favorite part of the creation process for this game?
SS: Working together with everybody! All of the team members are incredibly talented, so sharing what each of us was doing at the time with the rest of the team was great. We all encouraged, praised and thanked each other for our hard work; it was great.
How did you assemble your team?
SS: The writer/artist team posted they were looking for team members, and people responded.
Was this your first time working on an erotic visual novel?
SS: Yes, and not many members play erotic visual novels either, so it was *very* new to us in general.
Tell us a bit about what went into creating the game’s colorful cast of characters, and are there any real-life figures that helped to inspire them?
SS: We started off with four key sex experiences we wanted to show—“awkward first time”, “experienced lover”, “BDSM introduction” and “relaxing (and very pampered) session”. Then we fleshed out the characters according to their role in the game, while adding our own biases into it (i.e. loving books, tea, or someone helping you with the chores since we can all appreciate that!). We didn’t base them on any real-life figures, but we did incorporate personal experiences. The writer also adores Makoto from Free!, so she wanted to channel some of his boyfriend material vibes into Kael. 😉
What do you most hope that players will get out of the game?
SS: Hopefully warm, fuzzy feelings. We definitely weren’t aiming for a sexy titillating game! And, more importantly, a demonstration of what consent looks like. We received some very touching messages from people that playing this game eased their insecurities surrounding sex, and we’re glad some found this game helpful, or even educational.
Is there a particular character that is considered the “favorite” of the team? Or a particular character’s storyline that you all enjoyed working on the most?
SS: We love them all for different reasons, although we have a soft spot for Mirari. She’s a very sweet and supportive character.
In your FAQ you say that making another game after this is unlikely, but that you have some ideas if it were to happen. If you do someday bring the team together for another game, would it be something similar to Cute Demon Crashers! wherein consent is emphasised? In other words, is consent a theme you would like to continue with?
SS: We’d likely step away from sex-focused games completely. Cute Demon Crashers was a unique one-time thing, from this team at least. (It was the team’s first attempt at an eroge game, so we feel… under qualified to continue with the genre.) So we hope other developers can carry on the theme of consent and sex-positivity in future eroges.
Personally I found Cute Demon Crashers! to be a great introduction to erotic visual novels. Do you have any recommendations of other games for fans who enjoyed your game and would like to explore the world of erotic visual novels further?
SS: Most team members aren’t familiar with eroge games so we wouldn’t know where to start. However, we recommend Coming Out On Top. The sex scenes are optional, consensual and hilarious!
Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?
SS: That we hope Cute Demon Crashers won’t be the only game like this! We look forward to seeing more adorable, sex-positive and consent-friendly games for women in the future.
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us and our fans!
SS: Thanks so much for having us!
Real Women of Gaming 