{"id":94118,"date":"2025-08-25T07:26:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T07:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/94118\/"},"modified":"2025-08-25T07:26:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T07:26:07","slug":"neyyah-is-a-point-and-click-adventure-that-embraces-nostalgia-screenhub-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/94118\/","title":{"rendered":"Neyyah is a point-and-click adventure that embraces nostalgia | ScreenHub Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Upcoming point-and-click adventure game Neyyah<\/a> evokes a powerful nostalgia in its design, despite being a modern property. Solo developer Aaron Gwynaire (working under the Defy Reality Entertainment name) grew up playing games like Myst and Riven, and so it\u2019s with intentionality that Neyyah calls back to a simpler time in PC gaming.<\/p>\n

\u2018With a game like Neyyah, it\u2019s pre-rendered and it\u2019s point and clink. Being completely honest, it\u2019s probably not going to feel as immersive as if it was real time,\u2019 Gwynaire told ScreenHub. \u2018But the cool thing about pre-rendered is \u2026 it really captures light in a very realistic way \u2026 even though it\u2019s point and click and you\u2019re clicking to move through the world, the environments feel so real.\u2019<\/p>\n

In addition to replicating the photo-like environments of Myst and Riven, Gwynaire also chose to use FMV-style cutscenes in the game, with actors (and Gwynaire himself) portraying the characters. It intentionally creates a dissonance for audiences, well-replicating the compelling strangeness of PC games of the 1990s, and inspiring a sense of nostalgia.<\/p>\n

Building Neyyah brick by brick<\/p>\n

As Gwynaire explained, his work is greatly inspired by games of the 90s, as they were the first to inspire his love for game development and creation. Speaking to ScreenHub, Gwynaire described a revelatory moment watching the behind-the-scenes of how Cyan made Myst.<\/p>\n

\u2018I thought \u201cwow, this is such a cool way, of how they did it.\u201d It\u2019s a very simplistic way, where they were pre-rendering the artwork, so it was just images, you would click to move forward,\u2019 Gwynaire said. \u2018That really appealed to me. And then I got into more of the game dev thing, and I found how my interests in art and music and storytelling could all combine together.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"NeyyahImage: Defy Reality Entertainment<\/p>\n

\u2018I basically just taught myself [game design and modelling]. I had dial-up internet, as well. So it was like, dial up looking on YouTube for a video would take a whole day to load. It was crazy back then. But you know, I had a manual of the software I was using, Animator, and I taught myself that outside of high school.\u2019<\/p>\n

Over many years, Gwynaire began to self-teach skills in various disciplines, starting with early experiments in 3D modelling. At first, he made buildings, then worlds, then environments, until he was able to produce an early demo for an homage game called Portals: Journey to the Pearl Islands. Amidst this creative play, Gwynaire moved from the UK to Australia, and pursued an array of other creative endeavours. Around 2018, ideas for a new project began sparking, and inspired by a childhood of playing Cyan\u2019s magical creations, he began work on the title that would evolve to become Neyyah.<\/p>\n

In the early stages of Neyyah, working on the game was like being in a playground. It allowed the scope and time for Gwynaire to experiment, and to reflect on what most excited him about video games and their potential for storytelling. He found himself calling back to Myst and Riven often, as well as his own personal experiences living in Australia.<\/p>\n

\u2018I take inspiration from the places I\u2019ve lived, as well as the environments,\u2019 Gwynaire said. \u2018Even though I take the inspiration from Myst and Riven, I use my own story and background to really pull from that, to make it quite unique to the game \u2026 A lot of its roots stem from being in Australia, especially the environments, being so warm and so sunny.\u2019<\/p>\n

Gwynaire\u2019s experiences shaped the game\u2019s overarching story, and how the puzzles coalesced. Further pieces of the puzzle were placed with the aid of outside help, including the arrival of publisher MicroProse, and funding from Screen Australia.<\/p>\n

Nostalgia was a powerful inspiration for Neyyah<\/p>\n

\"NeyyahImage: Defy Reality Entertainment<\/p>\n

Several years into developing Neyyah, Gwynaire started to share his creation online, not seriously thinking it could be a full-time endeavour, but wanting to share his efforts anyway. Eventually, he grew an audience, gathering 2,000 wishlists on Steam, thanks to posts across various social media platforms, including game developer community groups. The guerrilla marketing approach attracted the attention of David Lagettie, CEO of game publisher MicroProse<\/a>, who shared interest in the game\u2019s nostalgia-infused approach.<\/p>\n

\u2018The main thing [was] the passion for the game,\u2019 Gwynaire said. \u2018For me, it\u2019s a huge passion project. It\u2019s huge creating not just the game, for me, but it\u2019s being inside this world and discovering it for myself, and then being able to pull that out, and bring it to everyone else \u2026 I think it gives you more enthusiasm, more passion, more motivation to keep going [when you have that support].\u2019<\/p>\n

Per Gywnaire, the idea of Neyyah resonated with the MicroProse team, as it delights in nostalgia, and games that pay homage to the past. As the modern world gets more complex, there\u2019s certainly a market for nostalgia-inspired content for players of all walks, who remember years past with a fondness, and a perception of simplicity.<\/p>\n

Nostalgia becomes a vehicle for reminiscing with rose-coloured lenses \u2013 players wilfully forget that rudimentary graphics were a product of technology limitations, rather than an artistic choice, or that FMV cutscenes were largely to reduce costs. Instead, these choices become a way to evoke the past without the complications of modernity, and to revel in memories of a freer time, with fewer responsibilities.<\/p>\n

In Neyyah, Gywnaire aims to use this aesthetic to recall a transportive time in his own game development journey, while inviting players to indulge in a love for classic, simple point-and-click adventures, and the wild, mysterious possibilities they promised.<\/p>\n

Pushing Neyyah out the open door<\/p>\n

With the core of Neyyah solidified around the power of nostalgia and memory, years in development swiftly flew. Gywnaire worked and reworked the game, cutting older parts as technology shifted, or as new ideas cropped up. Seven years passed, and and before he knew it, Neyyah was on its way out the door.<\/p>\n

Since the game began development, much has changed. From playing around with tools like Animator, Gwynaire has moved to Blender. Some ideas have been stowed. Some ideas, like the aforementioned FMV cutscenes, have been enabled by added support from Screen Australia. <\/p>\n

Gwynaire believes that, unfettered, he could have worked on the game for another seven years \u2013 but he recognises that deadlines are good, and they\u2019ve helped to shape his approach. They\u2019ve also helped with looking forward to a future beyond Neyyah, where new creative ideas can thrive.<\/p>\n

\"NeyyahImage: Defy Reality Entertainment<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a bit of sacrifice,\u2019 Gwynaire said. \u2018I\u2019ve been at this game now for so long, I feel like I want to push this baby out into the world.\u2019<\/p>\n

He\u2019s already got new projects in mind, and is \u2018never short of ideas\u2019 \u2013 although he is planning for a break after the release of Neyyah. It will allow a shift in balance, and to finally see and appreciate his work coming to fruition, after years of envisioning what Neyyah could become. How it could pay homage to a childhood of playing Myst and Riven.<\/p>\n

\u2018Even a month ago, I\u2019d say, \u201cwow, it would be so cool just to feel like the game is finished,\u201d\u2018 Gwynaire said. \u2018You\u2019ve still got this to do, and this to do, and suddenly, it kind of happens really quickly. You get to that point where it comes down to other feedback \u2013 QA, very little bugs \u2026 You kind of get reassurance from other people, and that gives you the boost. That blows away all the possible doubts you have in your mind.\u2019<\/p>\n

The next steps now, following a period of breathing, is to imagine what Neyyah\u2018s legacy could be. How Gwynaire\u2019s self-taught skills could expand the game, and image new pathways, and new stories.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve now spent seven years on this project,\u2019 Gwynaire said. \u2018The way I see it is that I\u2019ve got seven years of work that can be the foundations, the framework \u2026 to create a brand new project.\u2019<\/p>\n

What is most clear in Gwynaire\u2019s journey is how games can have such branching influence. From the roots of Myst and Riven grew the tree of Neyyah. A childhood fascination with the Cyan-brand of visual storytelling, of the magic and mystery that comes with point-and-click games, has inspired new creations in their name, backed by ambitious and creative ideas. Neyyah, perhaps most importantly, proves that nostalgia doesn\u2019t lock people into the past \u2013 it can be a powerful medium to push storytelling forward, and to help creatives find their own unique voices.<\/p>\n

Neyyah<\/a> is currently set to launch for PC on 2 September 2025.<\/p>\n

Discover more screen, games & arts news and reviews on\u00a0ScreenHub<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0ArtsHub<\/a>. Sign up for our free\u00a0ArtsHub<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0ScreenHub<\/a>\u00a0newsletters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Upcoming point-and-click adventure game Neyyah evokes a powerful nostalgia in its design, despite being a modern property. Solo…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":94119,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[69661,64,63,69662,69663,1852,69664,69665,69660,105],"class_list":{"0":"post-94118","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-aaron-gwynaire","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-australian-games","12":"tag-defy-reality-entertainment","13":"tag-games","14":"tag-microprose","15":"tag-neyyah","16":"tag-screen-australia","17":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}