Highlights:
* Christophe Rossignol is Creative Director of Unknown 9: Awakening, an upcoming action-adventure game set in a larger transmedia universe.
* BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment serves as the publisher of the title.
* The game blends stealth gameplay with brawler-like action with innovative features like Stepping.
Transmedia storytelling opens up scores of possibilities for creators to weave expansive narratives, and Reflector Entertainment utilizes this approach with Unknown 9: Awakening. The action-adventure game’s plot follows the protagonist, Haroona, on her interdimensional voyage as she unravels ancient mysteries, discovers hidden powers, and battles forces that threaten to disrupt the balance between worlds. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Reflector Entertainment’s Christophe Rossignol, Creative Director of Unknown 9: Awakening, to discuss the artistic vision behind the title.
Christophe, who joined the Montreal-based studio in 2017, has overseen the development and design of Unknown 9. With 25 years of experience as a seasoned level designer, programmer, and creative director, he has contributed to celebrated franchises such as Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed. In our conversation about Reflector Entertainment’s first-ever game, Christophe shared insights into the gameplay mechanics, the conception of the transmedia universe, the relationship with BANDAI NAMCO, and how the game offers players a deep, story-driven experience. This interview was conducted on behalf of GosuGamers India, a platform dedicated to exploring the evolving landscape of gaming.
Read the full conversation with Christophe Rossignol below to learn more about the Unknown 9 universe.
“We have a new, different, and fresh approach” – Christophe Rossignol On Building Unknown 9: Awakening’s Interdimensional Narrative
Q: Given that interdimensional narratives have been explored in many other games. What makes Unknown 9: Awakening stand out and carve out its own unique path?
Christophe: In our case, we believe we have a new, different, and fresh approach because the game is part of a transmedia universe with a deep lore. Within this lore, there is the Unknown 9, a secret society, and a parallel dimension.
However, the game itself is not primarily about the parallel dimension. It focuses on the journey of Haroona, our heroine, as she navigates this world, discovers her place within it, and understands why she is unique—specifically, her powers and connection to the parallel dimension and how she can use that for the greater good.
It’s not merely about the existence of a parallel dimension and the goal of defeating everyone. Instead, the parallel dimension serves as the source of Haroona’s power and is where much hidden knowledge is thought to reside. Therefore, the lore and the universe are intricately woven into the gameplay experience.
Q: Can you tell us what a Quaestor is within Unknown 9’s extended universe?
Christophe: As I mentioned, we developed a deep lore, which includes our own world elements like Stepping, a form of possession, and The Fold, our parallel dimension. We use the term Quaestor to describe people who are curious and seek knowledge—this is what our heroine is.
Quaestors are those who search for the truth, looking beyond what meets the eye, and seeking answers. Some Quaestors may not have any powers, and that’s completely possible. They might gather knowledge orally from isolated communities or collect ancient written records, piecing it all together. That’s the essence of a Quaestor: traveling the world, gathering knowledge, and trying to find the Unknown 9.
In our universe, the Unknown 9 are the guardians of knowledge—immortal beings who survived the extinction of an advanced civilization called the Sahin. These nine individuals possess the civilization’s knowledge and, over millennia, gradually pass it on in the hope that humanity avoids the same fate. So, the Quaestors are ultimately those who seek them out and the knowledge they hold.
“At any time, you can enter a fight, or you can use stepping” – Gameplay Mechanics And The World Of Unknown 9: Awakening
Q: Having seen the trailers, the gameplay appears multi-faceted, with an emphasis on stealth and featuring brawler-like fight sequences, along with various fantasy elements integrated with Haroona’s skills. What are the core gameplay mechanics that Reflector Entertainment is focusing on? What can one expect from the game as a casual player?
Christophe: The game, as you mentioned, at its heart, really focuses on the brawler mechanics, stepping, and stealth. As a player, when you encounter situations in the game, you can choose to go stealth. You have some powers to manipulate the AI opponents and distract them. At any time, you can enter a fight, or you can use stepping if you have the resources for it. Even in the middle of a fight, you can use stepping, possess anyone, and use them to attack.
Stepping has multiple levels to understand. Some enemies are stronger against certain types of enemies. Knowing which enemies are stronger against others makes you more efficient when using stepping. You can deal more damage and eliminate enemies faster. You can chain up to four stepping actions back to back if you find the secret one, and each subsequent stepping makes you stronger in your connection. Understanding the different effects and knowing who to target with stepping really makes it shine. It’s a bit like a chess game, where you can quickly take down any opposition in front of you.
The game also offers a skill tree along with some exploration. Players can explore here and there, find collectibles tied to the game’s narrative and transmedia, as well as skill points, which we call anomalies, to customize their character and develop one of the branches of the skill tree. There are three branches in total. The game includes some light puzzles, environmental navigation, and boss fights. Overall, that’s the experience players can expect.
Q: In designing this world, there must have been key creative decisions, art choices, and thematic goals that shaped the environment and its characters. Can you tell us what were the motivations or influences behind Unknown 9?
Christophe: The Fold, from the beginning, was envisioned as a parallel dimension to our world, accessible only by a select few. Some might access it unknowingly, like when they dream or enter a meditative state. However, only a rare few have the ability to enter the Fold at will. Initially, this concept felt too simple, so we expanded it—making the Fold a multidimensional space.
Some people can perceive a lot of the Fold, while others may only experience a small part of it. We began to establish rules around this concept to support the transmedia aspect of our universe. The Fold then became this place beyond space, where the usual directions like up and down don’t necessarily exist, unlike our world. We explored these ideas further, incorporating them into the gameplay.
In the game, when players explore the Fold, they’ll encounter an environment where space and gravity don’t function as they do in the real world. For instance, you might walk on what was once a wall. It’s all about observation and understanding. And since the Fold is made of energy, some events from the real world have been recorded within it.
“We’re waiting to see what the feedback will be” – Community Support & More Beyond Unknown 9: Awakening’s Launch
Q: What are Reflector Entertainment’s plans for the Unknown 9 community following its launch on 18th?
Christophe: Right now, we still have team members working on the game. That being said, we are not an online experience. We have a few DLCs and extra content that have already been announced, including some new moves, different looks for Haroona and her companions, as well as different takedowns and combo attacks. We’re waiting to see what the feedback will be, and we’ll likely support any major issues the community may have in the short window after launch.
That said, since we’re not an online competitive game with a large community and support system, we aren’t operating as a service game. So, other than making sure the game functions properly for everyone and addressing any major issues that players might face, there isn’t a broader support plan in place.
“We benefited a lot from their expertise” – Relationship With BANDAI Namco And Working With Anya Chalotra
Q: How did the collaboration with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment work, particularly during the early stages of development?
Christophe: Originally, Reflector was an independent studio, and we were set to publish the game with BANDAI NAMCO. But the collaboration went so well that we were eventually acquired by BANDAI NAMCO. That tells you a bit about how strong the partnership was.
We benefited a lot from their expertise—their communication, their market knowledge, and their understanding of what consumers may or may not expect. They also helped us bring Anya Chalotra on board. I’m not sure we would have Anya working with us without BANDAI NAMCO’s involvement.
So, yes, it was a great collaboration. We had open and regular discussions, and they gave us creative freedom as long as we met their requirements. I have no complaints; I’m happy with how the collaboration went, and honestly, it went very well.
Q: How was the experience of working with Anya Chalotra? Did she face any challenges in her portrayal of the protagonist? Can you also share with us the inspiration behind Haroona?
Christophe: As I mentioned, we’re very fortunate and happy to have someone like Anya Chalotra portraying Haroona. Anya is such a talented actress, and she brings so much emotion and intensity to the story we wanted to tell. The motion capture sessions were a blast; we really enjoyed them. Anya brings her own insight, being part Indian, which was meaningful for us because Haroona is also Indian. She could give us an authentic perspective on how an Indian person would portray the character.
As a great actress, she’s deeply connected to her role. She would often provide feedback, like, ‘I don’t think the character would act or say it this way.’ Those personal touches from her really helped us bring Haroona to a higher level. Overall, it was a great experience working with her.
“From the start, it was about humanity” – The Conception Of Unknown 9 Transmedia
Q: What inspired Unknown 9: Awakening and its narrative universe?
Christophe: For us, from the start, it was about humanity. If you look at the news, or if you have kids, everything seems pessimistic—climate change, war, COVID—especially today. It wasn’t as true when we started, but it’s even more relevant now. So, the idea was, how do we evolve as a species? How do we become better? We wanted to show that there is still magic and knowledge to be discovered around us, and that’s what really inspired Unknown 9.
From the beginning, we aimed for a transmedia approach. At Reflector, we love creating games with deep lore—something that players can dig into and connect with. I’m personally a fan of brands with rich lore, and I enjoy exploring their stories and seeing how different elements link together. That’s what we wanted to provide for our players: a game with a deep lore where you get a complete story, but if you want to know more, you can explore other mediums like a comic book or a podcast.
Each medium has its own story, characters, and narrative arc. But when you start engaging with all of them, you begin to see an overarching story. You start to wonder, ‘Is something bigger going on?’ We wanted players to have that sense of discovery. Our hope is that the community will engage more with understanding the lore and the story rather than just focusing on multiplayer or competitive elements.
“We want to reach the widest audience possible” – Compatibility With The Previous-Gen Consoles
Q: The game is also available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, along with the current-generation consoles. What has Reflector Entertainment done to ensure that quality doesn’t get compromised while increasing compatibility?
Christophe: I’m not a technical expert, but I’ll do my best to explain. We have a dedicated team focused on the old-gen consoles, ensuring the game runs as best as possible on those platforms. We also have QA teams testing the game across all platforms. As a mid-sized studio, we recognize that there are still a lot of players on older consoles, and we want to reach the widest audience possible. So, for us, it was a clear choice to support those older platforms, allowing us to engage with that audience.
In discussions with Bandai, we also agreed that the game wouldn’t be full price. Since we’re a AA studio, we decided on a mid-tier price point to make the game and its universe more accessible. We’re committed to making sure the game runs smoothly and looks good on older consoles, and we hope players will appreciate that effort.
“They’re smart enough to see that it’s not something trendy or forced” – On Navigating Community Feedback
Q: In recent years, many developers have faced scrutiny from their audiences, ranging from constructive criticism to more extreme and sometimes unjustified backlash. As an industry insider, what’s your perspective on this issue?
Christophe: I can’t speak for others, but from my perspective, as I’ve mentioned, our IP is about humanity as a whole. In the game, we have characters from different places—Haroona is from India, but we also have characters from Mongolia, Great Britain, Serbia, and the US. For us, this wasn’t something we forced into the game; it felt natural. In the world and universe we created, there are people from all over searching for the Unknown 9, so it was natural to represent that in the game. There are people from around the world helping and working with Haroona.
My hope is that players will recognize this, and I believe they’re smart enough to see that it’s not something trendy or forced. It’s simply what the game and its universe are about—people coming together, not necessarily against anything, but in the search for the Unknown 9 and its knowledge, striving to become better versions of ourselves.
Q: Do you have a message for the community? What do you hope they take away from their experience of the game?
Christophe: I hope players will be curious about the different mechanics the game offers and experiment with mixing and matching them—perhaps using a bit of stealth, a bit of stepping, and trying stepping first after finding the right combination in fights to master the game. I want them to see the potential in these mechanics, love the lore, and hopefully connect with the various media we have available. The podcast is there and already free, and I know the comic book can also be found for free. It’s all about giving the audience as much as possible so they can dive into this world with us, enjoy it, and provide positive feedback. I would be really happy if all that happens.
For the uninitiated, October 18, 2024 is the Unknown 9: Awakening release date for a launch across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. As of this writing, players can pre-order the game, which is still ongoing. Readers can check out the platform stores for compatibility and other information.