The cute open-world adventure DokeV showcased a new trailer today during the Opening Night Live as part of gamescom and was ready for us to answer some questions. MeinMMO gives you a first look at the beautiful world filled with many monsters to collect and allows the creators to explain what the game is about.
What to expect from DokeV: The new action-adventure DokeV takes you into a world full of monsters called “Dokebi”. These cheeky creatures are manifested dreams of an unfulfilled wish and help humans by providing strength and confidence.
For the game, this means: You explore a colorful, cheerful open world and befriend mischievous monsters that assist you in battle. The focus is on exploring the world, discovering and finding new friends, and collecting the Dokebi. The developers emphasize that DokeV can bring parents and children together, as it is child-friendly but can also be challenging.
DokeV Gameplay Trailer from gamescom 2021
In the fresh gameplay trailer, you can get an impression of the squeaky cute DokeV:
MeinMMO conducted an interview with the developers of Pearl Abyss, and we show you what lies behind the cute Dokebi and why it’s not just another “Pokémon MMO”.
The chef talks in an interview about a unique experience for the whole family
Who speaks in the interview? In our written interview with the minds behind DokeV from the developer and publisher Pearl Abyss, 3 responsible persons answered us:
- Daeil Kim – Executive Producer and Founder of Pearl Abyss
- Sangyoung Kim – Lead Producer
- Changkee Nam – Game Designer
Are there any games that inspired you to create DokeV?
Daeil Kim: DokeV originated from the desire to create a unique experience for the whole family. In Korean culture, there are creatures called Dokebi that are related to spirits found in ancient Korean fairy tales. We derived both our inspiration and the name of our game from this.
Sangyoung Kim: We were inspired by natural phenomena in the real world that amaze people, such as tornadoes or rain falling from a clear sky. Why do these things happen? What happens in the funnel of a tornado?
The curiosity about this type of phenomenon is expressed in the game in a way that makes you wonder if it was a Dokebi that did something in the tornado funnel. Instead of other “games”, we were inspired by various cultural contents and daily life, which left a deep impression on us.
The vacuum cleaner-like thing you saw in the trailer was a kind of homage to Ghostbusters that we liked. We draw inspiration from many things, especially from our daily life, such as our daily commute and the time we spend with our children. Personally, I get animation ideas by observing my daughter’s actions and movements.
Are the Dokebi real? They only seem to appear when someone puts on their glasses in the trailer?
Sangyoung Kim: Dokebi live closely with people. However, as you mentioned, most people do not believe [in Dokebi] and only a few know of their existence and have the ability to see them.
Dokebi can be unwittingly mischievous, but they are also the greatest supporters of people’s dreams, which gives them their power and allows them to grow alongside the people they support. Although Dokebi cannot directly exert this power in the real world, they can use it to provide strength and courage to people.
We made some changes to the concept of “seeing the Dokebi with glasses” shown in an earlier reveal. Through a specific event, the main character and some other special characters gain the ability to see the Dokebi. But most people actually cannot see them.
DokeV features real-time battles against an evil robot company
What typical mechanics can players expect that other monster MMOs know? We think of breeding, leveling monsters, evolutions…?
Daeil Kim: We changed it from an MMO to an open-world action-adventure game focused on creature collection. We thought about the direction of the game and decided that our goals for the game are best manifested as an open-world and action-adventure game. It is now set to take place in a huge open world to allow for diversity and freedom for different play styles.
Sangyoung Kim: Of course, the concept will exist that the Dokebi together with the main character grows stronger. I think I will have the opportunity to tell you more about this at a later time.
In the new trailer, the trainers are seen fighting for the first time. How does the combat system work?
Sangyoung Kim: First of all, the main character in DokeV is not referred to as a “trainer”. The main character and the Dokebi are friends.
To give you some background about the story – DokeV takes place in a world where artificial intelligence technology has evolved. There is an organization called “The Company” that produces androids with artificial intelligence.
However, the main character sees this company more as a villain, as the technology of the androids comes from “The Company”, which captures Dokebi and embeds them in AI chips. The main character, who discovers the truth about the oppression of the Dokebi by “The Company” – they use Dokebi for experiments – plays a role against “The Company” by freeing Dokebi from the robots.
Changkee Nam: As you have seen in the gameplay video, it is a real-time battle that requires direct control and is not conducted from a fixed position or a turn-based method. Dokebi have their own unique abilities that can assist and support the main character in battle. There are also contents where Dokebi and players team up to use special abilities that can turn the tide of a battle.
Each Dokebi offers a mini-campaign to win them as friends
How many Dokebi will be available at release? Additionally, it seems each Dokebi has a special attack with the player. Do all Dokebi have different special attacks?
Changkee Nam: Dokebi are born from the dreams of people. To give an example: Someone dreams of becoming a boxer but is unable to pursue that dream. The inability to realize the dream causes the boxer Dokebi to appear. The player will encounter this type of Dokebi, befriend them, and experience a story about this situation together.
Sangyoung Kim: It is not about capturing Dokebi. You should befriend them by fulfilling special conditions during the unique story and using information from clues about Dokebi that you can discover throughout the city and the world.
There are some Dokebi with which you can easily befriend, as well as Dokebi for whom you have to fulfill special conditions. It will be a lot of fun for the player to encounter each Dokebi to engage in its unique story.
The Dokebi we have shown you so far are just a few, and many more will follow. Each Dokebi represents the dreams and passions of people. Thus, each Dokebi is unique and has character, displaying its own abilities and movements. In the future, we will gradually introduce various fascinating Dokebi.
You can collaborate with others and engage in small competitions
In the monster MMO Temtem, there is a co-op mode. But if both players are not at the same level, the co-op mode isn’t really fun – one player is always too strong or too weak. How does co-op work in DokeV?
Daeil Kim: There will be cooperative multiplayer elements to collaborate with other players. If a player wishes, they can attack a boss monster together with others. There will also be competitive content in the game. Regarding the multiplayer elements, we are thinking about how they should be developed to make the content as enjoyable as possible. We will release more information about this in the future.
Will there be PvP? And if so – how important is PvP?
Daeil Kim: DokeV is a very flexible game that supports an open play style. There will be a single-player experience in the main story as well as cooperative multiplayer elements to work with other players. For the competitive element, we are developing the idea of a friendly competition that promotes good sportsmanship.
The vast world of DokeV invites exploration
How large is the world at release, and will it continue to grow after release?
Sangyoung Kim: What you could see in our gamescom trailer and earlier reveals was only a small part of the game world. You can explore the entire world as far as possible. You can imagine it as a large open world where you can go anywhere with your wonderful Dokebi to experience a variety of adventures.
You will experience many things, such as meeting new Dokebi, meeting different people, listening to their stories, and solving problems. The world is also full of various mini-games and interactions. And of course, the world will continue to grow.
There seem to be many crazy weapons in the game, like a bubble gun or a vacuum cleaner. How do I acquire these weapons in the game, and how many can I expect? Do the weapons only provide advantages in combat?
Changkee Nam: There are many weapons, vehicles, and equipment that you can collect in the world of DokeV in various ways. These items are not only used for combat. They have other uses, including enhancing the ability to explore the world and play the game.
Each tool has its own properties and uses, and we will present a variety of tools to you in the future.
Let me just introduce a few more things: The vacuum cleaners are used to suck Dokebi away from enemies like the androids to rescue them. When you use the umbrella tool, you hide and become practically invisible.
I was inspired by children playing hide-and-seek under umbrellas and thinking that no one can see them. Furthermore, there is something in Korean folklore called “Dokebi Gamtu” that makes the wearer invisible upon putting it on. We have also integrated a bit of folklore into the game.
DokeV looks at a new approach for a monster game
There is certainly competition in the market that you want to address, such as Temtem and of course Pokémon. How does DokeV differ from other monster games?
Sangyoung Kim: There are several distinguishing features. For example, each Dokebi has special abilities and effects that the player uses and allows them to utilize superhero-like powers that can transform them into different types of “personalities”.
The player has the freedom to customize their gaming experience by utilizing their preferred Dokebi abilities. DokeV also differs from the “catching” ideas of other games. You encounter Dokebi in various ways and befriend them.
Aside from that, there is also a unique graphic style, next-gen technology, and a wonderful open world where you can meet distinctive characters. You can also enjoy a more dynamic experience with our real-time action combat system. Meeting Dokebi friends is an essential part of the content, and I believe that the ability to engage in unique adventures and stories in the open world is important.
DokeV aims to appeal to the whole family – maybe even anglers
What kind of player do you want to attract with DokeV?
Changkee Nam: DokeV is a game that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Our goal is for parents and children to play the game together. There are also elements that will appeal to “core gamers”. For example, there are hidden mechanics in the game, and you need to find clues to unlock them. There will also be content that requires strategic thinking to entertain players of varying skill levels.
What are your plans after the full release of DokeV?
Daeil Kim: We are currently working on making the game even more enjoyable. What I can tell you is that the game world will be expanded, and new stories and content will be added after the release.
In both trailers for DokeV, you can see someone fishing. As a fan of this mechanic in games, I naturally want to know – can you fish in DokeV?
Changkee Nam: It is not yet certain, but fishing, like other mechanics in DokeV, could be used to find clues about Dokebi or something rare. I personally enjoy fishing in “real life” a lot. If fishing comes to DokeV, we will try to replicate the feeling of real fishing as best as we can.
A beautiful monster game with new ideas
DokeV brings fresh ideas to a genre dominated by Pokémon. This is exciting on one hand, as the genre attracts many players. On the other hand, it is also a risk, as fresh ideas may focus less on what makes a monster MMO: the monsters and their training.
Through my work on the title during gamescom, I find the game concept quite interesting, and the graphics look great. However, whether the implementation with a focus on exploration and story holds up over time remains to be seen.
As a fan of the genre and long-time player of Pokémon and “Tem Tem”, I am excited about the new DokeV. However, I remain skeptical until more information about the gameplay of the title is available.
Maik Schneider
Freelance Author at MeinMMO
