During the media hour on the first day of PAX East, I had the genuine pleasure of meeting with Jimmy Spencer, the CEO, lead programmer and writer, and designer for the indie game Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game. (The game’s subtitle is of course a loving nod to the genre of games it occupies–JRPG). The Seattle-based indie developer was kind and welcoming; his approachability was delightfully matched by the inviting warmth of his game.
Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game has a simple yet hilarious story. A group of flowers want to take over the town. They hatch a plan to drive out the residents by stealing more flowers and producing so much pollen that people’s allergies become unbearable. Foolproof strategy right?!
Gameplay
Aesthetically, Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game channels the nostalgic visuals of Earthbound; the hand-drawn art immediately gives players that childhood “watching Saturday morning cartoons with the neighbor kids” vibe. However, the gameplay is more akin to Octopath Traveler and Chrono Trigger.
Like others within the JRPG genre, Cricket features turn-based combat. It allows players to alternate between group and solo attacks. The fighting never feels overly difficult (though I was told during the demo that there were much harder enemies elsewhere in the game); but honestly, I loved that. Cricket feels like a game I could relax with on a Friday night with some snacks and a cozy blanket. It’s just plain fun.
Inspiration and Story Themes
Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game deals with themes of grief and loss. Learning about Spencer’s backstory and his personal connections to the game’s content was perhaps the most moving part of the interview.
Spencer shared about his close connection with his great grandmother, about the pain and grief he felt when she died of cancer when he was eight years old. During the years that followed, Spencer often wished he could go back and spend more time with her, to experience once more that close connection that was now missing.
As he grew older, Spencer found ways to deal with the loneliness of grief by investing in relationships; connecting with close friends brings a powerful balance to these older wounds. As such, Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game encourages players to find meaning in connections between characters.
Spencer also highlighted the power of humor to deal with complex and challenging topics. This shines through in the whimsical nature of the game’s environment. “Strange can be beautiful,” explained Spencer.
A Lifelong Fan of Video Games
Talking with Jimmy Spencer, I felt like I was hanging out with a friend, a like-minded fan of the art form we all grew up adoring. I believe it’s this passion and care that makes Spencer’s game such a delight to play. Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game is a video game made with love.
One moment that resonated with me was a memory Spencer shared from his childhood. He played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the first time. He remembers running down the stairs to loudly proclaim to his family, “I gotta make video games!”
As someone for whom the Zelda franchise greatly shaped life and career choices, I loved this story. The connections we all feel to video games are deeply personal; one of the things I love about meeting indie devs at PAX is hearing stories like this. Those of us who grew up with games are now the ones making them and shaping the industry.
Spencer eventually moved to Seattle from the East Coast of the United States to attend DigiPen and learned the tools of the trade.
So of course, it’s rather fitting that Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game calls back to the early years of gaming while bringing modern sensibilities and quality of life improvements. If you get the chance, you’ll want to play this game.
Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game will release on Steam August 15. However, Spencer expressed hope the game will be on all major platforms a little after the release date. You can Wishlist the game here.
Tell us what you think! Will you be playing Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game? Share your reactions in the comments below. You can also join in the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord, Twitter, and Facebook.
Source: Studio Kumiho
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