From the surface, Cavity Busters looks like an oddball of a roguelite. I mean it’s not every day that you get to have a man’s insides as a setting for a game, but here we are. As we delve deeper into the game, you realize that its mechanics are very solid, and a lot of fun can be had with each run.
This captivating game wrapped in a bizarre package intrigued me a lot, and I had the honor of talking to Adrian Riedman, the creator of Cavity Busters. In a discord interview, we talked about certain topics, from his inspirations, to how the idea came about, and more.
Roguelites.com (RLC): Hi, I’m Cerebro from Roguelites.com, and I’m with Adrian Riedman aka SpaceMyFriend, developer of the Roguelite game Cavity Busters. Hello Adrian, how are you today?
SpaceMyFriend (SMF): I’m doing good. How about you?
RLC: I’m doing fantastic, thanks for asking! Let’s start with a question most of the people probably would like to ask: How did the idea of Cavity Busters, a game about teeth, come about?
SMF: It was sort of by accident. The original prototype for the game was a guy that could only shoot one bullet so he had a bullet sticking out the top of his head… which didn’t make much sense. So the tooth aspect came about because I’m bad at art. And drawing grimy body horror-esque art, it’s easier to hide bad technique and mistakes.
RLC: Well, either way, the art style looks amazing and unique.
SMF: Thanks!
RLC: Anyway, which game(s) are Cavity Busters influenced by?
SMF: Besides the obvious one, Monolith and Enter the Gungeon. Along with more traditional shoot ‘em ups.
RLC: Were there any challenges that came up while developing the game?
SMF: I’ve been working on it for like 5 years, so I’d say yes haha. But trying to make something that stands out in a genre that’s been gaining so many good new games, has been tough.
RLC: Are you working on the game as a solo developer?
SMF: Initially yes. Ben (Ridge) started helping with audio, hmmm. Can’t remember when he started. The game wouldn’t be out of it weren’t for him. But also during early access, I got a ton of help from players. The game wouldn’t be what is without their help. So yeah, I didn’t do this on my own.
RLC: Ah cool! I’ve heard a lot about this “friends” thing and I wonder what that feels like!
SMF: *laughs*
RLC: Seriously though, it’s amazing that you had help from a lot of people to make the game’s development a lot easier.
SMF: For sure. It makes the game better too.
RLC: Totally! Speaking of the game, I went through it a bit, and man, it has a LOT of wacky stuff! From shotgums, to wall running. Hell, the game’s jumping mechanic looks OP af! Could you tell us more insane stuff in the game that people need to know about?
SMF: Yeah! You can dig through walls to find secret rooms, there’s a whole separate shmup section, there’s a garden called Harvest Tuum where you can plant and harvest tumors. Every basic enemy has an alternate bullet pattern too! Plus everything is unlockable through accessibility options!
RLC: That sounds like a lot of stuff! Certainly players can look forward to a lot of things once they bought this game!
SMF: It might be a double-edged sword.
RLC: Probably, I mean they’re harvesting tumors. That usually doesn’t sound good. Aside from the tooth-based theme, what else separates Cavity Busters from the other roguelite bullet hell games?
SMF: Besides everything above, I think you won’t be able to find similar player movement options in most games.
RLC: I agree. That wall-running mechanic is a game-changer in itself!
RLC: I was going through the game’s Steam page earlier, and I saw that one of the listed features is “So much bodily fluid”. So how much bodily fluids are we talking about?
SMF: All da fluid.
RLC: Even spinal?
SMF: Dang forgot that one!
RLC: Dammit! Oh well… Spinal fluid aside, currently, Cavity Busters is only available on Steam. Do you have plans on releasing the game on other platforms?
SMF: I would love to get it on other consoles. But nothing concrete yet. Oh, it’s on itch.io too!
RLC: Oh yes, I forgot about that! Is there a timetable on when Cavity Busters will leave Early Access? (Check the bottom of this article regarding this development)
SMF: Well as we speak, I’m working a release trailer. So hopefully soon!
RLC: Going back to the game’s Steam page, I was checking on the reviews, and someone has yet to give a negative review. Looks like everyone loves Cavity Busters! What are your thoughts on that?
SMF: I hold my breath every time I see a new review. I have no proof, but I think being very open and honest about what Cavity Busters is and isn’t, makes a big difference. People expect a roguelite that might require a bit more time to wrangle all the odd mechanics.
RLC: I agree. I see a lot of reviews about how the game is hard to learn, but fun to master, and I tend to agree.
RLC: What could we look forward to in the future with Cavity Busters?
SMF: Well when the game leaves early access it’ll come with an update that adds a load of new stuff like new rooms, enemies, and more. Plus afterward, there will be continued support for the game.
RLC: That’s great, and I love that players will still look forward to more content even after the game launches. Any final words to the Roguelites.com readers and roguelite fans in general?
SMF: Hmmm. Leave reviews for your favorite games! Especially small ones. Helps us out a ton!
RLC: And buy Cavity Busters, it’s a great game!
SMF: And Roguelites.com forever!
BREAKING: SpaceMyFriend just announced earlier on his Twitter account that Cavity Busters will be leaving Early Access on March 18th!