The largest rock bands from the 1980s and 90s – including Journey, Queen, Mötley Crüe, Aerosmith and Metallica – achieved special cultural importance outside their music, films and concert tours. Some of these arena rockers built video games around them, often for mixed results, in a way that does not really happen. Now great musicians are appearing Fortnite Or Defeat Saber or in mobile games built around their brands.
But one independent programmer is trying to restore the inspired team inspired by the team. Nicola Piovesan, boss Chaosmonger Studiochanges its great fascination with the team Voivod to play, Voivod: The Nuclear Warrior.
If you have not heard of Voivod, you have not clearly chosen for the Canadian Thrash and Speed Metal scene in the last 40 years. This is understandable with seriously; Voivod has never seen the level of global commercial success of Metallica or Aerosmit. But the Quebec group is a venerable, influential band of many metal species and, like other significant metal acts (Megadeth, Iron Maiden), has a specific artistic aesthetics and mascot, Voivod.
Voivod, a character, is the creation of Michel “Away” Langevin, a drummer of the Voivod band. Star of the Langevin postnuclear fiction, handed over Art album and other illustrationsHe comes from the gloomy world of fantasy science fiction known as Morgoth. Langevin is responsible for almost all Voivod works, and his clear illustrative and musical style has long had an impact on Piovesan.
“I have been listening to the band since I was a teenager,” said Piovesan in an interview with Polygon. “At that time I was more similar to a metal. Now I listen to almost every type of genre, but Voivod is one of those bands that I have been listening to for years. They are very eclectic, and their sound is very original and continues, despite changes in the composition.”
Langevin has been the only consistent member of Voivod since its creation in 1982. He is responsible for the visual aesthetics of the band, which is full of murky, science fiction, usually rendered by ink, markers and paint. The character of Voivod appears on many album covers, including the band’s debut, War and pain.
Piovesan plans to adapt the world of Morgoth, the character of Voivod and many strange foreign creatures that Langevin has created in the last four decades in a pixel form Voivod: The Nuclear WarriorNarrative game in the style of Metroidvania, Run-And-Gun.
During his previous career as a filmmaker, Piovesan directed animated video for the Voivod song “Target earth. “Piovesan said that the idea for the game to vote” for a long time “. In the meantime I published several games and thought Ok, now there is the right time to make a voting gameSo I mentioned them about it during the concert in Prague a few years ago. “
Piovesan said his Voivod playground was “a bit retro in style”, “type of retro pixel graphics inspired in the overdue 1980s, the early 90s, which is the Golden Age of Voivod”, when the group released their most popular albums. (Piovesan grew up, playing Amiga-in this Motörhead Beat-Up, in which you play as Lemmy Kilmister-and this impact is visible in the visual style of the Voivod game.)
Voivod: The Nuclear Warrior Piovesan said he would follow the band’s conceptual album stories, although slightly changed so that it matches the “more standard game narrative”. Voivod will change shape and win up-to-date powers during a metroidvania game.
Photo: Chaosmonger Studio
Piovesan finances his vote passion project Kickstarter. His campaign to raise funds for Voivod: The Nuclear Warrior He is already successful, although he has a handful of extended goals to achieve. Piovesan deals with the design and coding of games and works with a small group of artists and musicians to adapt graphics and Voivod music to the retro form.
He works closely with the team. Langevin contributes to the visual design and work of art, while guitarist Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain supervises the musical adaptation; Denis singer “Snake” Bélanger will provide the hero’s voice; and bass player Dominic “Rocky” Laroche Playtests and provides opinions for the game.
Voivod: The Nuclear Warrior there is still early development; The Kickstarter Piovesana campaign mentions the release date of November 2026, but it sounds more as if it is “when it is ready”. “When people ask me when the game is ready, it is always complex to answer because I do not do it for money,” he said. “I am a fan of the band, and for me it is crucial to create a good game and pay tribute to the Voivod universe. So I am really interested in making him a good game.
“I learned that you need two years to make games to do 90% of the game, and you need two years to do the last 10%,” he said. “In the case of VoivodI hope it will not be four years old. “
