INTRODUCTION
The Hayseed Knight is a fully voice acted Visual Novel where you’ll join a ragtag band of misfits as they try to piece together the story of how Ader, a one-eyed farmboy with seemingly impossible dreams, becomes the most celebrated knight the kingdom of Acazhor has ever known.
This gorgeous, animated Visual Novel unravels in unexpected ways with a perfect blend of mystery, comedy and romance!
ANIMATED TRAILER
GAMEPLAY TRAILER
KEY FEATURES
GENERAL PRODUCT INFO
Developed by: Maxi Molina (MaxiMJdev)
Genre: Fantasy Adventure, Romance Comedy, Picaresque
Age Rating: (Expected to be) PG-16
Platforms: PC / Mac / Linux
Average Gameplay Length: 20+ hours
Price: $19,99
Target Audience: fans of anthropomorphic media, Visual Novel players, Narrative Adventure Game and TTRPG players, cartoon/comic book fans, fans of fantasy novels.
BACKGROUND
Drawing from Spanish XVIth century “Picaresque Novel”, the story plays as a satire on knightly and courtly tropes, with a twist; the heroic protagonist is exchanged for a go-getter that lies his way into legends, never telling a whole truth.
The story switches POVs every chapter, focusing on the misadventures of Ader’s friends as they deal with their own troubles and worries.
Just like Picaresque itself was greatly influenced by Arabic literature, the story is set in the fictional land of Acazhor, inspired by al-Andalus —the Muslim-ruled area of medieval Spain—, and it aims to reflect the historic relevance and richness of this period through the lens of the different species that inhabit the kingdom and a vast fantasy lore.
Though much work went into writing and discarding versions of the script since 2016, development for The Hayseed Knight as a Visual Novel started in May 2017.
After seven years of chapter-by-chapter releases, the full game, consisting of 5 chapters and attached epilogues, was released on February 29th, 2024 alonside an animated launch trailer.
THE AUTHOR
A one person team, from art to writing, voice direction, animation and even occasional sound design, Maxi Molina Juan (aka MaxiMJdev) works full time on The Hayseed Knight, aiming to create an immersive story with beautiful artwork and memorable characters that even people who generally disregard Visual Novels will enjoy.
Maxi is a Spanish trans masc / non-binary freelance Game Director, Art Director and Voice Director, with experience providing casting and direction services in English, Spanish and Japanese. They also offer services as Game Writer and 2D artist.
Before switching their career focus to management exclusively, they often took roles as 2D Artist, Writer, Editor, Translator, and Comic Book Colorist, gathering over 10 years of experience working across different artistic industries. In their free time between hats, they’re a vocal trans activist and mental health advocate, warning newcomers against the dangers of crunch.
Though their eclectic career has taken them from major companies such as Blizzard and DC Comics to a wealth of indie games, their greatest love and claim to fame lies in being the solo dev to this passion project.
(More on Maxi, their job, and hiring on their main site.)
THE FULL TEAM
Most of the external collaborations have been done with musicians and consultants, and they’re all accredited in-game, no matter the duration of their work.
The only recurring staff other than the French translator (Benjamin Beziat) and Japanese translator (Shion Otsuka) is the voiceover cast, and it includes and has always welcomed voice actors of all levels of experience.
Maxi’s aim and philosophy from the very beginning was giving newcomers a chance to add a high-profile paid project to their resume; to become a springboard in their careers and help them deliver their best performances through detailed voice direction.
Full cast: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10928036/
SCREENSHOTS
AWARDS & EVENTS
Storyteller’s Festival 2024
Gayming Live 2023
Indie Live Expo Exhibitor 2022
Tentacle Zone Incubator Alumni 2022
Indie Dev Day Exhibitor 2021
Wordplay Exhibitor 2021
VLC Indie Summit Selection 2020
Most Awaited Games 2019
Kayane
Best Artistic Design
Women Make Games, 9th March, 2018
Best indie games 2017
Terebi Magazine, December 2017
QUOTES
“A project developed by a single young artist […] who managed to create a unique Visual Novel with its own
personality that stands tall next to the most famous games in its genre.”
Carlos Rodríguez -VOLTIO
“An intriguing story, filled with strange creatures and a vastly detailed lore […] with an unexpected
twist that will keep you on your toes.”
Benjamin ‘Red’ Beziat – Kayane
“With colorful backgrounds and memorable designs […] This game breathes humor in its entirety, spinning a
romance that gives the plot an exciting kick.”
Ysora – Koukyou Zen
“Reads more like a psychological dissertation than anything creative.”
-A negative review
CONTACT
Personal website: https://maximj.dev
Twitter: @MaxiMJdev
Twitch: @MaxiMJdev
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MaxiMJdev
For business inquiries, interviews, or other questions about me or my work that are not answered in this presskit, please contact me through email.
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