Hey adventurers!

Thanks for checking out this week's MythForce interview with Cillian Murray!

Originally hailing from Ireland and growing up in the 90s, Cillian Murray has spent his life working toward his goal of being part of the creation of video games. After earning a Computer Science Bachelor's degree, he landed a job at Beamdog. When not squashing bugs, he spends his time playing Elden Ring, League of Legends, or Halo; watching Toronto Maple Leafs games; or spending time with his wife, four cats, and corgi pup, Morgan. He also spends two nights a week playing D&D with friends. His character Zernin has been dubbed the group's murderhobo after misidentifying some dwarves for duergar in a blizzard. Oops.

What games first attracted you to design?

I grew up with Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, got into the card games, and soon after tried making my own card game (it didn't go too well). From there my interest was piqued when it came to designing games. I decided that's what I wanted to do for a living, and here I am today with a college degree, job, and passion for just that.

What is it about 80s fantasy animation that works so well in a video game?

There's something about the 80s style that immerses you in your favorite cartoon. When I look at characters like Rico or Victoria, I can totally see them being part of the He-Man or She-Ra universe.

Which is your favorite MythForce character to play, and why?

At first, it was Rico, I'm a big fan of high-risk, high-reward playstyle and big damage numbers. Then we added Hawkins to the mix and I was hooked. I love how rewarding it feels to hit those sweet 400+ damage headshots.

What is the most exciting, ridiculous, triumphant, or humiliating moment you've had while playing MythForce?

Probably one of my humiliating moments was walking into the boss fight and audibly informing the team that I would be able to take the boss on solo. Cut to me being immediately killed within the first five seconds of combat. Not my finest moment, I will say.

How does the cooperative mode in MythForce compare with the solo play experience for you?

Solo play is definitely more of a challenge. You have no one else to rely on. If you miss that headshot, it could be the death of you. Mistime your shield block or lose track of an enemy rogue, and it could be lights out for your awesome run.

Co-op is an all-round more banter-filled experience. There's nothing more hilarious than hearing the panicked screams of your comrades as you "accidentally" hit the spore pod nearby them.

Overall I think both experiences have their pros and cons, and both are very enjoyable for me.