This series features interviews with developers of new indie games that have caught our attention. In this installment, we bring you a mini-interview with the developers of “SPRAWL zero,” a cyberpunk retro shooter developed by MAETH and released on September 8 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and the international version of the Nintendo Switch.
This game is a fast-paced shooter inspired by the golden age of FPS games in the 2000s.Set in a cyberpunk city on the brink of collapse due to military rule and cult fervor, you play as “Five,” a cyborg super soldier, mastering gravity gloves, augmentations, and over 40 types of weapons to defeat all who stand in your way. The game supports Japanese.
“SPRAWL zero” is available now for 3,150 yen.
――First, please introduce yourself. What’s your favorite game?
I’m Carlos Lizarraga, founder of CarlosMAETH, studio director, and lead developer of *SPRAWL zero*.
Choosing just one favorite game is like choosing a single favorite food—an impossible task for someone who loves to eat!Still, if I had to name the title that influenced me the most and sparked my imagination, it would be *Halo*—specifically *Halo Custom Edition*, ported to PC by Gearbox Software. It was my gateway into the world of modding at the young age of 11, and that experience became the foundation for everything I do today.
――Could you tell us about the features of this game? Also, how did you come up with the idea?
Carlos: *SPRAWL zero* occupies a very special place as a true “pioneer” of the 2000s shooter revival. It’s a tribute to the golden age of games we grew up with.
“SPRAWL zero” is heavily influenced by the dynamic worlds and strategic firefights of classics like “F.E.A.R.,” “Halo,” and “Half-Life 2.”However, rather than simply imitating a specific style or era, we aimed to re-examine and further refine the “possibilities opened up by combining new technologies and systems”—such as the innovative ideas of that time and the fusion of physics-based systems with gameplay.We wanted to create a shooter that felt both nostalgic and fresh—as if we had unearthed a long-lost, legendary masterpiece buried in that era.
――Were there any works that influenced the development of this game?
Carlos: “SPRAWL zero” fundamentally belongs to the “cyberpunk” genre, and the texts and philosophical questions that form the core of this genre are scattered throughout the game. As with the previous title, we’ve incorporated the concept of “simulacra” and thoroughly applied it to the entire project, from top to bottom.We’ve intentionally brought numerous symbols emblematic of the genre to the forefront.
In addition to the “synchronicity” (meaningful coincidences) from classic games of that era—such as the aforementioned *F.E.A.R.*, *Halo*, and *Half-Life 2*—you should also be able to sense the strong influence of landmark media-mix works such as *Neuromancer*, *Ghost in the Shell*, and *The Matrix*.
――Please share one episode that left the strongest impression on you during the development of this game.
Carlos: The moment that left the strongest impression on me was when we finished the art for the first level of *SPRAWL zero*. In game development, we usually start by creating what’s called a “blockout”—a very simple shape with a plain white texture and no lighting—to get a sense of the level’s overall layout and feel.Up until then, we had been conducting playtests with the stages in almost that exact state, so naturally, we hadn’t been able to see the complete picture of the final product.
I was responsible for the stage art while juggling several other tasks. As a result, I spent a considerable amount of time applying textures to the entire stage, setting up lighting, doing 3D modeling, adding details, and configuring various scripted effects.
Then, after completing the lighting bake for the first time, we were able to play through the game from start to finish. The feeling of actually stepping into a world that, until then, had existed almost exclusively in our minds was indescribably wonderful. It was at that moment that all the elements of the game came together, and we were convinced that “we were truly creating something special.”
――What kind of user feedback have you received since the release? Please share any particularly memorable comments.
We’ve received a tremendous amount of feedback from the Carlos community. We had an incredibly successful launch, and it seems the game is currently ranked among the top three games released in September based on user ratings. The positive rating on Steam has reached 94.8%, and I’m truly honored by that.
However, despite all this praise, it’s extremely important to me to make *SPRAWL zero* the best game it can possibly be. I’m not going to rest on these high ratings; I’m fully aware of the bugs that need to be fixed and the areas where there’s room for improvement. I’m already very much looking forward to delivering the first patch that thoroughly addresses these issues.
――Taking user feedback into account, could you tell us about your plans for future updates?
Carlos: We plan to release a major patch very soon that will add numerous features highly requested by the community and implement significant performance improvements across the entire system—especially for low-spec environments. We will also fix nearly all of the bugs reported recently. To ensure these changes are successfully implemented, we are working tirelessly on development every day.
――Please tell us about the Japanese language support for this game.
Carlos: “SPRAWL zero” supports Japanese subtitles and has been localized! We love our Japanese players, so we sincerely hope you’ll enjoy this translation.
――Is it okay to stream or monetize this game?
Carlos: Of course! We love watching gameplay videos, and we often pop into Twitch streams to support creators. Furthermore, the entire *SPRAWL zero* soundtrack is completely DMCA-free, so you can freely create and stream content without worrying about copyright takedowns or penalties.
――Finally, please share a message for our Japanese readers.
Carlos: Thank you so much for reading all the way to the end! We hope you enjoy the game. “SPRAWL zero” was created with passion by a core team of just four people. We are gamers first and foremost, driven by a deep love for the art of gaming. We hope that passion comes through in our work.
Various Japanese works are a tremendous source of inspiration for us, and we are filled with gratitude and affection for all our Japanese fans!
――Thank you very much.
◆ About “Spotlight on Indie Mini-Q&A”
This series features email interviews with indie developers shortly after their game’s release. To ensure regular updates, we’ve standardized the questions with the goal of sharing the perspectives of as many developers as possible. Please also enjoy our archive of over 1,000 other interview articles.
