Feeling seen: Handling marginalised representation in Usual June

gamesindustry.biz:

Back in 2020, Finji CEO Rebekah Saltsman and creative director Adam Saltsman were figuring out how to follow-up Overland. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, that game is a far cry from what the duo set their sights on next – the ghostly supernatural vibes of Usual June.

"We knew that whatever we did next, we wanted to do it together," Saltsman tells GamesIndustry.biz. "We wanted a main character, we wanted to do something more action based, and we wanted to tell a story that we both really cared about."

That story follows the titular character June, who is far from usual. For one, she can talk to ghosts, and she uses this ability to aid her investigation into the town of Fen Harbor and fight supernatural creatures across multiple dimensions.

However, at its heart Usual June is about championing marginalised people and their stories. For Saltsman, it was important for marginalised players to form a connection with the game and see themselves reflected in its characters.

"It's lovely when you see a trailer for a game, especially if you're someone who is less represented in games, and think: 'Somebody sees me.' There's someone who sees me as a person who came to action games late. But someone also sees somebody like my husband who is obsessed with Dark Souls and Elden Ring.

"With Usual June, there's a low floor for people like me who aren't particularly good at action games, but are totally there for it so you can style your way through the game."

Saltsman explains that this is why it was important to provide the necessary tools to players with different skill sets, including special abilities.

Dashing makes you invulnerable for a period of time, while another slows time in battle but also when you open menus "to ensure you're able to have the option to access the things that you need to do."

"Players have a lot of tools at their disposal," she says. "You get to go through these sequences with the tools that you're comfortable and familiar with. If you want to learn how to use