Meet the Sword of the Stars 2 team: John Yakimow

It's that time again... well, a day late, actually. My bad, but I beg indulgence, as we're busy prepping for E3 this week. The most craziest time of the year!

This week we drop in on John Yakimow, old-school Kerberos artist, John Yakimow! His style is a massive part of what makes the Zuul - from ship to furry killing machines - what they are; terrifying. And he's applying that same twisted thinking to the Suul'ka as well. Suffice to say, you're all in for a treat... before it wipes you out.

And then, to unwind from the darkside of building evil aliens, he illustrates the webcomic Dungeons and Denizens!



Name and job title!
John Yakimow, 3D / concept artist

What does an artist do?
At Kerberos, artists are responsible for generating all of the visual assets in our games, from planets and starships to icons and avatars.

What are some of your favorite games of all time? (not counting your own)
I hold the following series as some of my favorites:
Legacy of Kain
Final Fantasy
Castlevania
Warcraft
God of War

How did you get started in the games industry?
My first position in the industry was with Electronic Arts.

Favorite thing about making games?
I feel that games are one of the best mediums for telling stories and engaging the viewer, through immersive gameplay as well as engaging narrative and fantastic visuals. As an artist, I love being a part of that.

The best thing about working at Kerberos is...
Kerberos has a great team to work with, wonderful universes that are fun and challenging to develop, and a comic shop just down the street.

What is your favorite race/faction in Sword of the Stars II?
There are too many great choices to pick from, and more on the way, but I admit to a soft spot for the Zuul.

Are you a warmonger or a diplomat?
Diplomat.

Favorite feature of Sword of the Stars II?
Probably the new Government system that will assign players a government type based on their in-game behaviour. I think it's going to surprise a lot of people.

Who was the last person you ate dinner with?
Family.