Greg Roach is easily one of the most experience interactive creators in the industry today. I don't need to describe this: Google can tell you more about that than I can. What it won't tell you is that he is also one of the best collaborators I've ever worked with. His experience, passion, and professional dexterity, coupled with an f'ing truckload of pure ability means that when we are working together, it's 1+1=15.
One last thing: I have never met anyone with a more cogent understanding of the underlying magic of storytelling - interactive or otherwise. If he offers you an opinion on one of your characters or your plot (or anything in that area), listen to him.
In case you can't already tell, I look forward to collaborating with him again. And again. And again.
Jason VandenBerghe, Creative Director at Ubisoft
Greg is nothing short of a visionary, and for the industry to ever extend beyond its "you know, for kids" place in our society, we need more people like him, pushing hard against the boundaries between enterainment mediums, and giving audiences fresh and unique experiences.
Richard Ham, Creative Director at Splash Damage
Greg is in a class all by himself. He is endlessly fascinating, quirky, a serious and delightful storyteller, and able to irritate the fuck out of that one spot that you thought you had hidden safely from the world. I don't think I've ever known anyone else I could really call a rainmaker. Maybe that's an outdated term. But Greg will make it rain, and it will rain purple electric toads if the cosmos is in alignment, which it frequently is in his parts. If you want to question whether you've ever been abducted by aliens, or if you can learn to see people as luminous eggs, hang out with Greg and soon enough, something will happen that you'll remember for the rest of your life. I recommend it.
Mark Arend, CTO at HyperBole Studios
It is satisfying to be recognized for our commitment to delivering a quality title that truly captures the look and feel of the TV series. Just like the show breaks new ground for television, we strove to set new standards in the interactive industry. HyperBole did a fantastic job with this game."
Jon Richmond, President at Fox Interactive
Greg is absolutely the brightest bulb in the pack. When it comes to interactive design and concept creation, he is the best, and when it comes to production, he simply thoroughly knows his business. Over the years I have worked with him, clients have always appreciated his diligence and hard work, as well as his limitless creativity, on large or small projects.” January 19, 2004
Halle Eavelyn, President at HyperBole Studios
I met Greg as his student at USC Film School where he taught a class on Virtual Cinema. The course focussed on software that allows interactive storytelling, yet Greg brought the entire world (of possibilities) to the classrom Greg is unique as a teacher - his focus is on learning from his students while he professes from real-world experience, his wealth of knowledge from his own studies, and his natural creative brilliance. That class changed the way I see storytelling and the digital world. Towards the end of the semester, Greg described me as "non-linear" and I continue to identify myself that way. During the course, we developed a friendship built on mutual respect and curiosity of one another. That relationship has extended well beyond our time at USC. He became a mentor to me and is someone I would recommend without hesitation for any job!
Alex Rose, Product Manager at MGA Entertainment
Greg led several interactive narrative "Sagas" workshops I attended in Germany. I was first speaker beside him, and thanks to him, I decided to stay and to become participant. He is for me a video game and interactive content guru. He provided me with great advice which could made the "Truth Council" iTV project pitchable to the BBCi. Thank you Greg.
Olivier Janin, Owner & Creative Consultant at Neotrope
Greg is one of the top educators in new media development. As a student it was a pleasure to be inspired by his unique ideas and creative energy. His passion for learning unique mediums in broadcast, film and new media was contagious. Greg's experience as a CEO of HyperBole brought a new perspective to his tutelage. He is a consummate professional and his teachings transferred into real world experience.
Sylvan Grimm, Manager at Authentic Entertainment Inc.
Press and Fans
" Red Steel 2 has one of the most compelling game worlds I’ve visited. ...the story certainly has a badass conclusion... the very classical narrative leaves you wanting more."
•Sean Colleli, Gaming Nexus
"It was a wild and crazy time making it. But I got so excited when I saw the results, I felt like a little kid again."
-Gillian Anderson
"I found myself immersed in this game. I mean totally. Carrying on a conversation with Assistant Director Skinner was spooky to the max ...I linked up with agent Dana Scully and it really felt like we were working together"
-Harry Chittick, ABCNEWS.com
"X marks the spot for the best-ever interactive game using live action video."
-Roy Bassave, Miami Herald
"The X-Files Game is a remarkable product. It takes the concept of interactive cinema to a new level."
-Steve Baxter, CNN
The most rousing X-Files summer diversion may not be the movie: This 7-CD adventure lets players act out their own episode and rub elbows with video versions of stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. You are Craig Willmore, a fellow FBI agent assigned to collaborate with Scully and Mulder on a typically byzantine case. Lavish production values plus input from X-Files creator Chris Carter make for a first-rate effort...
-Gary Eng Walk, Entertainment Weekly
FAN MAIL
I just finished playing the X Files game and LOVED it! You guys do some beautiful work with that there VirtualCinema. I am assuming this is new, and that the X Files game is the first game to be released using this technology. Am I correct on this? Cuz, I wanna buy everything you guys do if it all looks and plays so damn good! Please, let me know if there are any other games available using your VirtualCinema, and what is being planned for the future. Oh yeah, and are you guys on the stock market? :)
Tamara K
I want to thank your company for designing the absolute best software I have ever purchased. I really mean it. Consumers get so sick of buying software that either don't work or you spend 3 days tweaking your system to make it work. For example Cyberflix's Titanic's game....What a waste of money. Your game was easy to install and I encountered zero problems running it... Do you have any plans for future games with TV themes like maybe "The Pretender" Or "Law and Order" ? Anyway I just wanted to says thanks and keep up the Great Work!
Your customer for life,
Andy
Dear folks at Hyperbole Studios,
I want to congratulate you on the fantastic job you did on the X-files game! Some people might say I'm a little biased being an x-phile in the first place, but the truth of the matter is YOUR GAME IS COOL AS HELL. The video, graphics, game play, acting, story line, audio, and overall presentation is absolutely amazing. I've been playing video and computer games for over 10 years, but never once did I have the kind of game playing experience I felt when I played the X-files. I can honestly say this is the best game I have ever played. It's like the game encompasses and kidnaps you into Its world. No game has ever done that successfully before. Myst tried to do that but I felt the puzzles, graphics, music, and story line were a bit too abstract. I know it was supposed to be surreal and dreamlike but the game just left me snoozing. I never had that when I played the X-files. I was on the edge of my seat constantly through out the entire game. It was exactly like being in an episode of the show. I'm sure you get many emails like this a day, but I just wanted to show my enthusiasm for your masterpiece and thank you for an awesome time!
I have one question that I really hope you will be able to answer for me. It haunts me from the minute I wake up in the morning till the time I fall asleep at night. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A SEQUEL??!! IF SO, WHEN DO YOU PLAN ON RELEASING IT? I HAVE TO KNOW! I'M GOING NUTS! . . .
Sincerely,
Joe B
I'm a big fan of your work on X-Files The Game, it came out when I was in school and I still play it every now and then (luckily it works on Windows 7!). I still remember one night staying up until 4am trying to get past the bomb at Gordon's Hauling! Great times ;-)
You did some amazing stuff with interactive entertainment that was way ahead of its time, and from a story driven immersive experience beats anything I've ever played.
Andrew.
A fan from the UK.