GamesBeat: The soundtrack sounds similar to the original, with a more modern flair. What was Robert’s approach to remixing?
Jensen: Essential similar to what we did with the art, which is to try to take the basic melodies and just redo them as he would do them now, with much more powerful tools and more sophisticated samples. But I think he wanted to stay true to the “heart” of each song.
Above: Gabriel’s assistant Grace wore a dress in the original Gabriel Knight; in the Anniversary Edition, she wears clothing closer to the sequels.
GamesBeat: Were there things you chose to incorporate from the later games — such as the clothing on Knight’s assistant, Grace — or things you deliberately set aside?
Jensen: [Castle] Schloss Ritter is definitely heavily influenced by GK2 — it looks more like it did in that game than it did in the original GK1. [Schloss housekeeper] Gerde also. Grace and Gabe both were influenced by all three games, trying to come up with a quintessential characterization. So yes, definitely!
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We also put in some more visual references and Easter eggs related to the other two games. In the inset in the bookshop where you find the magnifying glass, for example, there’s a little vampire and other items that relate to the other games.
Above: Pinkerton Road Farm, aka Jane Jensen and Robert Holmes’ office. We wish we were there, too.
GamesBeat: What led you to found Pinkerton Road after having worked for other companies, including mobile-social game publisher Zynga?
Jensen: I really just wanted to work on adventure games, so Pinkerton Road is our own little indie studio that’s focused on that.
GamesBeat: What made you decide on this project as one of your first with the new company?
Jensen: Well, I first started talking to Activision about doing something with GK around the time of our Kickstarter [for Pinkerton Road] in 2012. The idea of doing a 20th anniversary edition of GK1, and having it be one of Pinkerton Road’s first titles, was just perfect. To be able to redo the game that was my first real solo hit in the gaming industry was the chance of a lifetime.
Above: Jensen, enjoying her life at Pinkerton Road
GamesBeat: When we first talked a couple decades ago, it was in part about your role as a lead designer in an industry that didn’t have many women in those roles. How do you feel about how things have progressed, both for you and for the industry as a whole, since then?
Jensen: I was just reading an article the other day that said that older women were fast becoming one of the largest demographics in gaming thanks to tablets and phone apps. That’s amazing.
I think there’s still a huge amount of opportunity for gaming companies to make games that appeal to women gamers, and that means more opportunity for female designers too. We still have a long way to go, but it really can’t help but open up to more opportunities for women.
GamesBeat: Do you have any advice for younger women in the field now or for those who might want to get into game development?
Jensen: It’s changed so much since when I broke into the industry. There are now college degrees in game design and interactive media, so if I were starting now I would probably do that. When I started, you had to break into design from QA or programming or art, but it’s really not true anymore.
GamesBeat: What will your next projects be, after GK is released?
Jensen: That’s still TBD. I hope to be able to work with Activision on the new Sierra brand in some way, perhaps a GK4, if that’s possible, or I’d even like to write for some of the other properties. Beyond that, we have a few things up our sleeve. I’d really love to work with virtual reality at some point. You could make a killer adventure game with that.
