When developing the video game *Starfinder: Afterlight*, based on Paizo’s popular tabletop roleplaying game, Epictellers Entertainment prioritized creating compelling characters. Just like a great tabletop session relies on players and their characters, video game adaptations use companions to fill that social role. The *Starfinder: Afterlight* team, drawing inspiration from games like *Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous* and *Baldur’s Gate 3*, focused on building a memorable group of characters for players to experience the game with.
Before the popular Kickstarter campaign for *Starfinder: Afterlight* began, the development team released trailers introducing four of the game’s companions: Kole Stryker, Tycho, Lu-323, and Sterling. They also showcased Captain Khali (voiced by Carolina Ravassa) to mark the Kickstarter’s launch. Ricard Pillosu, co-founder of Epictellers Entertainment, discussed with Game Rant how each companion was created, what inspired their designs, and the stories they tell.
Kole And Lu Were Inspired By Film And Manga
According to Pillosu, Kole and Lu were among the first characters designed for the game. Kole was created by writer Isabel Perez, who drew inspiration from the movie *American Ninja* to give him the personality of an up-and-coming action hero. Perez pitched the idea, playfully calling it “cheesy” but enthusiastically suggesting they include it in *Starfinder*. This led to the creation of Kole, a Vesk soldier who dreams of being a 1980s action star. While the team didn’t originally intend for Kole to resemble characters from *Guardians of the Galaxy*, Pillosu said they were delighted when fans made the comparison.
Felix Rios, another writer at Epictellers Entertainment, drew inspiration from the manga *Battle Angel Alita* when creating the android character Lu-323. According to Pillosu, Lu’s story explores the idea of free will – she frequently wonders to what extent her thoughts and actions are genuinely her own, versus being predetermined by her programming. Pillosu described Lu as a character who…
Lu constantly questions her own motives, wondering if her actions are truly her own or simply a result of her past experiences. This self-doubt extends to everything she does, even romantic interactions. When she reaches out to someone, she immediately wonders if it’s genuine desire or just a pattern from her upbringing. Ultimately, she’s searching for a way to understand how much of who she is comes from her background and how much is truly her own choice.
Sterling And Tycho Have Become Early Fan Favorites
Two new characters players can recruit have been revealed: Tycho, a resourceful Ysoki Operative played by Inel Tomlinson, and Sterling, a Human Borai Solarian played by James Alexander. According to developer Pillosu, Tycho has quickly become a popular character with fans. “We think he’s cool, but the fans seem to love him even more!” Pillosu and co-founder Albert Jane have even received requests from fans to create an animated series centered around the adventures of Kole and Tycho, highlighting their great comedic dynamic and the excitement for their interactions within the game.
Sterling has quickly become a fan favorite thanks to his charming and sophisticated personality, with many players immediately choosing him as their preferred romantic interest. The development team at Epictellers Entertainment initially worried that a traditionally polite character – one they described as a “Kingsman” type in a sci-fi setting – wouldn’t appeal to today’s audiences. They went through numerous designs and revisions before landing on a version they were happy with. However, those concerns seem to have been misplaced, as the response to Sterling has been overwhelmingly positive, with many players already captivated by his appearance.
The developers haven’t revealed all of the characters you’ll meet in the game yet. There’s at least one more companion you’ll be able to recruit, along with several other important characters. They plan to share more details as the game’s Kickstarter campaign continues and as they move closer to the Early Access release in 2026.
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2025-10-13 18:48