Interviews
Pariah Interactive’s Prashast Thapan Talks 1000 Deaths – Interview Series

Pariah Interactive, a game development firm based in both Brooklyn and Mumbai, is gearing up to launch 1000 Deaths, a “gravity-bending 3D platformer” that will reportedly put player choice at the forefront of its ever-changing world. The game, which is currently due to launch on PC via Steam on August 7, 2025, will feature “a truly branching narrative” with multiple endings, unique and moldable characters, and a curated handful of block-busting puzzles, to boot.
“Craft the stories of 4 unique characters in various episodes; each with their own personalities, flaws, and ambitions. Shape their lives with your choices – from childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and elderhood – until they die,” the press release reads in part.
“Each choice you make drastically changes the story. No two choices lead to the same (or even mildly similar) endings,” the description adds. “Experience a truly branching narrative, and replay episodes to discover new endings each time.”
Fascinated by the concept of an open-ended universe with a block-based alien twist, we decided to speak with Game Director Prashast Thapan over at Pariah Interactive to comb over a few more of the details.
Thanks for taking the time to sit down and speak with us about 1000 Deaths! Before we delve into that particular rabbit hole, would you mind introducing yourself to our readers and telling us a bit about your involvement with Pariah Interactive?
Prashast: I’m Prashast Thapan, the studio director at Pariah Interactive, an independent video game studio.
Before we touch base on the specifics of 1000 Deaths, we might as well start with a simple question: 1000 Deaths — what exactly is it, and how would you best describe it?
Prashast: It’s a 3D platformer where your choices change the platforming hubs you encounter. I’d describe it as a mashup of the mechanics of Super Mario Galaxy, the pace of Neon White, with the surreality of Psychonauts.
1000 Deaths’ branching narrative and multiple endings are two things that we would love to talk about. Choices, for instance, play an integral part in the development of the characters’ lives. Could you tell us more about these choices, as well as how they’ll directly influence the narrative?
Prashast: The game is centered around difficult decisions that characters make in moments of conflict. The consequences of these decisions are often darkly comedic, trying to unpack serious topics like love, labor, politics, and so on, in humorous ways. Beyond affecting the narrative, your choices also unlock different platforming hubs, each with unique flavours of levels.
Tell us more about these gravity-bending platforming “hubs” and the surreal nature of their environments. What are we likely to encounter during our descents into these extravagantly abstract worlds?
Prashast: These hubs are situated in what we call “Headspaces,” which are the architectural representation of your character’s psyche. Some are action-packed and others are laden with puzzles. You play as a cute retro TV called “TeeVee,” whose main power is sticking to any curved surface it walks on. We use this gravity-bending mechanic in various ways that are unique to where you are in the story. Some levels are fast, and others are slow. If you’re feeling like a platforming hub isn’t your vibe, you can make a different choice and try another one!
As we’re on the subject of world design and abstract art, we have to ask — what inspired you to create this image? Is it a composition that shares similarities with other games of its kind, or is it something that could be defined as truly unique and unpredictable?
Prashast: I’ve always wondered what it looks like inside other people’s minds. So the image of a building that represents someone’s inner thoughts comes from trying to understand the perspectives of others. I suppose the world can be likened to Psychonauts, but our cutscenes and levels are shorter, and purely about movement without combat.
We’re eager to learn more about the alien folk and other eccentric personalities who’ll populate 1000 Deaths. Please could you tell us more about these characters?
Prashast: There are 4 playable characters: Maxie, Vayu, Terry, and Boga. They’re based on the 4 elements: fire, air, earth, and water, respectively. On the surface, they look like a bunch of freaks. But if you play the story, you’ll (hopefully) see that they are quite relatable. I wanted to make the statement that not everything that looks scary actually is.
Apologies if this next question isn’t applicable, but we’re curious — is there a secret to succeeding in 1000 Deaths? Do you have any useful words of advice that you would like to share with potential players? Better yet, any words of wisdom for avid speed runners?
Prashast: No need to apologize! There is no way you can fail in this game. You have to die to beat the game, so keep dying! It means you’re getting close. My advice for speedrunners would be that the most straightforward route isn’t all there is, look for new ways to finish each level and you will surprise yourself!
Oh, and look out for coffee pickups scattered around the game. Our developer, Luna YiXi Wu, created that as a debugging feature when she started working on the game 3 years ago. Luna convinced us that it’s worth shipping as a feature!
Of course, while the forthcoming quarter will no doubt be centered around 1000 Deaths’ global launch, we still have to ask — what is the next step for Pariah Interactive? Do you have any further plans to expand on the game?
Prashast: Yes! We are actively working on porting it to Playstation 5, and adding new features based on player feedback on Steam and our Discord. Discussions with other platforms are also in the works. Pariah Interactive is working on its next title, which for now, must remain a secret. But I’d love to tell you more about it soon!
Where else might we be able to find more information on 1000 Deaths and the other projects in Pariah Interactive’s ever-expanding catalog? Are there any important social handles, newsletters, or roadmaps that we ought to be taking advantage of?
Prashast: You can find the game on Steam, and you can find more information and subscribe to our newsletter on the game website https://www.1000deaths.tv.
And here are some social handles you can use, based on your preference:
Reddit: r/1000deaths
Discord: https://pariah.in/discord
TikTok: @pariahinteractive
Bluesky: @pariahinteractive.bsky.social
Instagram: @pariahinteractive
Twitter: @pariahinteract
Twitch: pariahinteractive
You’ve been great — thank you. Before we close the book on this, would you like to add any other details or words for our readers?
Prashast: Go check out 1000 Deaths on Steam! And join our community on the Pariah Interactive Discord. Thanks for having me.
Thanks again, Prashast! We’re looking forward to seeing more of 1000 Deaths over the coming weeks!
You can find more information on Pariah Interactive’s 1000 Deaths by following the team on X. For even more pre-launch updates and news coverage, be sure to add the game to your wishlist on Steam here.