A few months ago, Albania hosted its second edition of GameJam, the largest gaming hackathon in the country. Competing teams had just 72 hours to create their own video games, with the winners earning the opportunity to attend Gamescom, Europe’s biggest gaming event. The winning team, Bayonetta, captured the top prize with their emotionally resonant game “In Memory of Guadalupe.” The team members—Aleks Panidha, Arben Kryemadhi, Soni Seli, and Ueda Gjana—stood out for their creative approach to storytelling and game design.
What is “In Memory of Guadalupe”?
“In Memory of Guadalupe” is a touching narrative game that takes players on a journey to honor their beloved grandmother Guadalupe during The Day of the Dead. Set in a cozy house in Mexico, the game invites players to explore rooms filled with memories and treasures from the past. As players wander through the house, they gather special items like flowers, candles, and painted skulls to build a beautiful altar in memory of Guadalupe. Along the way, they uncover fragments of fairytales she used to read, piecing together cherished stories from their childhood. The game beautifully captures the essence of tradition, love, and memory.
As part of their prize, the Bayonetta team, along with Lorena Gjana, Community Coordinator of the Albanian Gaming Community, attended Gamescom 2024. This prestigious event is known for gathering gaming enthusiasts, developers, and industry leaders from across the globe, offering a unique opportunity to explore the latest trends and innovations in the gaming world.
After their return, Geek Room had the opportunity to speak with the attendees and learn more about their experience.
Geek Room: Was this your first Gamescom?
Lorena Gjana: As part of the organizing team for GameJam Tirana, this has been an irreplaceable experience. It was our second time organizing a GameJam of this scale in Albania, and we are very proud that within less than a year, we managed to double the number of participants.
Geek Room: What was the most beautiful moment at Gamescom 2024 according to you?
Lorena Gjana : I think the most beautiful moment was the presentations of the developed games. The pride, enthusiasm, and emotion that the teams conveyed were palpable to everyone in every moment.
Geek Room: On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate this experience?
Lorena Gjana: 10 – Cheers to many more!
Geek Room: What value does this experience bring to game developers in Albania?
Lorena Gjana: Every community in the industry, no matter how small, has its beginnings from a GameJam. Besides the exchange of experience and knowledge that participants gain from each other and from regional mentors, the most valuable aspect is the connection created among the participants. Organizing GameJams enables those passionate about gaming to test themselves and explore opportunities to further develop their passion into a career.
Geek Room: What can you reveal about the next edition of GameJam?
Lorena Gjana: One thing is certain: there will be many surprises, and we hope to have even more participants in the 3rd edition. What we’ve explored in the first two editions was regional participation, as we had teams from Kosovo and North Macedonia. It would be interesting to expand the participation of GameJam Tirana to other teams from the Balkans. We’ve also wanted to explore the possibility of hosting GameJams in other cities in Albania. If conditions allow, we might make this possible in the 3rd edition.
Geek Room: Was this your first Gamescom?
Ueda Gjana: Yes, it was my first Gamescom. It was interesting, an experience I had never tried before. There were endless things to try, and I saw things I never thought I would see physically.
Aleks Panidha: Yes. It was a fantastic experience! It was great to be in a place filled with people who share the same passion as you.
Soni Seli: Yes, this was my first Gamescom. It was a fantastic experience filled with many beautiful emotions. The atmosphere of an event like that, with over 400,000 participants, was amazing.
Geek Room: What was the most beautiful moment at Gamescom 2024 according to you?
Ueda Gjana: There were many beautiful moments at Gamescom, but I want to highlight two of the most special ones. The wonderful moments I spent with Aleks, Soni, and Arben, and the moment when I played my favorite game, Forza Horizon. The best part was that I stumbled upon the game by chance while wandering through the massive space of Gamescom.
Aleks Panidha: My favorite moments at Gamescom were when I saw someone doing cosplay of a character from a game I really liked and when I took photos with them. Also, playing demos in the indie zone was a highlight.
Soni Seli: The most beautiful moment for me at Gamescom 2024 was exploring the Indie games and the Cosplay Village. It was incredible to see the creativity and passion behind these games, as well as the extraordinary costumes of the cosplay artists, with whom I had the chance to take some funny and beautiful photos. Very good vibes 🙂
Geek Room: How would you improve “In Memory of Guadalupe”?
Ueda Gjana: To improve “In Memory of Guadalupe,” I would add the ability to customize the altar with specific objects from Guadalupe’s life, like a necklace or favorite books, and integrate mini-games where players could reenact scenes from the stories she used to tell. Additionally, I would expand the environment to include the house’s garden, where players could find hidden flowers and souvenirs, as well as incorporate voiceovers that tell stories and traditional songs, creating a deeper and more authentic experience of Día de los Muertos.
Aleks Panidha: I would develop the story and gameplay further because, as a game created in 48 hours, it leaves much to be desired in some aspects.
Soni Seli: My role was that of a Narrative and Game Designer, so I believe that design elements and a different layout could change the feeling of the game we developed with the team, based on the new experiences gained from Gamescom.
Geek Room: On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate this experience?
Ueda Gjana: 8 – An experience I would try again but in a distant time.
Aleks Panidha: 9 – The triple-A side was a bit weak this year in my opinion, but I’m already looking forward to next year!
Soni Seli: 7 – Beautiful but exhausting.
