What goes around comes around, OneManOnMars (Roman Fuhrer & Team) has been working on the hand drawn 2D-action-adventure with a coop option "Leif's Adventure: Netherworld Hero" for over 7 years. After participating in the Games Lift Incubator 2020, adding additional team members, and working with publisher Mindscape, the time has finally come: the release date is December 19, 2024! We spoke to developer Roman Fuhrer about his and Leif's journey: 

Leifs Adventure on Steam
Leifs Adventure on Switch & PlayStation

1. Congratulations! You've been working on Leif's Adventure for over 7 years, first as a solo dev, then with additional people. What can you say in retrospect helped you the most to finally develop and release your game? And what advice would you give to small teams or solo devs who now begin their development journey? 

Roman: Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to finally release Leif’s Adventure into the world. In my case, the most important factor was persistence. The project grew and evolved significantly over time, so simply not giving up was key. 

That said, this ties directly to the advice I’d offer: I wouldn’t recommend the same approach to others—or even for my own future projects. The best advice I can give is to set a clear vision early on and validate that vision as quickly as possible. Build a structured plan that separates your core, mandatory features from optional ones so you can scale the project down if needed without compromising the game’s heart. Clear planning and flexibility make a huge difference. 

2. How did being part in our Games Lift Incubator help you or the game development? 

Roman: The Games Lift Incubator was an amazing experience. It gave me the opportunity to connect with others in the industry and build a support network. When you’ve been working on a long-term project, you naturally start questioning yourself and your direction. Having other people to inspire, support, and help you when needed makes a huge difference—it can reignite your motivation and provide much-needed perspective. 

3. Did you have a clear vision for Leif's Adventure from the beginning or did this change during development? 

Roman: The vision for Leif’s Adventure changed dramatically over time. Initially, it was more focused on platforming, but as development progressed, it shifted toward a deeper action-adventure system. Along the way, numerous features came in as afterthoughts—like co-op, interchangeable weapons and outfits, and the map system to name a few. The more I learned, the more I wanted to implement, which sometimes made it feel like a never-ending story. 
 

4. What's next for OneManOnMars and Leif's Adventure after the release, what dreams/plans do you have for the future? 

Roman: I’d love to apply everything I’ve learned during this process to a new project. That’s definitely the plan. However, after so many years, I first need to take some deep breaths and evaluate where I stand. Questions like “How much energy do I have left? What kind of project should I tackle next? Should I go solo again or explore other options?” are at the forefront of my mind right now. I have a lot of ideas, but I want to take the time to carefully plan and structure my next steps before jumping in.  
That being said, the release of a game is not really the end of the project—it’s just another milestone. I’m sure there will be updates here and there, and who knows? Maybe I’ll even implement some exciting new features in the future. 

Leifs Adventure on Steam
Leifs Adventure on Switch & PlayStation