Co-op games are notoriously tricky to get right. Not technically difficult, mind you, but achieving a truly polished experience is another beast entirely. Balancing gameplay length, mechanics, puzzles, and adventure elements is a monumental task. It's no wonder Hazelight Studios, with their back-to-back triumphs in 'It Takes Two' and 'A Way Out', are considered masters of the genre.

Yet, a local indie dev team is daring to tread this challenging path. Meet Team Takoyaki, currently developing 'Memory Dispatch', a 2D dot-art co-op adventure. They showcased their work at last year's G-STAR Indie Showcase, even featuring a boss fight against a giant excavator using dandelions and a camera. Now, they've brought their creation to the PlayX4 2026 expo, which kicked off on the 21st. We caught up with Team Takoyaki to get the lowdown on 'Memory Dispatch'.

Team Takoyaki is a duo: developer Lee Jeong and artist Kwon Nayeon. They first crossed paths in late 2024 at a game development club. While working on projects together, they discovered a shared passion for similar genres. 'Memory Dispatch' itself began as a simple side project, born from a desire to create a game they'd genuinely enjoy.

The team's name, 'Takoyaki', is inspired by the beloved Japanese street food. Lee Jeong explained, "Takoyaki isn't a full meal like other dishes, but it offers a simple, delightful pleasure as a snack." He added, "We hope our game can bring that same kind of small joy to many people." The spelling 'Takoyaki' was playfully tweaked to 'Takoyaki' (따코야끼) to emphasise the co-op nature of their title. Kwon Nayeon elaborated, "We used the doubled consonant 'T' to highlight the fun of playing together."

As this was their first game development endeavour, the road wasn't exactly smooth. Game design was a new territory for both, and with a small team, they juggled not only their specialised roles but also project management, contest applications, and more. The game's mechanics, where backgrounds, objects, and puzzles shift based on the narrative, meant minimal asset reuse. Currently university students, they're also balancing their studies and upcoming graduation.

'Memory Dispatch' is a co-op puzzle platformer that puts emphasis on cooperation and narrative. Players step into the shoes of Lia, a lively and curious human girl, and Memo, a quiet and intelligent bipedal cat. Together, they visit locations tied to clients' memories, capture photographs, and document these moments to deliver them. The character designs for Memo and Lia draw inspiration from Sherlock Holmes. Memo, with his sharp and rational personality, sports a distinctively bold eyebrow, while Lia, with her brown colour scheme and sheep-like hair, embodies a more amiable, Watson-esque disposition.

Lee Jeong shared, "The idea stemmed from a childhood memory of losing my mobile phone." He recalled, "Back then, without online backups, all my photos were gone, which was a real shame. That's when I thought, 'What if there was a camera that could capture memories?'" The decision to use dot art graphics was also rooted in nostalgia. Kwon Nayeon noted, "We have fond memories of dot art, so we chose that style for 'Memory Dispatch'." She added, "To evoke the feeling of bringing the past into the present, the memories Lia captures are rendered as full-colour illustrations."

The game progresses through a stage-based system, beginning with a client seeking out Memo and Lia. The protagonists then embark on explorations based on the client's requests to reclaim memories tied to friends, lovers, or the past. Along the way, players uncover stories about the client and the lore of each location. Once all the memorable spots in a given area have been photographed, and after experiencing a special event, the request is fulfilled.

For instance, the first stage features a baby squirrel named Daru visiting the dispatch office. Daru's forest home is facing redevelopment, and the area is under threat of destruction. He commissions the duo to capture his cherished memories before it's too late. Players must then complete puzzles, overcome obstacles, and tackle sub-quests to capture four distinct memories with their camera. This is followed by a brief escape sequence and a boss battle. Kwon Nayeon stated, "We've strived to create a narrative immersion through the characters' stories and the process of discovering their memories."

'Memory Dispatch' is a co-op game designed for two players. Lee Jeong emphasised, "The core enjoyment comes from cooperation and communication, rather than just gimmick-based fun." He continued, "Since the two protagonists have distinct roles, it's essential for friends, couples, or family members to communicate and collaborate while solving puzzles together." The acclaimed co-op masterpiece 'It Takes Two' served as a significant inspiration.

The girl, Lia, and the cat, Memo, possess unique abilities. Lia, using her special camera, can briefly freeze time. This allows her to stop falling apples mid-air and use them as platforms or solidify delicate lotus flowers. It can also be used to hinder the other player; for example, using the capture function significantly slows down Memo's movement, adding a classic co-op dynamic.

Memo can freely alter his body shape, much like slime. Lee Jeong explained, "We were inspired by the 'cats are liquid' joke, given how easily cats can fit into small spaces." He added, "He can enter pipes and other objects to activate mechanisms." Memo can stick to dandelions or travel through pipes, aiding in puzzle-solving in diverse ways.

At the end of stages, players will encounter puzzle-based boss battles and escape sequences reminiscent of 'It Takes Two'. Kwon Nayeon commented, "We wanted to add challenge and excitement through these climactic events to regulate the overall pacing." She elaborated, "The first stage includes a boss battle against an excavator that requires both characters' cooperation, an escape event from a landslide, and a squirrel race."

'Memory Dispatch' is planned to feature a total of three stages upon release. Each stage is designed to take approximately 30 minutes to complete, with an overall playtime of over 2 hours and 30 minutes when factoring in cutscenes and events. Currently, the team is in the early stages of developing the second stage, with a target release set for the end of the year or early next year.

Lee Jeong revealed, "We plan to add stages four and five through post-launch updates." He continued, "We're also considering implementing collectible items, cosmetic customisation for Lia and Memo, and hidden stories for the clients." He further hinted at plans to flesh out the backstory of Lia and Memo, who run the 'Memory Dispatch' service, and the mysterious camera Lia uses.

However, the small size of Team Takoyaki presents its own set of development hurdles. The constant need to create new assets for each stage is taxing, and balancing the abilities of Lia and Memo has been a significant challenge. Lee Jeong remarked, "Since the two characters' abilities are contrasting, we have to be meticulous to ensure that one player isn't left idle or waiting while the other is active." Kwon Nayeon added, "We've put a lot of effort into providing a narrative reason for why players should engage in escape sequences, boss battles, and mini-games."

Team Takoyaki actively participates in game expos to gather player feedback and refine their game. They showcased their title at last year's G-STAR Indie Showcase and are currently exhibiting at PlayX4 2026, held at KINTEX in Ilsan since the 21st. Kwon Nayeon expressed, "We'd be grateful if families and couples could check out our game at PlayX4." She added, "We'll do our best to ensure it becomes a game that creates happy and fond memories."

Lee Jeong stated, "As this is our first project aiming for a full release, we truly hope many people will enjoy playing it." He continued, "We received great motivation at G-STAR, and we have plans for other games after 'Memory Dispatch', so we'd appreciate it if you keep an eye on our team's future endeavours."