It is the year 2030 and Nairobi is under threat of an alien colony takeover. You are Commander Otero –a GSU Recce Squad who is the only survivor of a plan to protect Kenya from the impending doom of an alien invasion. This is the premise of the adrenaline-pumping game Nairobi X.
The creator – Andrew Kaggia – is one out of three developers at Black Division. This company has created Nairobi X and other games like ‘Kuku Sama’. This innovation became the first 3D game in Kenya and sent shockwaves through African tech spaces. It may, therefore, be difficult to think of Andrew as a self-taught developer in a Kenya where animation was not a very popular career choice.
An Unlikely Path and a Big Dream
The enchanting worlds in video games are often captivating enough to keep us occupied for hours. Andrew Kaggia’s fascination with the creation of these digital worlds led him to drop out of an Economics course at the University of Nairobi in 2008 and pursue his true passion – animation.
Andrew taught himself the ins and outs of animation through reading and the odd animation gig. By 2012, he released an animation film called Wageuzi: Battle – an offering that led all eyes to turn to this upcoming innovator.
During a foray into game development, Andrew discovered that only two other homegrown Kenyan video games existed – and both in 2D. Despite beginning with no funding, Nairobi X was born and found believers along the way. Black Division rolled out the game on June 16th, 2015. Players have since taken on the mantle of being shooters in an epic adventure across places we know and love.
A Game Like No Other
Nairobi X features actual buildings that one would find on a stroll around Nairobi and real-life cultural markers such as Sheng and Kenyan music. Throughout the game, players maneuver their way through nine mission aims. Each aim must be completed to get to the next level.
The futuristic game has surely put Kenya on the map. It also gives players an energizing quest that will be remembered for years to come.
Have you ever played Nairobi X? What stood out to you about this one-of-a-kind video game?