God Eater Interview
Having the success of Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise engulf the portable game market in Japan via the PlayStation Portable with tsunami-like force, naturally, other developers and publishers also quickly moved to capitalize on the series’ wave of popularity with their own offerings into the “local co-op, beast toppling and looting” genre. While the emergence of Monster Hunter as a nationwide phenomenon in the game space was a gradual and somewhat unexpected one, the repercussions from the market-wide disturbance that the games have generated has been entirely predictable, as such precedent exists within all realms of entertainment media, from the box office to prime-time programming to the record store. Great (financial) successes result in an onslaught of imitators, impersonators and look-alikes.
Such terminology is not intended to be as harsh as it sounds. While not necessarily considered to be the healthiest trend if one is anticipating paradigm shifting innovation in design, often overlooked is the reality that this gradual experimentation is, in most cases, a necessary process in the evolution of the medium. It is often the accumulation of skill and knowledge generated through these processes that eventually results in the kinds of industry rupturing revolutions that we claim to be constantly clamoring for.
For some reason, those following in the footsteps of Monster Hunter tend to receive a particularly excessive amount of flak, often regarded as “blatant rip-offs” instead of “new entries into a genre” – more so than games built upon familiar principles established in other genres. Maybe the classification feels narrower, more defined since a majority of the “followers” also tend to appear on the PSP. Maybe this is the result of some sort of “lack of understanding” by players outside of Japan, since the games have not yet managed to sink their teeth into the mass markets of other regions (for reasons which reach far beyond the game’s perceived “genre”).
God Eater, released on February 4th by Bandai Namco for the PSP in cooperation with developer Shift, rests comfortable in the company of the other “MonHun followers”. While built upon the familiar framework present in the popular monster toppling, loot hording series, it would be unfair to write the game off so quickly. The development team appears to have invested a significant amount of time and energy into producing something that can stand on its own as a wholly unique property, something far from being a mere “rushed cash-in”. For the sake of comparison, Sega has managed to release three Phantasy Star titles in the same category (a series which arguably built a cornerstone for this sub-genre when Phantasy Star Online appeared on the Dreamcast back in 2000), two for the PSP and one on the DS, in less time than it has taken the team at Bandai Namco to bring God Eater to market.
Without Mario we may have no Klonoa or Sonic, and without Castlevania or Metroid likely no Shadow Complex or Cave Story. We likely would not be playing God Eater had Monster Hunter ceased to exist, but the team may have carved out just enough of a niche to provide a unique and welcome contribution. The game is expected to hit the western market with additional support for online co-op, which may prove to be its ticket into the arena of top-class hunters.
In the following interview which ran in Weekly Famitsu #1112, the game’s producer, Yusuke Tomizawa, and director, Hiroshi Yoshimura, discuss the thought process behind some of the game’s mechanics, the trials and tribulations of a long development cycle, as well as prospects for the franchise’s future.
Creating a System to Broaden the User Base
Where did the “link-aid” concept come from, which allows players to sacrifice their own HP in order to revive other players that have gone down in battle?
Hiroshi Yoshimura: There’s this strangely uncomfortable air that sort of takes over when someone runs out of life during (cooperative) multiplayer games . . . a situation which is rather common. It’s an interesting quality unique to multiplayer, but on the flipside, I think that it also becomes one of the primary reasons that beginning players end up shying away. It can be said about fighting games as well, but the barrier to entry just simply ends up being too high. So that’s (one area) where we wanted to moderate things. When we had a meeting with (game developer) Shift they brought up, “Wouldn’t be interesting if you were to integrate some sort of system where you could offer aid to other players, similar to the kind of thing that you often see in first and third-person shooters?” With that, we had “link-aid.”
Yusuke Tomizawa: In the beginning we had planned to incorporate a kind of tactical element where (battles) would become easier if players could manage to separate multiple enemies, distancing them from each other, and where it would then become more difficult perform “link-aid”. What we found however, was that it we ended up with a balance where it was difficult for that sort of situation to occur, battling separate enemies. This is something that we’ll be tackling going forward. We still have a lot of ideas related to “link-aid” and other cooperative elements.
I wonder if this is due to the implementation of the link aid system, but the Aragami seem to have extremely high attack power and I was kind of left with the impression that the player can be toppled rather quickly . . .
Yoshimura: Tampering with the balance during test play, often the player just refused to ever run out of energy. (laughs) There were these long periods where battles would just drag on and on, where it felt like neither the Aragami nor the player could be taken down. That’s where we thought, “Wouldn’t it be better if both winning and losing were carried out speedily?” so we upped the attack power of the Aragami. Of course we boosted player strength as well, but it is possible that we raised the Aragami’s attack power a bit much. (laughs)
Tomizawa: From a game balance perspective, to a certain extent we made a game that is somewhat geared toward players that are good at action games. But as it turns out, our user base seems to be much more diverse than we had predicted, to the point where we’re getting questions back on surveys from players along the lines of, “This is my first time playing an action game, but are they usually this difficult?”
Yoshimura: There may very well be some missions that are a bit difficult for players that aren’t accustomed to playing action games, but that’s why we’ve added the “link-aid” (system). In cases where the player is being repeatedly taken down by the enemy, I’d be thrilled if players would work together with a friend in order to clear those hurdles.
Severely Scolded for Making Revisions in Secret
Were there any times in particular where you felt that you really struggled during development?
Yoshimura: Mentally, the early stages of development were taxing. We had a period where we were really just going through a series of trial and error over and over. We’d do some test playing, we’d get rejected, and even once we rebuilt it they’d say, “Something’s lacking . . .” The stage where we were trying to come up with a solid concept was really just an endless series of complications.
Tomizawa: We came up with tons of prototypes which were completely different before we finally settled on the gameplay and game world that we have now. Probably half of the 3 years that the game was in development was spent with Yoshimura being constantly troubled, “Not like that, not really like this either . . .” From the beginning of development we had committed to the position that we’d create the game together with the users throughout (the development cycle), so factoring that in made the early stages exceptionally tough, I think. The company has a few things to say when (the game that you’ve) spent nearly a year creating gets rejected in an instant. (laughs)
Yoshimura: Yeah, but it was really the other staff within the company and the team over at Shift that helped us out a great deal. Even in that sort of situation everyone was optimistically wrestling with the (game’s) development, which ended up being a great form of support.
Tomizawa: I actually still wasn’t part of the God Eater team at that time. It was decided that I would join right as the prototype for the current game system came together.
Yoshimura: The part that was physically demanding was when we were making revisions following the release of the demo. The team at Shift and I pretty much went without sleep putting that (demo) together, but we didn’t anticipate the massive amount of work that ended up being necessary following its release. Irrespective of all the progress that we had made debugging as we were aiming to put together the final product, we ended up having to make modifications to the point where it was like we might as well have restarted from scratch. Time after time there were people in the company saying things like, “Are you out of your mind trying to make those kinds of changes now?” (laughs)
Tomizawa: Anyways, at that point, without saying anything to anyone, cautiously, there were some rather bold things that we had to do. (laughs)
Yoshimura: It was decided that the day we got the revised version of the game mastered that the next day would be a day off for everyone. (laughs) So when I went to the office the following day (after the “day off”), a bunch of staff members were hovering around my desk. They were like, “Can you come here for a minute?” (laughs)
Because originally, the adjustments made after getting the demo online were supposed to be more on the level of fine adjustments.
Tomizawa: We received a ridiculous amount of feedback following the release of the demo. We had put together a public site for user’s to voice their opinions, and it basically blew up. We’d get hundreds of more entries just while we were checking the one’s that we had previously received.
Yoshimura: We made the game while communicating with the users all throughout (development) and we plan to continue in the same way. For us, polishing and revising the game all the way up until right before it gets released is one way for us to show our dedication (to the players).
Tomizawa: We’ve still got tons of surveys coming in even after the game has been released. We’re incredibly pleased because there are really very few titles that get this kind of response.
Regarding the Future Development of God Eater
Upon finishing the game the conversation between the characters suggests that the story continues. Is this something that players will be able to experience through downloadable missions down the road?
Yoshimura: With regards to the story, there’s both a manga and novel being created, so that’s where some parts of the story will unfold for the first time. We can use these other media to expand on peoples’ imagination related to pieces (of the story) that weren’t fully developed in the game as well. Of course, we do have plans to develop some different things with regards to the game (specifically) as well, so players can look forward to that.
Would it be possible to release missions that would allow players to once again get together with characters such as (spoiler protection) who die partway through the game?
Yoshimura: It would be possible to do through downloadable missions, but only under the condition that they take the form of a flashback or recollection. Otherwise the story would kind of end up contradicting itself. (laughs)
I have to ask. Is there anything that you may be able to say regarding a sequel?
Tomizawa: Well, we’ve listened carefully to the demands of the users while we were creating the game, and we’ve been getting lots of feedback and opinions since the game’s release. As for the team, there’s the feeling that they’ve got the drive to go at it again. There are a lot of things that we’d like to fix or improve and a lot of ideas that we’re coming up with for things that we’d like to try. Could I say that we’re in a situation where the development team seems to have taken the liberty to put themselves in motion? (laughs)
Yoshimura: There are still many, many parts that ought to be refined. Should we wind up doing a sequel, we won’t be able to satisfy players if we don’t produce something that goes beyond what they are envisioning (as part of their expectations). Before we begin thinking about a sequel, taking good care of the users that bought the game this time around has to come first.
So if that’s the case, we could possibly see new developments via downloadable missions or something along those lines . . . ?
Yoshimura: Exactly what we are going to offer and by what means we are going to get that content to the players is still undecided, but we still have a lot of things that we’d like to do.
Tomizawa: We see the users who are playing the game right now as the foundation of God Eater. Our stance is to proceed in-step with the users with regards to whatever new content we create, which is a policy that we plan to stick with.
Original article appeared in Weekly Famitsu, issue #1112. Writing and article translation by Justin Potts.
Two Worlds II
Too many times we’ve seen greatness go sour in a sequel. Sometimes, the growing pains of the original can instead teach some important lessons for the sequel. In the case of South Peak Games’ Two World II, we’re fortunate it’s the latter. The open world, high fantasy RPG is new and improved, perfectly suited for those who find a thirty hour game, “a brief aside”.
Two Worlds II provides an ease of access and a linear plot than will easily grab any casual player, but the vivid and massive world will most likely draw a crowd of hardcore RPGers who have no plans for the next 60-80 hours. No release specific date has yet been set, but expect it later this year.
Glory of Heracles
Likes:
- Another solid RPG on the DS
- By integrating Greek mythology into the story, Glory of Heracles sets itself apart from other RPGs
- There's a great deal of strategy involved in the complex battle system
Dislikes:
- Outside of the Greek mythology, this RPG is excruciatingly formulaic
- Characters are less than memorable
- Most music within the game is watered down despite a few unforgettable songs
Review Score
/ 
The review scale at LevelFortyTwo is between 1 and 5. A score of 5 is considered an amazing game, 4 is a well-done game with only minor issues, 3 is in the middle; not great, but not bad, 2 is a very problematic game, and 1 is absolutely terrible.
A Geek’s Guide to Brainwashing Your Friends & Family: Video Games Edition
Geeks are passionate by definition. Whether it’s regarding a sweet kill/death ratio, the most OP deck possible, getting that super leet gear, or a detailed knowledge of every word Tolkien ever wrote, we take our interests to a level bordering on zealous obsession. All this comes with the natural desire to share our interests with friends and family. Unfortunately, we tend to find that your wife doesn't necessarily want to spend Friday night inside raiding dungeons ‘til the sun comes up, or your boyfriend would rather watch the game than hit up that 12-hour Magic tournament, or your kids or parents don’t really want to spend school nights reading 400 page books full of nothing but rules regarding spells and Prestige classes. Alas, we’re here to lay those problems to rest. Here’s a guide to bring out the geek in that special someone (hereafter: the target), so you can finally have someone nearby (the interweb doesn't count) to talk to about the craziness that just went down in the last issue of Green Lantern.
Them There Vidja Games… In this current console generation, many areas of gaming are losing the stigma of being exclusive to the elite underground geeks. Advances in motion technology have generally taken away the need for skill to really enjoy such games; thus, the number of people who would enjoy gaming in general increases exponentially. Up until the past few console generations, the large majority of video games prevented all but the few and the leet from enjoying them because of their general difficulty. Even today, many games assume from the player quite a bit of previous knowledge about how video games work and play. However, there are many ways to break these misconceptions and give any family member or friend the gift of geek.
Geeks have certain tastes in gaming, and as it turns out, these targets or “normal people” do too. The most important factor in brainwashing the target is to make sure they are having fun at all times. Show mom how glorious this bloody, slo-mo headshot looks in Fallout 3 and it can be a quick turn off. Instead, take the target’s tastes into consideration. Any collector (a nerdy endeavor as it is) would fit perfectly into a Pokémon, Harvest Moon, Eye of Judgement, or any MMO, while a car or gun nut would not have as much interest there. A simple way to go is in the very universal genre of Wii gaming. The learning curve there is as low as it gets, and getting to make your Mii and watch it play tennis or go bowling is a good way to show the target that truly anyone can play video games. Once they realize it doesn't take years of training to play a video game, they’re bound to be open to a plethora of new gaming experiences. If your boyfriend or brother can't see an interest in spending hours on end catching all those Pokémon or Piñatas, consider what their other hobbies are. With dozens of new games out every month, there's bound to be a game that relates to their interests. Check out our Holiday Gift Guide for more tips on what games can best fit what kind of person!
Choose their first game wisely. If the target’s never played a shooter before and you want to have them enjoy that genre with you, do not ask that person if they want to play Counter Strike together. You can expect a short and infuriating session, and that person will be much more reluctant to pick up a controller in the future. Instead, play one-on-one or with a few friends in a simple, fun or (relatively) light-hearted shooter like Team Fortress 2, Halo, Quake or Timesplitters. Older shooters tend to have simpler mechanics, so play something classic like Jet Force Gemini, Goldeneye or even Faceball 2000. Break that misconception in their minds that all video games require a huge time investment and unique skills akin to playing a musical instrument. Take your time with them so they can learn the mechanics and how the game works, but don't overdo it, as most people don't enjoy it when you "go easy on them". If you want them to play an RPG, understand that experience points, critical hits, HP, mana, and spell and inventory management are an entirely different language, so start simple with a game like Paper Mario, Pokémon or Sonic Chronicles. Then, over time, the target may find themselves having a good time and looking for more similar experiences with more frequency.
Like cooking a cold blooded animal; turn up the heat in these digital depths slowly. Wanna make her a fan of WoW? Don't ask your girlfriend if she wants to use your level 80 shadow priest to run Ulduar with your raiding guild 'til 3am. Do ask her if she wants to design her own character who can brew potions, engineer mechanical chickens, collect a wide range of pets and rid the world of those slimy Murlocs. Over time, the target will develop an attachment or investment in the game that will get them to play more frequently for themselves. While things like Wii Sports have taken steps to make gaming accessible to everyone, the majority of it still requires a fairly large investment and varying amounts of skill. A key is allowing yourself the right amount of participation in the game being played. Despite what the game may be, don’t play for them. But at the same time don’t make them figure out everything themselves, as you’re privy to years of experience with gaming that will make things far easier for you. This probably won't work in most multiplayer environments where the other team is out for blood, but easily can be found in a slower paced game on an easy setting so they can take their time and screw around if they want. As their skill and knowledge increases, so will their ability to enjoy the finer points of the game's intricacies. Should they still seem unwilling to take that leap, take yourself to their level of gaming. Whether people realize it or not, everyone plays games. Facebook has plenty of games with varying depth that can be the perfect place to start. Anyone who plays Farmville can easily find a comfortable experience in a Harvest Moon, Viva Piñata or Animal Crossing. Eventually, once they find themselves invested in a game, whatever the genre, you’ll wake up to find that they’ve surpassed you and have caught every single Pokémon twice over.
Your target is always going to be unique, so take into consideration that while everybody loves to have fun, the definition of fun will mean a million different things to a million different people. With the gaming market doing their best to turn everyone from grandpas to sorority girls into gamers, your job is made that much easier. Show them that there are developers out there making games specifically for their interests, whatever they may be, and that hardcore gamers are people too… just people with way better gear than you. Keep an eye out next week for our second Brainwashing Guide: Comics Edition!
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins is Bioware's latest addition to their stockpile of epic storylines and fully fleshed out worlds. Set in a roughly standard fantasy setting, the game feels both very familiar and ahead of the curve. Its base is easily placed in a Baldur's Gate environment, with the three main classes being Warrior, Mage, and Rogue; the three playable races Human, Elf, and Dwarf.
After a satisfying character creator, the game starts you off in an Origin story. This is where, depending on your race and class, you lay the background to your character's arrival with the Grey Wardens. Each Origin story takes about an hour or more to complete, and there are six different ones. Your story, while not totally unique from someone else's, really feels like you get to know your in-game persona. Characters will also react differently to who you are and what your race is or what you've trained yourself as: elves have only recently been freed from slavery under the humans, so many are regarded with open contempt and hostility. Mages, on the other hand, are almost universally feared by other non-mages, seeing as so many go rogue and are destructive, naturally making normal citizens wary of them.
Dragon Age shines best in its story and world. Ferelden feels like a living, breathing environment, with its own history and politics, you as the player feel very much a part of it. Combined with a solid story and tense moral choices, each action you make feels like it can have ripples everywhere. These choices are very gripping to be a part of (except for maybe that everyone seems okay with only you deciding, but we'll leave that alone); should you sacrifice a mother to enter a spirit world to kill a demon, or kill her child that is possessing it? Remember, you are trying to enter into the good graces of the father and husband. Or another, which successor to the dwarven throne do you support?
Alongside the story, the game is well done visually. It's not truly perfect, but for a game that can be played top down or over the shoulder, it handles the load quite well. Fights have plenty of blood splatter and the occasional decapitation, but otherwise look and feel very visceral. The sound is spot on, with music working well but not in your way. Voice acting is very well done, which really comes out in the more cinematic style of dialog conversations than other RPGs.
Battles themselves are also very fun and rarely repetitive. Since action can be paused to administer orders and with an overhead view of your area, tactics become important, and vital in the higher difficulties. Your party members need to be properly positioned in order to be effective, and even in simpler battles carelessness will cost you your life. Several times I breezed though a previously tough situation just by pausing the action, examining my enemies, and employing some simple tactics. This keeps each fight alive and stops things from feeling like a hack and slash.
Your party members can also be customized to a staggering degree. There are dozens of different events (along the lines of “Surrounded by two or more enemies” or “Health below 75%”), and you can set multitudes of reactions to those events (“Activate Skill X” or “Use Health Poultice”). This allows for a great degree of customization for your party members and yourself, if you aren't controlling your character.
If you've ever expressed any interest in fantasy RPGs, Dragon Age is instantly among the best the genre has to offer. Everything works together to pull you into a deep and immersive world. The replay value is obviously quite high, and the longevity is extended with DLC already out and more to come. It is absolutely worth getting, regardless if you're a die hard fan of the genre or just starting out.
Likes:
- Well developed party members that chat amongst themselves and have lives of their own
- Open ended world with plenty of reward for exploration
- Intricate and enjoyable storyline
Dislikes:
- Silent Player Character; after Mass Effect, this feels like a step backwards
- Camera can be a bit tough to handle occasionally
Review Score
/
The review scale at LevelFortyTwo is between 1 and 5. A score of 5 is considered an amazing game, 4 is a well-done game with only minor issues, 3 is in the middle; not great, but not bad, 2 is a very problematic game, and 1 is absolutely terrible.
