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[Lime]

UPDATE: New interview by Heidi Kemps exploring the question much more in depth:

Tri-Ace was recently purchased by Nepro Japan, a mobile-focused company. Has this changed the way you work with them at all?

Since it's not about our company, we can't really go into detail. There's a lot we don't really know, either. It was mostly for monetary reasons. From what I hear, tri-Ace is a lot healthier now. They still want us to utilize their skills in creating games, so our relationship hasn't changed at all. We've rebuilt our relationship with them through this title, and I'd like to work with them even more in the future.

Is that a hint of Valkyrie Profile 3 in the works?
[laughs] I really want to make Valkyrie Profile 3! If SO5 is successful, I'd love to work on Valkyrie Profile 3 as soon as possible. But it's a challenge, for sure. Frankly, Valkyrie Profile 1 was a masterpiece, with a lot of unique story and system elements. Valkyrie Profile 2, however, was more like a traditional RPG, and it wasn't as successful. If we do create a new VP, we really need to figure out what users want out of it. Even if we make a Valkyrie Profile 3, we won't be able to make a great game without doing the proper research on what the fans would like. I've been constantly thinking about it.

Let me ask you: If there's a Valkyrie Profile 3, what kind of game would you like it to be?

Me?! Uh, well… do you, uh, want a nice big list of everything I want in a VP3? [laughs] Seriously, though, I love the game's non-traditional structure. I think one of my favorite things about the original Valkyrie Profile was learning about the world and its sorry state through the tragic stories of the Einherjar who Lenneth recruits. The whole game had such a unique, somber tone to it. You didn't get quite the same sense of sorrow in the second game.

Oh, I completely understand what you mean by that! Did you see the very last ending of Valkyrie Profile? Lenneth ascends to godhood, but I don't know what we can do after that. How to expand the story from there is boggling.

You've still got Hrist.

Yes, we do! [laughs] Well, the probability of another VP sequel happening would definitely increase should SO5 become a success!

START OF ORIGINAL POST:


Gamespot interview with Square Enix producer Shuichi Kobayashi on "Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness--due out in North America on June 28 and Europe July 1--as well as why he sees the game as a series reboot, the recent outcry over visual changes to localized games, and whether or not we'll ever get another Valkyrie Profile."

On green-lighting Star Ocean 5:

Kobayashi: In Japan, I feel that consumer [interest] in console games is dwindling right now. At Square Enix, as a whole, I feel that it's very dangerous for even us. Of course there are big titles like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts--we have those--but I feel that all the other IPs Square Enix holds are all falling into the most casual line, like mobile games. I also feel that the Japanese market for consumer titles is getting smaller. I felt that this was very dangerous, so I wanted to reboot Star Ocean. Originally I was thinking of creating the new Star Ocean as a more challenging game, deeper and more core--but I thought we needed to acquire more players to get this reboot started.

This is the fifth installment in the series, but I feel like it's more the first title in a reboot.

On the Japanese console market:

Q: You say the console market is dwindling in Japan, and mobile is more popular--I'm curious how you feel about the state of Japanese role-playing games as a genre?

This is my personal thought on JRPGs: As Dragon Quest was the beginning of the breakout of JRPGs in general, I feel that JRPGs are something that anyone can reach the ending of, no matter what kind of skill set they have. As long as they put the time into it, they can always definitely reach the end. That gives a satisfying or fulfilling feeling to a player. I feel that being able to role-play and adventure and journey in a world as the protagonist is what makes a JRPG a JRPG, and what makes it good. The JRPGs out now are grounded in Japanese culture, where you can become a protagonist of something like Japanese anime or manga, and experience being one of them in a scenario-driven game. Once you finish, it stays with you, in your memory--it becomes a part of your experience. I feel that JRPGs won't change as long as that doesn't change.

Because a lot of those type of games and IPs are becoming more mobile, they become more casual. I feel that the Japanese as developers are losing the technology and techniques and skill sets to be able to create those [less casual] kind of games. We do need to start learning from Western games and the technologies they use. Just as Final Fantasy XV is taking on a new challenge to create that kind of game, I feel Square Enix is moving towards taking on more of that kind of challenge. I personally need to take on that challenge with the Star Ocean series, as well.

I feel sad that there aren't that many Japanese games coming to the West anymore. I'm very surprised how much the American culture has changed since the last time he personally oversaw a game release in America, in the West. I really need to learn even more, moving forward.

On appealing to Western markets:

After going through that phase, the creators are actually going back to the approach of creating what they think of the best. For example, look at Dark Souls: it's a Japanese creator but it's been selling well globally. It's because they are going back to the idea that they are creating what they think is the best. For Star Ocean, I wanted to go back to those fundamentals again and create a game that I think is good. After this game is released in the states, I want to collect feedback and incorporate it into the next title, if I can release one.

On the relationship between tri-ace and Square Enix:

Q: Completely switching gears... What did you do in the seven years between this and the last Star Ocean title?

To be very frank, after Star Ocean 4, Square Enix and Tri-Ace didn't have the opportunity to work with each other as much a before, especially because Tri-Ace was developing for other companies and Star Ocean requires its main staff to work on it. It was really hard to get the development team together. The other reasoning was that we've all though the Star Ocean storyline was completed after that--that was another reason we didn't move on. But Tri-Ace's studio head [Yoshiharu] Gotanda, the creator of Star Ocean, had all these ideas for Star Ocean and the expanded universe. He always wanted to do more, but like I mentioned before, there was never that opportunity.

I'm a personal fan of Star Ocean and [other Tri-Ace series] Valkyrie Profile, and I was constantly thinking that more games should come out for these IP. But I wasn't a producer, I was in marketing and never able to start a project. But because console games were dwindling, I felt that danger in the market, and I went to [Square Enix] and asked to change departments, change teams, and start the project

On Valkyrie fucking Profile 3 (bless Alexa Ray Corriea for asking the question and answering back like that):

Q: Would you ever make another Valkyrie Profile?

Do you really love Valkyrie Profile that much?

Q: Yes!

I really want to. I really like Valkyrie Profile too. It's just that it's a bit difficult to do because a lot of the players like Valkyrie Profile 1 the most. The difference between players for the first game and its sequels is so different that it's difficult to think about what makes the series good.

More at the link, including localization and panties talk: www.gamespot.com/articles/star-ocean-5s-producer-on-localization-challenges-/1100-6438661/

 

[Skilletor]

Dungeons, characters, worldbuilding and story like VP1.

Battle System of VP2.

There, I made the perfect game.

 

[Xord]

I wonder if there's still hope for JRPG's on consoles.

 

[Aeana]

SO5 as a series reboot makes it feeling like SO1 make more sense to me.

 

[Rob2K19]

Pretty much confirmed that there will be more consorting with foreigners leading to more diapers on adult characters.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

This is a really cool interview. It sounds like the producer really understands what makes enthusiast console gamers tick and why it's still a significant audience.

Especially now that he has described Star Ocean in this way, as something of a "rebirth" of the series to recapture the RPG audience on consoles, it makes you realize that the game seems to have a lot of significance in SE's apparent new direction.

Back when it was announced last year, a lot of people seemed to have fairly "meh" opinions on SE as a company. Its announcement really came out of left field and pleasantly surprised a lot of people. And not long after that, they had their excellent E3 showcase that showed they were really making an effort to return to their roots by doubling down on the console enthusiast market. Star Ocean just feels like phase 1 of this plan and I'm glad to see there's been a lot of positivity regarding it and SE's future in general.

I also really love his part about games like Dark Souls, and how they've been successful because developers are simply doing what they think makes the best game possible, to great success. That's the kind of ideology I love seeing from developers.

I liked this interview, I liked it a lot.

 

[Arthea]

Is he right about VP? I like all three games, even if I like the first most, I would be glad to play whatever kind of VP they release as all three games are different, I always thought that series fans doesn't have some set in stone expectations, except that it has to be a VP game in the same universe.

 

[CO_Andy]

I wonder if that producer is even aware of Indivisible, cuz folks are definitely hungry for a new VP.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Really happy to hear he's interested in adding more depth to combat in future entries

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

First bit explains why 5 is utterly toothless, at least.

Maybe I should've paid more attention to the Famitsu interviews-____-

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

I wonder if there's still hope for JRPG's on consoles.

Western sales will have to pick up the slack.

 

[Jolkien]

First bit explains why 5 is utterly toothless, at least.

Maybe I should've paid more attention to the Famitsu interviews-____-

Toothless ? As in it's easy ? Is there any difficulty setting and do they just inflate HP or it gives insentive as well (either better XP, drop rate or something) Damn I wanted to stay away of the import impression as the hype is already killing me. I hope the story is decent at least.

 

[A.E Suggs]

Sounds good to me. They can keep VP3 if he doesn't feel he can do it, the first mistake would be to make a game like star ocean 4 with no real direction.

Pretty much confirmed that there will be more consorting with foreigners leading to more diapers on adult characters.

I'm glad that's what you took from all this. Now all we need is another 5 or 6 of you to get the west is ruining japanese games to get this ball rolling.

 

[Ferrio]

Dungeons, characters, worldbuilding and story like VP1.

Battle System of VP2.

There, I made the perfect game.

Yep, glorious first post. VP2 battle system was way superior, but the einherjar were boring as hell. The main story also was a bit wonky, and didn't offset it. I really don't understand his comment about the two player bases... is there an actual split like that? Both games are amazing.

Dammit we want our Hrist. Maybe they can explain why she's such an ass.

 

[DangerMouse]

Great stuff, hopefully he'll be able to push for more of both IPs. Can't wait to play SO5.

This is a really cool interview. It sounds like the producer really understands what makes enthusiast console gamers tick and why it's still a significant audience.

Especially now that he has described Star Ocean in this way, as something of a "rebirth" of the series to recapture the RPG audience on consoles, it makes you realize that the game seems to have a lot of significance in SE's apparent new direction.

Back when it was announced last year, a lot of people seemed to have fairly "meh" opinions on SE as a company. Its announcement really came out of left field and pleasantly surprised a lot of people. And not long after that, they had their excellent E3 showcase that showed they were really making an effort to return to their roots by doubling down on the console enthusiast market. Star Ocean just feels like phase 1 of this plan and I'm glad to see there's been a lot of positivity regarding it and SE's future in general.

I also really love his part about games like Dark Souls, and how they've been successful because developers are simply doing what they think makes the best game possible, to great success. That's the kind of ideology I love seeing from developers.

I liked this interview, I liked it a lot.

Completely agree.
Also, yeah, SO5 really felt like it was one of the turning points like you said, it coming out of nowhere was such a great moment.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Toothless ? As in it's easy ? Is there any difficulty setting and do they just inflate HP or it gives insentive as well (either better XP, drop rate or something) Damn I wanted to stay away of the import impression as the hype is already killing me. I hope the story is decent at least.

The combat was dumbed down from 3/4, and your full party fights meaning you have up to seven player characters + enemies on screen for each battle. It's like a musou game both in terms of chaos and easiness.

You start off with Earth (easy) and Galaxy (normal) difficulty. Have to beat it to unlock more

 

[texhnolyze]

So he's looking for more players (market) that are already exist but he can't see them. He's basically clueless.

Anyway, I'm pumped for VC3.

 

[Nyoro SF]

From the interview:

Going off the difference in ratings, even gestures and hand signs are really different from culture to culture. For instance, in Star Ocean 5, when you first meet Relia, Miki pats her head to reassure her. In Japan that a reassuring motion, like what you do to little kids. But in some countries it was not taken that way, so that's been changed in the game to fit the different cultures. It was picked up during QA, and we changed it.

This I did not know. Guess I'm not an expert in Japanese culture.

This explains the Trails games a lot. Cold Steel is like serial head patting city.

Western sales will have to pick up the slack.

Well, he wants to play Dark Souls and he's interested in it because of its global success.

If he wants to look at Dark Souls, and use that aesthetic to inspire him for Valkyrie Profile 3, that would be pretty interesting. If you really want Western sales, that kind of presentation could help a ton.

 

[Lime]

So he's looking for more players (market) that are already exist but he can't see them. He's basically clueless.

Anyway, I'm pumped for VC3.

I don't think it's that simple unfortunately. The Japanese console market has shown clear indication of change. It's simply not as big and lucrative as it once was.

 

[Ruruja]

Why must the Japanese console market exist for them to make JRPGs when there's a whole world out there willing to buy them? Japanese devs need to stop focussing on making their games just for the Japanese.

 

[AHK_Hero]

I wonder if there's still hope for JRPG's on consoles.

Western sales will have to pick up the slack.

Makes me sad to face the reality of my favorite genre dying out.

Maybe we'll have a revival one day like adventure games have with crowdfunding.

 

[Lime]

Dammit we want our Hrist. Maybe they can explain why she's such an ass.

 

[Worldshaker]

It breaks my heart knowing that JRPGs on consoles are dying in Japan. Is it even possible for console sales to ever recover?

 

[Lime]

In case people want some context of the interview with the first week sales of SO5 in Japan:

02./00. [PS4] Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness <RPG> (Square Enix) {2016.03.31} (¥7.980) - 113.022 / NEW

Series comparison:

I guess it's up to non-Japanese markets to pick up the slack. 500k at the end of everything?

 

[Thud]

At least someone is thinking about it.

Square pls.

 

[A.E Suggs]

In case people want some context of the interview with the first week sales of SO5 in Japan:

02./00. [PS4] Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness <RPG> (Square Enix) {2016.03.31} (¥7.980) - 113.022 / NEW

Series comparison:

I guess it's up to non-Japanese markets to pick up the slack. 500k at the end of everything?

Guess so, won't be the first game that sells more in the west than in japan if it happens.

 

[Terra_Ex]

Dungeons, characters, worldbuilding and story like VP1.

Battle System of VP2.

There, I made the perfect game.

Yes, this. Take those things, add Hrist, job done.

I really wish they'd have struck while the iron was still hot back in the jrpg heyday and pushed out VP3 after VP2 shipped, they were at the top of their game back then. I'd have happily sacrificed Resonance of Fate, to say nothing of tri-Ace's other output during that gen, if it would have netted me VP3. Now I honestly wonder if VP3 will ever see the light of day. Oh well, I'll keep hoping and pick up a copy of SO5 in the meantime.

Did they at least give her a cameo in SO5?

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

If he wants to look at Dark Souls, and use that aesthetic to inspire him for Valkyrie Profile 3, that would be pretty interesting. If you really want Western sales, that kind of presentation could help a ton.

Nah, Creative vision should not be compromised. You make the game you want to make and tweak some things here and there (like Tri Ace did with the underwear) and you market the game more aggressively to western audiences and hope they respond to it.

 

[Nyoro SF]

Nah, Creative vision should not be compromised. You make the game you want to make and tweak some things here and there (like Tri Ace did with the underwear) and you market the game more aggressively to western audiences and hope they respond to it.

I mean if that was the creative vision from the start, not compromising something you've already decided on concept. Like if the beginning aim was the "dark RPG" with heavier emotional tones and environments.

I haven't played Valkyrie Profile for the record, but I have seen snippets and videos of it, and I can see why visual inspiration from the style of Dark Souls can succeed in a sequel.

Not talking about gameplay by the way of course, merely visuals, cutscenes, story and character design.

 

[Sakura]

Originally I was thinking of creating the new Star Ocean as a more challenging game, deeper and more core--but I thought we needed to acquire more players to get this reboot started.

If this was his goal, I feel like he kind of failed.
I think they would've been better off creating a game more befitting of the title Star Ocean.

 

[Alex]

VP1 and 2 are both top end stuff, the only issue I ever had with 2 was Alicia. Gimmie 3.

 

[Error]

I tried VP2 for a bit after not playing it for a long time, to test a new mem card I ordered since my old one died and I was immediately reminded why the game is so great gameplay wise. The battle system is just so good: the sounds, the special effects, the strategic nature of it, the synergy between the skills and the flow of combat, how impactful every blow feels, the variety in combos you can do. Just a master class in battle design.

 

[Lime]

If he wants to look at Dark Souls, and use that aesthetic to inspire him for Valkyrie Profile 3, that would be pretty interesting. If you really want Western sales, that kind of presentation could help a ton.

Not sure if tri-ace and their storytelling/writing would be up to the task, but I could see the dark and sad tragedies in VP1 as a potential route to take if they went in the Souls direction. The stories in VP1 were so raw (albeit melodramatic, but nevertheless something so raw you rarely, if ever see, in video games).

Continuing that tragic tradition would do wonders for VP3 I think.

 

[witchedwiz]

Dungeons, characters, worldbuilding and story like VP1.

Battle System of VP2.

There, I made the perfect game.

add in the crafting of star ocean1//2 and helll, it would be a game worth kickstarting... *_*

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Why must the Japanese console market exist for them to make JRPGs when there's a whole world out there willing to buy them? Japanese devs need to stop focussing on making their games just for the Japanese.

Japanese developers are doing a lot recently to focus on other Asian and Western markets. Asia in particular is a promising opportunity for them. But if you want to create games that will satisfy a large number of people worldwide... that's going to be difficult, as Kobayashi alluded to in his talk about cultural differences and the like.

It breaks my heart knowing that JRPGs on consoles are dying in Japan. Is it even possible for console sales to ever recover?

At the very least it would require the Japanese economy to improve.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

I do think its possible that western AAA publishers are leaving a void that these japanese devs can fill.

EA/Ubisoft/Activision make very similar games. Open world multiplayer RPGs (usually shooters). That will leave many gamers hungry for a game like Star Ocean, Persona, or Nier which are absolutely nothing like Destiny, The Division, Borderlands, etc.

Japanese publishers will have to be careful with their budgets and advertise the games wisely, but i think they can be successful without going completely mobile.

 

[Lime]

VP1 and 2 are both top end stuff, the only issue I ever had with 2 was Alicia. Gimmie 3.

Yeah Alicia was off-putting (aiming for a certain audience perhaps?) and it took away from making an actual Valkyrie the main focus. I don't know why they chose to go with emphasizing some weird time-travel story and down-prioritizing the enherijar to some text descriptions. From a narrative level, the game didn't seem to be related to VP1 as much.

 

[Jolkien]

The combat was dumbed down from 3/4, and your full party fights meaning you have up to seven player characters + enemies on screen for each battle. It's like a musou game both in terms of chaos and easiness.

You start off with Earth (easy) and Galaxy (normal) difficulty. Have to beat it to unlock more

Well that's a shame. I'm still in day one but I'm disappointed. Will refocus my expectations.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Darker JRPGs like VP1 have the cards stacked against them. They're cartoon-looking, so that is assumed to be Teh Kiddeh compared to most where the visuals line up with the narrative like in a Souls, Witcher, etc. They're assumed to be too dark and grim for the modern Japanese market (I know, I know but we don't live in that world any more), so it risks being a foreign-only venture.

But maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan a 3 would be great.

I do think its possible that western AAA publishers are leaving a void that these japanese devs can fill.

EA/Ubisoft/Activision make very similar games. Open world multiplayer RPGs (usually shooters). That will leave many gamers hungry for a game like Star Ocean, Persona, or Nier which are absolutely nothing like Destiny, The Division, Borderlands, etc.

Japanese publishers will have to be careful with their budgets and advertise the games wisely, but i think they can be successful without going completely mobile.

Maybe. Maybe so. It's out of their hands by this point, but it is partially in ours. Not Japan's, ours.

 

[Doniell Hall]

This interview was promising...and yet disappointing at the same time. Still, I will do my part and pick up Star Ocean 5 day one, whether it is a good game or not. It HAS to be better than 4...right? I mean, I LOVED part three, plot twist or not...

 

[koutoru]

I was listening to Gamestop's JRPG podcast about this interview and they were completely misunderstanding the issue with the underwere changes.

They honestly thought people on NeoGaf were upset about the results of the change, not the reasons for the change that kobayashi stated himself in the first place.
I don't like to rag on new podcasts, especially those focused on JRPGs, but I don't feel they actually understood the underlining issues with these changes and looked at them on a surface level.

 

[Augemitbutter]

Is he right about VP? I like all three games, even if I like the first most, I would be glad to play whatever kind of VP they release as all three games are different, I always thought that series fans doesn't have some set in stone expectations, except that it has to be a VP game in the same universe.

he is right, VP1 is the best and also my favorite. i'd play a VP in any of these styles though.

bring back VP. thanks.

 

[Famassu]

Pretty much confirmed that there will be more consorting with foreigners leading to more diapers on adult characters.

No, they are just pandering less to pathetically obsessed pervs than Japanese game devs have come to in recent years.

And dear god, diapers, really? They just gave one character panties that are a bit more like boxer briefs than g-strings. You really think that women should go around saving the world in thongs? Ridiculously stupid.

 

[Parfait]

I think I'm going to replay Star Ocean 2 just for this guy.

I love JRPGs and he gets exactly why.

 

[Taruranto]

No, they are just pandering less to pathetically obsessed pervs than Japanese game devs have come to in recent years.

And dear god, diapers, really? They just gave one character panties that are a bit more like boxer briefs than g-strings. You really think that women should go around saving the world in thongs? Ridiculously stupid.

But "my spells breath through my skin" still in the game.

 

[Aeana]

But "my spells breath through my skin" still in the game.

I don't even remember it being mentioned in the game. Maybe it's in her in-game bio. It's such a non-issue in the game, it's amazing. No cutscenes to focus on her assets, no prolonged character background scenes where they try to explain every bit about her character. I really appreciate SO5 and it kinda breaks my heart to realize that a lot of people just won't. Ah well.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Why didn't they make Valkyrie Profile 3 instead of Star Ocean 5? I guess I feel this way because I think Star Ocean sucks while VP is one of the greatest jrpg series' of all time. Given the response to SO4 and its failure, I was really hoping Tri-Ace would put SO on the back burner, because it kind of deserves it.

 

[Sandfox]

I'm looking forward to playing this game and this just makes me want it more.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

How'd you get a black Lenneth?

 

[Aeana]

How'd you get a black Lenneth?

It's Hrist, man.