Video Games
‘SaGa Emerald Beyond’ Interview: Akitoshi Kawazu, Kenji Ito and Tomokazu Shibata Talk Global Success, Fighting, World Premiere, Music and Coffee
Square Enix () launches globally tomorrow on iOS, Android, PS5, PS4, Switch, and Steam, marking, so far as I do know, the world’s first simultaneous multi-platform release for the series. Read my announcement here. Ahead of tomorrow’s premiere, I had the chance to seek advice from three Square Enix veterans and legends: Akitoshi Kawazu (director and head author), Kenji Ito (composer), and Tomokazu Shibata (battle director) and more.
TouchArcade (TA): I do not know the way you do it, but thanks for giving us so many amazing SaGa games in recent times in the shape of remasters and ports leading as much as this recent title. This is the primary time a SaGa game has been released concurrently on multiple platforms worldwide. Can you comment on how SaGa games performed outside of Japan and what made you would like to do a worldwide launch here?
Akitoshi Kawazu (AK): Due to the incontrovertible fact that the Game Boy titles were treated as a by-product of the FINAL FANTASY series, and the Super Famicom game “Romancing SaGa” was not released abroad, the SaGa series shouldn’t be as known abroad as in Japan. then again, the PlayStation titles “SaGa Frontier” and “SaGa Frontier 2” have their devoted fans. I imagine there are a lot of players world wide who benefit from the worldview and characters which might be so necessary to the SaGa series. We want such players to have the opportunity to play a game with the characteristic features of the SaGa series. This is the goal of the simultaneous global launch of SaGa Emerald Beyond.
LINING: SaGa Scarlet Grace for PS Vita has been improved for contemporary platforms and this version also has a worldwide release. What thoughts on this release and recent remasters did you keep in mind when working on the narrative and structure of SaGa Emerald Beyond?
AND: What many fans liked most about “SaGa SCARLET GRACE” were the SaGa-specific gameplay features. The perspectives vary for every hero, the abundance of NPCs and the variability of adventures and stories they bring about – I imagine these are unique features and strengths of SaGi that no other game offers. In this title, we focused on creating much more unique worlds with fun NPCs and heroes for players to enjoy their adventures. The highly strategic battles were also well received, so we have further improved the timeline battles in SaGa Emerald Poza.
LINING: When you begin planning a composition and recording, how do you select which combination of contemporary and classical or live and synthetic instruments to make use of? For example, Urpina (battle theme from SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions).
Kenji Ito (KI): I start my composition by constructing an overall structure using just the piano, which I then arrange on. I select the instruments to inform the story while creating the arrangement, so it isn’t something I made a decision initially.
LINING: Having played SaGa Emerald Beyond now, I can confidently say that it has a tremendous soundtrack that is sort of varied between the several characters. Since this game covers so many cultures, how did you approach incorporating those cultures into the music and did you employ any references to those cultures?
DOWN: We developed a worldview by interpreting the characters’ backgrounds, appearances, fashions, and ground rules, in addition to imagining what their personalities, thoughts, and speech patterns could be.
Tsunanori has jazz elements, Siugnas is charming, Bonnie and Formina has a detective automobile chase feel, Diva No. 5 is techno and so on.
LINING: When I played SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions, I used to be extremely impressed by the superb combat system. Emerald Beyond builds on this. What lessons from previous SaGa titles and previous games you’ve got worked on like Kingdom Hearts III and FF16 have you ever dropped at this title?
Tomokazu Shibata (TS): The combat system in SaGa Emerald Beyond is predicated on “SaGa SCARLET GRACE”, however the specifications and formulas have been completely redesigned. This was because while we understood that “SaGa SCARLET GRACE” was well received (as was the improved “SaGa SCARLET GRACE: AMBITIONS,” which was released within the West), we were concerned that its recreation itself wouldn’t be met with similar acclaim . We also tried to reimagine the command RPG with a brand new line of thought, breaking free from conventional ideas of what a command RPG ought to be. The most evident example of that is the elimination of healing and respawning measures, which allowed us to create dense and focused battles without unnecessary elements.
We also fastidiously reviewed and considered the battle systems from previous SaGa titles. The challenge was find out how to incorporate the mixture of “SaGa Frontier” and the dramatic United Attack battle system from “SaGa SCARLET GRACE” into this title, and we combined these elements into battles that demanded overdrives and show-offs. I believe we created a combat system that mixes each strategy and unpredictability.
Much of the knowledge gained from motion games was not utilized in the sport’s design, but our experience working on KINGDOM HEARTS III was reflected in the best way we managed our staff and how we were in a position to adapt to pressure.
LINING: How does your coffee taste?
AND: No sugar and no milk. I drink extremely popular coffee.
T: I grind beans and drink them black. Even if I’m busy, I’ll take the time to pour myself a cup thoroughly.
You can follow all of our interviews here, including our recent interviews with Dave Oshry from New Blood, Digital Extremes for Warframe mobile, Team NINJA, , , and more. As at all times, thanks for reading.
Video Games
The 10 best Game Boy and Game Boy Color games on Nintendo Switch and 5 we’d like to see – SwitchArcade Special
In our next dive into retro gaming on the Switch, we’ll return to 1989. And then to 1998. We’re back to the old monochrome beast and its colourful successor: the Game Boy and Game Kolor Boy. While there is a big choice of games from these handheld devices available within the Nintendo Switch Online app, we’ll as an alternative take a take a look at those games that dare to exist within the wilds of the Switch eShop. Here we have now ten of our favourite games, plus five more games we’d like to see. Of course, in no particular order. Time to play loud!
Shantae ($9.99)
Once upon a time, true scarcity, which might cost tons of of dollars to obtain in any legal form, is now quite available in digital form. This game is far more difficult than its sequels, but it surely takes advantage of the Game Boy Color hardware in a variety of interesting ways, giving the platforming a bit greater than your average Game Boy hop-and-bop. Wow, I have never seen the term “hop-and-bop” in about twenty-five years. Oh well. : It’s quite fun.
DX World Tour ($19.99)
Here’s one other game that, until recently, was officially playable quite a bit. is an interesting platformer from Sunsoft that gives a brief but enjoyable experience. This version of the sport offers full colorization and at the identical time includes quite a lot of additions which might be value delving into. It’s the right way to play out this quirky, charming story.
Final Fantasy Legend II – SaGa Final Fantasy Legend Collection ($19.99)
It’s time to delve into the compilations and we’ll start with the one which covers all Game Boy games: . You’ll find all three games within the series here, and they’re all really good portable RPGs. I’m picking an honorable mention here, just because I feel it is the best of the three. It has a variety of the weird mechanics that make games so interesting, but it surely feels more comprehensive and accessible than the primary game. Probably the best turn-based RPG game on the pre-system.
Final Fantasy Adventure – Mana Collection ($39.99)
Along with the games comes the sport that began the long-running series. As such, you will find him in two Super NES sequels. I’ll repeat: all games value playing. This motion RPG was an amazing alternative to the superb system game, with a quick pace and a surprisingly ambitious plot. It has been remade several times, but nothing resembles the unique.
TMNT III: Radical Rescue – TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection ($39.99)
Konami has created some great games for the Game Boy and has made several of them available of their various collections. it includes all three original Game Boy games and I feel all of them have their merits. However, an open-ended, pseudo-Metroidvania is the best selection. Lots of motion as you’d expect, however the added layers of exploring the world, rescuing your brothers, and finding all of the upgrades make this game really engaging.
Operation C – Contra Anniversary Collection ($19.99)
After a somewhat lukewarm attempt at bringing the sport to the Game Boy by , you’d think there was little hope that the tense run-and-gun motion would survive the change. Surprisingly, it turned out to be truly amazing. Sure, you’ll be able to’t play with one other player. Strictly a solo thing. But it’s fast, fun and difficult in the way in which you would like a game to be. Perhaps there was hope for Konami’s motion platformers on mobile devices in spite of everything!
Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge – Castlevania Anniversary Collection ($19.99)
How does this relate to the announcement? Yep, after mostly combating the primary Game Boy game, Konami turned things around in an enormous way with Belmont’s Revenge. It’s a wonderful game that easily lives up to its home console entries, even when it could’t outdo them. Considering it had some not-so-great games, it’s possible that many players skipped this game considering it could be the identical. If you have not played it yet, here’s a convenient way to achieve this.
Ninja JaJaMaru: Big World Adventure – Ninja JaJaMaru: Retro Collection ($14.99)
is certainly not the best game within the bunch, but I feel it’s a very important representation of a number of the more odd titles which have populated the library around big publisher releases. A whole lot of work has also gone into this reissue. It has a brand new location and has been recolored, giving it a pleasant shine to a game which may not have made it to the highest of anyone’s list for such effort. Although that is the one Game Boy game, this collection is overall interesting.
Extreme Sports ($9.99)
WayForward’s most famous, completely original Game Boy Color property is in fact , but it surely’s no slouch either. Basically, a set of sports mini-games combined with an open world is a lot better than it needs to be. The graphics are good, the gameplay is great for a fast binge, and those that want to finish all the things completely will find a troublesome challenge ahead of them.
The Rescue of Princess Blobette – Retro Boy and His Blobette Collection ($9.99)
(*5*)
Another game that is here more for its unique feel, it does a fairly good job of bringing the house computer-style adventure gameplay of the NES original to the small screen. In some respects, it’s a more refined game than its predecessor, released in a more compact and dynamic form. If you like games that require thought due to occasional moments of opacity, you may like this one.
And… 5 Game Boy and Game Boy Color games that we’d like to see on Switch
Batman: The Video Game
Yeah, it’s somewhat weird that Batman uses guns throughout an early Game Boy motion game. But it is also weird that Keaton’s Batman enjoys murdering villains, so let’s just call it an indication of the times. The necessary thing is that that is one other truly great game from Sunsoft, and despite the fact that I do know the possibilities of any of those games based on the flicks being released are close to zero, I won’t ever stop asking.
Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal
I generally avoid games that I feel might come to Nintendo Switch Online sooner or later, which suggests most of Nintendo’s first-party games are not any longer available. I hope I’m unsuitable about this, but something tells me that while spin-offs will likely proceed to come to the subscription service, mainstream games won’t. Therefore, I’m formally requesting the chance to purchase and play these wonderful Game Boy RPGs on my Switch.
Gradius: Interstellar Attack
I used to be hesitant to include this or something excellent, but finally we have now the Switch to scratch that itch while it only exists in Game Boy form. For a platform whose display ought to be terrible in shooters, the Game Boy had some excellent platforms. This was Konami’s second kick on the can for Gradius on the platform, and while the primary one was okay, this one really got everyone going. Honestly, I just need a Konami-style collection and more. If that happens, this game ought to be there.
Metal Gear Solid
I’m starting to realize there’s a variety of Konami in this text. In any case, this might be the best third-party Game Boy Color exclusive. Almost all the things that was great about PlayStation was one way or the other squeezed into this completely original adventure. This game completely blew me away on the time with this fidelity, and it still impresses me today. Yes, a lot of the template was developed in MSX2, but it surely’s cool to see something like this on the Game Boy Color. Maybe this may appear in the following collection?
Dragon warrior monsters
it spawned many imitators, but truthfully, it had monster catching elements before it appeared within the mainline games. So . We forgive you, King. is one in every of the higher Game Boy games inspired by the corporate’s success, and I feel it could be great to see it on Switch. And what? It is offered on Switch, but only in Japan. Come on, Square Enix. Just throw a Western ROM within the box and help some fans out!
And that is the list, friends. Are there any Game Boy or Game Boy Color games that you just like on Switch? Would you like to see something? Have your say within the comments and tell us what you’re thinking that! It’s all the time interesting to hear other people’s opinions on this topic. As all the time, thanks for reading!
Video Games
3 things I wish Pokémon TCG Pocket would steal from Marvel Snap
launched this week on iPhone and Android, and it is a surprisingly crisp and streamlined version of the cardboard game after years of really bad alternatives. it’s mainly a license to print money, however it does an ideal job of showcasing what people love concerning the game – the cards themselves – and getting a lot of the other stuff out of the way in which. Still, as an enormous fan of Marvel Snap, I’d love for the mobile game to steal a couple of things from the 2022 comic book phenomenon Second Dinner.
(*3*)
For the past two days, I’ve spent most of my idle moments on my smartphone gaming somewhat than scrolling through Twitter or consuming AI-slop on Instagramwhich is precisely what I expect from a superb, on a regular basis mobile game. All the currencies and sub-economies designed to get you to spend money on a game that would otherwise be free are a bit convoluted and difficult to parse, however the battles are fun and opening virtual booster packs by slicing through packs with the flick of a finger is a surprisingly effective simulation the pure joy of doing it in real life.
However, I’m not as obsessive about Marvel Snap as I am with Marvel Snap yet, and I think there are three reasons for that. The first is the match length. Battles with Marvel Snap pass quickly, making it relatively easy to begin the subsequent game no matter what’s happening around you. he’s a bit more involved. Players have a complete timer of 20 minutes, with the countdown starting at over 60 seconds on individual turns. The clock isn’t milked, but matches can still feel a bit drawn out as players stack benches and increase the ability of their Pokémon. More than once, after ending a match, I thought: “It was fun, but do I really have time for another one?”
The second thing that is holding me back a bit is the match rewards. In addition to small matches, it also offers sensible progression based on acquiring additional cards to level them up and earn points that might be spent on acquiring recent ones. This is a clever twist on the normal RNG booster pack formula. , as an adaptation of an existing card game, doesn’t offer the identical luxury. Unfortunately, as things currently stand, the one reward for winning matches are small amounts of XP that contribute to your overall level. Picking it up gives you extra rewards, but none of them are very clear. As a result, ending matches feels a bit anticlimactic somewhat than supplying you with that dose of dopamine that makes you immediately wish to play one other match.
Finally, the cards themselves. Beyond constructing your collection, Marvel Snap has a secondary goal: acquiring, sometimes through outright purchase, cool alternative card art in your favorite decks. It provides something different to strive for, in addition to a technique to express your particular taste for a well-liked deck type. It runs into trouble again since it relies on existing card art, and while there are multiple versions of among the unlockable cards, there aren’t a lot of them and there is not any real technique to directly pursue them. If you open the package and receive the complete graphic variant, great! If not, well, wait for the subsequent random pull.
It’s still early days, and it otherwise holds up quite well, actually higher than every other digital version of a card game I’ve played prior to now. There’s just one set of cards to gather in the mean time, and there is not much for the eyes to enjoy within the paid in-game store. I’m sure every part will change soon, but for now the sport hasn’t fully brought back the magic of my beginnings in . Maybe that is for one of the best. I finally needed to delete this game from my phone since it was taking on an excessive amount of of my free time.
Video Games
“Genshin Impact” 5.0 pre-install update is now available, a new trailer has been released
HoYovers has pre-assembly has began for the predominant (free) version 5.0 update “Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn” for supported platforms. If you have not been following the sport currently, version 5.0 introduces a sixth nation: Natlan, new characters like Mualani, replays for Raiden Shogun, and far more. The update will launch on August 28 for mobile, PC, PS5 and PS4, with the sport coming to Xbox Series X in November. The first banner in version 5.0 includes: Mualani, Kachina and Kaedehara Kazuha, while banner 2: Kinich and Raiden Shogun This update may even bring updated graphics. Read about it here. Watch the new Kachina trailer below:
You can pre-install it by tapping the resource pack button before installing. The download size is 2.67 GB for iOS and roughly 16 GB for PC. If you would like to play and do not have it yet, you’ll be able to download it at no cost within the App Store for iOS Here and on Google Play for Android Here. The PC version is available on the official website Here and Epic Games Store. If you are playing on iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5 or later, you’ll be able to play with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S controllers. At launch, we named it Game of the Week and named it Game of the Year for 2020. I also described it as among the finest iOS games you’ll be able to play with a controller. What do you consider version 5.0 thus far?
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