From Suikoden II to Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes: The Legacy of a Great J-RPG
The visual of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes returns with delight several years back Let's get on well, as it stands, nothing guarantees us that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be a success upon arrival, despite its ambitions, the prominent personalities working on the project and its enticing first visuals. However, there is a real hype around this game resulting in the initial objective of the Kickstarter of 434,679 euros literally pulverized. Indeed, while there are still 30 campaign days left, more than 2.16 million euros have been reached thanks to nearly 26,000 contributors. A sign that does not mislead and if one would have thought that after the "Shenmue III case", the donors would have been a little more suspicious, it is not. On the contrary. How to explain this? In my opinion, there are several reasons for this.
Bloodstained : Ritual of the Night will be delayed many times just first go on the Kickstarter page to find the first reason. In fact, everything seems to reflect the seriousness of the project, as beyond the ambitions and traditional promises made to lure the barge, several assets show a certain progress in the development of the design of several characters at various videos showing a city teeming with life to a fight against a boss, passing by an extract of the soundtrack. This may seem anecdotal, but for a project requiring you to invest, the whole has the gift of reassurance. Note that on the other side of the barrier, the small studio already has a press secretary who had not failed to contact us directly upstream of the formalization of the title, something rare enough for a self-catering studio japanese to be stressed. However, we should remember that big projects being made by Kickstarter have proved disappointing or have been delayed many times to the image of Bloodstained : Ritual of the Night originally planned in march 2017 and finally released on June 18, 2019. Caution is therefore the mother of safety.
anyway, a project like Kickstarter allows, and the future(s)male and female players to invest financially in a title that looks promising also, and especially, to shout his love for a genre, a series, a personality, not to mention some material benefits as a function of the investment. On the side of the developers, the benefits are also numerous :
one of The objectives of Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes was to really find the heart and soul of what makes a game fun. It is easy to delve into many game systems and guidelines, and to lose sight of the notion of simplicity when it comes to design. We know that Kickstarter is often criticized because of many failures, but we also think that the platform is perfect to genuinely know who are our fans. What are the first to follow us, to hope and to believe in the project. Their passion goes beyond their doubts, and they follow their heart. These are the people with whom we want to be as close as possible when we develop a game. They motivate us to better ourselves and make the best game possible.
Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes presents one of its boss
Loading of the video Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes trailer The second reason for this popularity is a real appeal to fans of J-RPG for the 2.5 D managed to combine the charm of the 2D RPGS of yesteryear with effects that are more current and camera movements new . We have, incidentally, seen during the first boss fight of Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes (even if there is doubt whether it is for the moment of real time), the arrival of the monster in the cave to some attacks using the space available in order to give scope to those who have even more impressive. Although the 3D reigns supreme in the video game for years, the 2.5 D has the double advantage to take advantage of new technologies while blowing a wind of nostalgia, with the taste of a madeleine de Proust for very many players. Octopath Traveler and its 1,500 000 units passed the have shown it's a safe bet that Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes to do the same as long as the quality is at the rendezvous. However, as we explained in the developers of Rabbit & Bear Studios, the 2.5 D also proposes some things that 3D can't totally reproduce :
We have made the choice to Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes to opt for a style "Pixel art old school" because there are certain expressions in 2D as the 3D is not able to transcribe. Sometimes, "do less" may have benefits, and this can be achieved by a nostalgic very beneficial managing to combine the old (in the good sense of the term) and the new. Find the perfect balance between these two worlds can help to produce a striking visual, which is a good thing.
The third reason, and not the least, is simply the fact that the title is a spiritual sequel to the series, Suikoden, and more particularly the second episode, by its developers, many of whom have worked on the saga, but also through her chara design, or even the number of its game mechanics. However, Rabbit & Bear Studios reminds us that this is a whole new game (and that there is therefore no problem of rights with Konami), and that their goal, once again, has been to develop the best game possible :
For this project, we really wanted to deepen what is at the heart of a very good game. We focused on this principle more basic to design tons of items but also our systems of play. Of course, doing so, it is easy to get carried away and be off-budget. In the end, you really need to balance their time, budget, or items that may be added in potential DLC. In essence, the challenge that represents the development of an RPG, compared to other game genres, is to produce this mass of assets and a good balance to the whole. Too much following, not enough of it and you have quickly in the hands of a bad game.
Although less popular than a Final Fantasy, Suikoden II remains one of the great RPG from the era of the PSone. Anyway, just look at the visuals of Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes and those of Suikoden II to understand to what extent the aim of the young japanese studio is to pay tribute to this figure of the J-RPG. However, in spite of the wave of nostalgia that arouses Suikoden II, and the fact that the fans of the genre often cite as a flagship of the genre, the title did not really have known of the sales heavily. They, however, were sufficient to catalyse several sequels in 3D, which, for the most part, will only highlight the immense qualities of this component was released on Playstation in 1998 in Japan, 1999 in the US and 2000 in France, in a sub-titled version. Thus, with its 680 000 sales (including 380 000 in the Country of the rising sun), Suikoden II comes in far behind many of the giants of the time. As A comparison, Final Fantasy IX will sell 2.65 million copies between July and December 2000, which is much less than the VII and VIII but far ahead of Suikoden II. However, this RPG from Konami is a title extremely deep and innovative, and integrates mechanical existing since the first who have a game in hand.
Thus, if the basis is actually quite classic (through, in particular, the traditional young hero promised a extraordinary destiny), and it is the inspiration of the chinese novel At the water's edge , which gives it a real personality. This novel, Suikoden takes up the idea of the 108 bandits can work together to confront the government, who become in the game the 108 Stars that you will be able to recover the thread of the adventure and embody. Although the story revolves around a smaller group, the player will then cease to unearth the entirety of the Star since beyond the fact that the whole is synonymous with combination unpublished in combat, each character will have a personality of its own, several of them having also a specific trade that you will use in your fortress that you will take pleasure to make it evolve. This point is also essential in Suikoden because besides the fact that it provides a home to your team, being able to grow your HEADQUARTERS, which will evolve under your eyes is a great satisfaction. Although several games have used this principle ( Assassin's Creed II , Fire Emblem Fates : Legacy ...), Suikoden has that little bit more we can add in our fortress of the additional parts in which will be able to work some characters are optional, sometimes very difficult to find, and that it will be possible to know a little more in depth by talking with them. It may seem anecdotal but it provides here also a real sense of accomplishment.
Thanks for excellent ideas, as well as its storyline, Suikoden II still maintains an aura of incredible
This dimension micro/macro is also found in the combat system and manages to capture perfectly the feeling of belonging to a kingdom, and to a group while pursuing his personal quest . To do this, the developers have simply split the fighting into three types : the duel, facing a single opponent in a group with 5 companions and finally the battles of mass where we will lead an army in the game bringing in a small strategic dimension.
The gameplay and the narrative are therefore at the service of one another and form a perfectly coherent, supported by a visual classic, but very effective and musical compositions, harmonious . Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes will resume their account most of these elements (the fortress evolutionary, the creation of guilds, and the hundred heroes to get...) and although it is still too early to bet on the success of the project, the intention is laudable, the nostalgia palpable, and the genuine excitement.
