Interview: Jimmy Soga, product manager, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
Lunar is back. The much-beloved RPG that first wowed gamers on the SEGA CD (and virtually every other console since) has returned in the form of Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, which looks to be the definitive version of the game. While the crew works on the review, we decided to reach out to Jimmy Soga, product manager, XSEED Games to answer some of the questions that have weighed heavily on the minds of Lunar fans.
Interview: Mike Fahrny, producer, Tecmo Bowl Throwback
If you follow my game-related ramblings on Twitter, you know that I recently spotted a Tecmo Bowl Throwback plug on one of ESPN’s late afternoon/early evening sports programs. As a long time fan of the franchise, I was admittedly geeked; not just for the exposure that the legendary series has garnered, but also for the fact that I had a Q + A session cooking up in 2D-X‘ cauldron of awesome. A Q+A that you can check out right now.
Interview: Talking River City games with Cherie Baker, PR Specialist, Aksys Games
When River City Super Sports Challenge and River City Soccer Hooligans were announced just over a week ago, Aksys Games gave retrogamers a great big old school hug by bringing back one of the 8-bit era’s greatest heroes: Kunio.
The scrappy teen, who has a knack for engaging in fisticuffs and excelling in all manner of sporting events, returns in two new games in 2010 . I spoke with Cherie Baker, Aksys Games’ PR Specialist, about the return of Kunio, the games’ new graphical style, and why old school gamers should consider these new series additions.
Interview: Anthony De Sa Ferreira, Business Development Director, Golgoth Studio
2D ain’t dead – - not by a long shot. Games such as Mega Man 10, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom prove that the art is still viable in the age of open worlds and polygon-counting. French developer Golgoth Studio is currently contributing to the 2D renaissance with its first title, Toki, a remake of an old Amiga side-scroller. We spoke with Anthony De Sa Ferreira, business development director, Golgoth Studio about his company’s plan for 2D gaming.
Golgoth Studio is a relatively new development team. Please tell us a bit about your company’s background.
Golgoth Studio started to exist in my mind sometime in June 2008 after a meeting with Philippe Dessoly in regards of his great skill in 2D arts. At this time, I just lost my job and wished to work in the game industry. I’ve played since I was a little boy; I’m really what people call a hardcore gamer. But as I said often, play with games and make one that is completely different!
So when I started to talk with Philippe about Golgoth Studio, he was very excited and me too, of course. In 2008, it was the beginning of the retro gaming wave on digital platforms. As our studio was absolutely unknown to first-party companies or gamers, our wish was to start making remakes but really good remakes! Keeping old school spirit!
So after many days of searching what games could represent the picture we’d like to give, we agreed on Toki. I was a fan of this game when I was a child, and Philippe was the lead designer on the Amiga version. So, it was natural for us to chose it. We started to find new members for our team and finally today we are seven of us–six guys, one girl.
Interview: Talking video games and game journalism with HipHopGamer
I can vividly recall the first time that I met HipHopGamer; actually, the first time that I saw him. I was at an Activision party watching some skinny-pantsed hipsters spin the virtual wax, when I saw a dude bop into the room with a god damned wrestling belt strapped over his shoulder. I thought that this was either the ballsiest mofo around, or the most outrageous – - and it turns out he is both.
HipHopGamer has rocketed to popularity thanks to his self-titled website (HipHopGamerShow) where he hosts weekly video articles (or vidicles, as the man’s coined the series of clips). After listening to HipHopGamer give his enthusiastic insights on his own show, exchanging messages about gaming with him via e-mail, meeting at a Sony event, and listening to him on Torrence Davis’ WarZone over at The Bitbag, I knew it was time for an interview. Check it out.
The crux of the HipHopGamerShow revolves around your patented weekly vidicles. Why did you decide to go the video route instead of writing traditional articles?
When you write people don’t get the full understanding and full emotion of what your message is. With video you can see my facial expressions, and hear my tone of voice when I say certain things [for emphasis]. Also, no one else is doing it. See, it’s one thing to make a video talking about games, but I treat my videos as articles. I provide bullet points, so it’s like a story, so to speak. When I present these vidicles people can understand after the first view as opposed to reading something three or four times to try and understand what a journalist is saying. Also, I love being in front of the camera anyway [laughs].
Interview: Philippe Rapin, co-founder Press Start Studio
Twin Blades: The Reaping Vanguard has hacked and slashed its way into Xbox Live Indie Games to give gamers a taste of nun-with-gun action. The impressive anime-style visuals have gathered attention both here and abroad, so I thought it time to chat it up with Press Start Studio to discuss the creation of this eye-catching game.
Press Start Studio was founded in 2009, so your team is still relatively fresh. Tell us a bit about how your team came together.
Although Press Start Studio was founded in 2009 the team has actually been working together for quite a while: we are all ex-employees of The Mighty Troglodytes, a mobile game developer which bankrupted in 2008. When TMT shut down we decided to try our luck with the promise to set ourselves free from two things: J2ME and publishers’ ludicrous constraints.
Twin Blades is one of those games that instantly pulls you in thanks to the amazing 2D, anime-inspired character designs. Why did you decide to go that route–are you fans of the Japanese style?
Japanime is a big thing in France, and we’re no exception. We particularly liked Samurai Champloo because it mixed contemporary hip-hop music with a traditional medieval environment and we wanted the same kind of punchy feeling. We also liked Odin Sphere and Muramasa so when Doc our animator told us he could use the same animation technique we all jumped in and told him: “by all means please do!”
Mako our concept artist happens to be a comic book illustrator, as he particularly excels in the manga style and we’re all fans of his work there was no debate as to which route we should go –it pretty much came naturally as the artists had the freedom to express their talent and the whole team backed them up.
Interview: Robby Zinchak, Associate Producer, Final Fight: Double Impact
Filed under: Beat Em Ups, Compilation, Interviews
If you’ve thought it was a Capcom lovefest around these parts thanks to the ongoing discussions regarding Jetpack Attack, Mega Man 10, and Cody’s inclusion in Super Street Fighter IV, prepare for one more round of the warm fuzzies. As promised, our interview with Robby Zinchak, Associate Producer, Final Fight: Double Impact, who kindly filled us in on the upcoming title and the franchise as a whole.
Final Fight is considered by many, myself included, to be the face of beat’ em ups along with Double Dragon and River City Ransom. What’s allowed this game, and franchise, to be continually beloved after all of these years?
I think Final Fight has endured through the years because it features simple gameplay that’s a lot of fun. You can put a quarter in the arcade and immediately know how to play, no instructions required. Playing through the game with a buddy is a great co-op experience. Final Fight’s nostalgic gameplay still holds up, even today.
Interview: Bo deWindt, Project Lead, Cho Aniki Zero
Aksys Games garnered much attention last week for its rather kick ass Cho Aniki ZERO press release which highlighted all of the mantastic qualities of the upcoming PSP game. After reading it, I knew that I had to reach out to the publisher to wrangle up more details, so I present to you my brief Q & A with Bo deWindt, Project Lead, Aksys.
Is Cho Aniki ZERO a completely original series entry, or a remake/re-imagining of an earlier Cho Aniki title?
Cho Aniki ZERO is a completely original title. They just borrowed the past “Cho’s” concept.
The Cho Aniki franchise is nearly 20 years old and has survived the ever-evolving gaming landscape. Still, the shooter genre, which soared in popularity in the late ’80s to mid ’90s, has become an extremely niche genre regulated to the realm of the hardcore. Are you specifically targeting that demographic that grew up playing Gradius, Thunderforce, and the like, or are you hoping for a more mass market audience?
We usually try to target the mouth, face and sometimes the small of the back.
Interview: Ray Murakawa, Producer, Tecmo NBA Unrivaled
Tecmo simultaneously shocked and delighted old school sports gamers with the June announcement of Tecmo NBA Unrivaled. Even before the first wave of screenshots appeared, gamers were pondering the style of play that the new game would adopt. Would it be like the godly Tecmo Super NBA? Completely insane like NBA Jam? We baby birds were hungry and no one was there to feed us.
All answers come in time, they say, and I’m happy to report that they have arrived courtesy of Ray Murakawa, producer, Tecmo NBA Unrivaled. We shot him some questions post-Tokyo Game Show, and he’s graciously answered everything presented to him about the A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.-developed b-ball title. His words, and tons of screenshots, are after the break.
Interview: Kerry of Nerdballoon.com Discusses SEGA and The Dreamcast
This week has been all about remembering and honoring the Dreamcast with our friends from around the Web. Today, we conclude our 10th anniversary coverage with Kerry, co-host of The Lunchpail Platoon Podcast, which you can find at Nerdballoon (you may also know him as the host of the wonderful Project D). We’re talking Dreamcast, folks!
What does 9.9.99 mean to you?
Honestly, it means nothing to me. I grew up with Nintendo’s series of consoles, and it was the only platform I’d know until I got into PC gaming around 1993 and never looked back.
I take it that you didn’t get a system on launch day.
I did not buy the system on launch day. I was having such a great time playing on my PC that I had no interest in purchasing another platform. It wasn’t until a few years later that a roommate and good friend of mine brought the Dreamcast into our house and before too long we all fell in love…with the console that is.
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