Oboro Muramasa Youtouden (Vanillaware)

ugh, finally got some time:

Show Floor Images:

1Up Interview:

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Where did the idea for Muramasa originate?

Jyouji Kamitani: I had been warming up to the idea of a Japanese-ish type of game since the arcade-game days. I'd like it to have the same kind of atmosphere as The Legend of Kage and Genpei Toma Den [Namco], two of my favorite games. Muramasa started from the compilation of the fantasy-game project plan that I put together at the end of 2006.

What are your overall goals for the game?

JK: It's a bit of a challenge for us to see how well-received this soy sauce-flavored pure Japanese-style piece of work will be. Either way, I want it to be a very fun game for everyone who picks it up.

Do you consider Muramasa a sequel or spiritual successor to Odin Sphere?

JK: While I was I writing the project idea for it, I called it "Princess Crown 3." Odin Sphere is part two, by the way.

In what ways did you consciously try to make Muramasa different from Odin Sphere?

JK: Vanillaware is a company with very few people, so it's impossible to put all company efforts into a particular thing. For Odin Sphere we gave up on the height-based field construction in order to improve everything else. This time, the main characters will be ninjas of sorts so you can jump around on the field map to explore. Also, let's see...the bathing sequence that was cut out for Odin Sphere will make its way into this game in the form of "hot springs." I fought for this to the bitter end.

I've noticed some speculation online saying that Muramasa will have more action and fewer RPG elements than Odin Sphere. Is that true, and if so, can you offer any examples of how that changes the gameplay?

JK: Fundamentally speaking, even people with no skills can grind their character to the point that they can beat the game. That part as an RPG still hasn't changed. But I suppose it is much more action-oriented than Odin Sphere at the same time. This time around, we increased the agility and mobility of the characters and put a lot of energy into creating the field maps for the player to jump around in. On the other hand, we condensed the dramatic portions of it. This way, we can avoid how we reused bosses in Odin Sphere, like how people pointed out.

What similarities to Odin Sphere can we expect to see? Will there be any character or story connections between the two games?

JK: We're developing it in the same way as Odin Sphere, so there are bound to be a lot of similarities. But there is one difference: You won't be planting seeds this time around.

In what ways does the game use the Wii's motion controls?

JK: We talked about it regarding the controls and concluded that keeping the classic controls for side-scrollers will best fit this game. That's why this game will be using the Classic Controller. Currently, we do not have plans to use the motion sensor, but we are in talks about adding some feature enabling it.

Will there be an option to play the game without using any motion controls?

JK: If we have enough time and energy to do it, we want to add some option where the player can do the poses for drawing a sword.

Apart from the control scheme, are you designing the game any differently because it's on Wii than you would if you were making it for another system?

JK: Not in particular. For better or for worse, this project is not "specialized for the Wii."

What are you planning to show from the game at the Tokyo Game Show?

JK: We have developed a special stage for TGS where the player can fight some of the cannon fodder and a midboss. If you are coming to TGS, please take a look at it. It's also doubling as a beta test, so the staff and I are all nervous about it.

Source: http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3170405

Interview Sneak Peek:

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TGS: Marvelous' Hashimoto: '2D Requires Sacrifice'

We spoke with Yoshifumi Hashimoto, the producer from Marvelous, the game’s publisher, about the resurgence of 2D console games in recent months -- three high-res 2D games are currently in development from different companies (Nintendo, Marvelous, and SNK Playmore).

Yoshifumi Hashimoto: "Because it’s high-res, making those high-res dot graphics are really difficult. We have to put our lives and sacrifice into making this game."

Hashimoto went on to admit that the game might not be a huge seller, certainly targeted at the core market -- but that the developers are trying to make it playable for everyone.

Yoshifumi Hashimoto: "As for why we’re doing this, it’s really because I play these games myself for fun, and just like them. Really, for all of us, we’re making a 2D game because we love them."

We will have a larger interview with Hashimoto at a later date, dealing with topics such as the difficulty of making a 2D game playable in both 16:9 and 4:3 formats, and the creation of high-res 2D.

Source: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20588

Gamespot Hands-on:

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TGS 2008: Muramasa: The Demon Blade Hands-On
[SIZE="1"]We take a hands-on look at Muramasa, a contender for best-looking game on the TGS floor.[/SIZE]

Muramasa, known in Japan as Oboro Muramasa Yotoden, is a 2D side-scrolling action role-playing game that comes from the same team that brought the gaming world Odin Sphere. But unlike Odin Sphere with its Norse fantasy setting, Muramasa plonks you into feudal Japan playing as one of several ninjas battling against creatures from Japanese mythology. We got some hands-on time on the TGS floor with this Wii exclusive, and it's looking like a heap of fun for those keen on some classic beat-'em-up action.

The first thing that leapt out at us was Muramasa's presentation--it's an absolutely gorgeous game. We saw a variety of different scenes in the short hands-on demo, including a secluded waterfall, a rustic village set amongst fields of wheat, and the rooftops of an ancient Japanese village at night, and all of them looked extremely lush.

While story details were a little light (and tough to pry out of our non-English-speaking demo tester), we do know that the final game will have at least two playable characters to choose from: a male ninja dressed in blue and a female one adorned in pink. There will be two control schemes to choose from, one using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk and the other using the Classic Controller. We managed to get some time with the Classic Controller and found that Muramasa's control scheme was familiar and easy to get into. Attacks are mapped to the A and B buttons, while X is for using items (such as healing potions). The control stick is used not only for left and right movement, but also for jumping and double-jumping. The left shoulder button is used to switch swords. Both characters travel with two swords, which can be broken in combat if used too much. If a sword breaks, you'll have to switch to your other weapon until the broken sword repairs itself. The two swords exhibit different properties--the default sword was quick but did only minor damage, while the larger blade was much slower but took greater chunks out of opponents.

Enemies we came across included ghosts wielding wooden umbrellas, some pesky water demons, and one miniboss that looked like a gigantic ball of hair. The major boss at the end of the demo was a large red horned demon wielding a thick club. The action in Muramasa was hectic, with several enemies attacking our hero at once.

Our hands-on time with Muramasa was all too brief, and we're keen to find out more about the role-playing side of the game, as well as find out how many characters will be playable in the final version. Look out for more information about this attractive game in the coming months.

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/wii/rpg/oboromuramasayoutoden/news.html?sid=6198987

Game Informer Impressions:

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- Dangerously easy to miss while patrolling the show floor. Trust us, this is a game that should be on your radar.
- Side-scrolling, action-heavy RPG
- Vanillaware is best known for their work on Odin Sphere, and their eye for beauty and attention to detail translate into this title. The art in Maramasa is 2D and has a hand-drawn quality to it.
- Based on Japanese mythology which is reflected in the art style. In addition, the creatures in the game appear to be something right out Japanese lore.
- Two methods of control. We used the classic controller to play, but there is also the option to use the Wii Remote for a different experience. Without a doubt, the classic controller gives the player more precise control.
- All the controls and instructions were given in Japanese, so we needed to experiment a bit with them before getting a grasp on things. Both A and B were used for attacking, one with a sword and the other with some sort of magic attack. Every once in a while we would also be prompted to hit the L button, which unleashed a large bladed attack on our opponents. We were also able to attack in mid air by after jumping by pressing up on the analogue stick.
- Opponents came fast and furious. We fought on treetops, in small villages and both during the day and the night. It appeared that the game progressed after clearing stages – after which our results were given.
- Two main characters, Kisuke and Momohime – a young male and female. Not much is known about them or the story at the moment.

Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200810/N08.1009.0942.36151.htm

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