I had the pleasure of romping by means of Phantom Blade Zero throughout Gamescom this August, and I used to be very happy with what I noticed: a frenetic recreation that feels extra like a non secular extension of Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty than a soulslike, which is an effective factor in my estimation.
It was additionally, from what I performed, rife with lore and visible nods to Chinese language mythology, a topic I am woefully undereducated on—which is not an issue, based on CEO Liang Qiwei. As a matter of truth, it is one thing the studio’s banking on.
Talking with 4gamer (because of Automaton for the interpretation), Qiwei admits that Phantom Blade Zero may confuse some gamers with cultural nods and references, “for my part, the standard and enjoying expertise of a recreation are its core. Should you can obtain prime quality and an entertaining enjoying expertise, I feel {that a} troublesome theme can truly be a bonus, not an obstacle. In case your recreation is entertaining, gamers will understand unfamiliar themes as one thing contemporary.”
Qiwei additionally makes use of Black Fable: Wukong’s latest success as one of many fastest-selling video games of all time to show his level: “Black Fable: Wukong had a a lot larger hurdle to beat than our recreation does when it comes to tradition as its fully based mostly on a basic Chinese language work of literature.”
To not get on a soapbox or something, however that is just about what’s nice about making, nicely, something—not simply video games, however music, motion pictures, and so forth. Market analysis and the ever-present altar of protected IP decisions will sometimes reign supreme within the boardroom, however as Metaphor: ReFantazio’s director argued not too long ago, you may inform when a recreation was made to a blueprint. Video games that tick my acquainted packing containers are good and cosy, however I am simply as a lot right here to be submerged in a world I might by no means thought of earlier than.
To not point out, cultural change goes each methods—Qiwei makes use of the proliferation of the Japanese archetype of the samurai in China:
“I doubt Chinese language gamers knew a lot about Japanese samurai at first, and I don’t assume they have been particularly considering them. However as a result of there have been so many good video games about them, they’re now principally acknowledged as a pop theme. So, to repeat, if the sport itself is fascinating, the sense of its themes being international might be a bonus, fairly than a barrier. I feel it’s a really robust plus that attracts in additional gamers.”
To nerd out for a minute right here, it is truly tremendous acceptable that Qiwei’s speaking about samurai media, because it’s principally the poster baby for America’s change of tradition with Japan. Should you’ve ever loved a Star Wars film or recreation, you’ve got bought samurai media to thank, given George Lucas was (some may say too) closely impressed by The Hidden Fortress—the phrase Jedi’s even derived from Jidaigeki, a style of samurai drama. Conversely, samurai and western motion pictures have a protracted historical past of cultural change, typically drawing related inspirations and homages to one another.
We’re all simply enjoying in the identical sandbox, and I am glad that extra international studios are recognising that—like how Atlus tried to ape basic western fantasy like Lord of the Rings earlier than going ‘nah, truly, we’re simply gonna do our personal factor, let’s simply use your complete works of Hieronymous Bosch for our monster designs’. Lean into the unfamiliar, I say.