Square's "Forspoken" Talked About in Interview

This extensive interview delves into the creation of FuRyu's action RPG, Reynatis, slated for Western release on September 27th. We hear from Creative Producer TAKUMI, Scenario Writer Kazushige Nojima, and Composer Yoko Shimomura. The discussion covers the game's development, inspirations, collaborations, and much more.

TAKUMI, director and producer at FuRyu, shares his role in conceptualizing and overseeing Reynatis. He expresses delight at the game's positive reception, particularly the strong international interest exceeding expectations within Japan. He notes that fans of Tetsuya Nomura's works (like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts) seem to particularly appreciate Reynatis. While acknowledging the Final Fantasy Versus XIII comparisons, TAKUMI clarifies that Reynatis is a wholly original creation, inspired by the "what if" scenario presented by the Versus XIII trailer. He emphasizes the game's intention to deliver a complete and enjoyable experience, not just focusing on action gameplay.

TAKUMI discusses post-launch updates planned to address balancing and quality-of-life improvements. He assures Western players that they'll receive a refined version compared to the Japanese release. The interview details the informal, direct communication TAKUMI had with Yoko Shimomura and Kazushige Nojima, utilizing Twitter and LINE for collaboration. TAKUMI reveals his personal fondness for Shimomura's Kingdom Hearts and Nojima's work on Final Fantasy VII and X, influencing his approach to the project.

The interview explores the game's development timeline (approximately three years), navigating the challenges of the pandemic. TAKUMI explains the collaboration with Square Enix for the NEO: The World Ends With You crossover, driven by his personal fandom and a direct approach to Square Enix. He discusses the platform selection, citing the Switch as the lead platform, acknowledging the technical challenges of maximizing the visual quality within the Switch's capabilities. The conversation touches upon FuRyu's internal PC development efforts and the differing market perceptions of console and PC gaming in Japan.

TAKUMI addresses the lack of Xbox releases, citing low consumer demand in Japan and the development team's lack of experience with the platform as significant hurdles. He expresses excitement for the Western release, highlighting the planned DLC releases to provide ongoing engagement and prevent spoilers. The interview concludes with a discussion about potential future art books and soundtracks, and TAKUMI's personal gaming preferences and favorite projects.

The email exchanges with Yoko Shimomura and Kazushige Nojima offer further insights. Shimomura shares her creative process, highlighting the spontaneous flow of compositions during the Reynatis soundtrack's creation. She reflects on the evolution of her recognizable compositional style. Nojima discusses his approach to storytelling, comparing modern expectations with his earlier work. He also comments on his involvement with the project and his perspective on Reynatis's narrative.

The interview concludes with a lighthearted segment on coffee preferences, from all participants.