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Translator: Hansuke
Editor: Karvan
The latest installment in the "Ys" series, "Ys X -Nordics-" will be released on September 28th on the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4 platforms, with the Chinese version being simultaneously released at the same time as the Japanese version. Thanks to the invitation from Clouded Leopard Entertainment, A9VG recently traveled to Tokyo to try out the game, and together with several Asian media outlets interviewed President Toshihiro Kondo, who we are very familiar with and the players from Asia. During a nearly 2-hour interview, President Kondo went into details about Ys X's battle system, the design philosophy, story and overall worldview, the character design, and more, as well as talking a little bit about topics outside of the Ys series. Here are the details of the interview.
[About the story and the worldview of Ys]
--This story adventure comes right after the adventures of Ys I and II, which can be said to be quite early in the timeline of Adol's overall adventure. What were the reasons for deciding to set the latest installment in this time period? Will the impression of a younger Adol change drastically with its depiction of its plot?
Toshihiro Kondo (Kondo from now on): Falcom has looked at the player base of the Ys series, and there are a lot of those who have been playing since Ys I & II, and many who have been with the series since Ys VIII. When we were working on "Ys X" we were thinking about how to reach a new group of players, and given that users on the Switch platform are a younger audience, we set the age of Adol at a younger age in the hopes of attracting more young players to this game.
In addition, since the tenth installment will have a return-to-its-origin feel to it, which lead relatively to young Adol as being chosen to go on this adventure. In previous installments of the Ys series, Adol was always adventuring in different locations one after another, and there weren't too many chances to get to know companions of the similiar age as him. This time, the story is set at his age of 17, and the characters that come into contact with Adol are all teenagers of a similar age to him, and in the story, Adol develops a friendship with them, faces the crisis together, and of course, therefore are the conflicts, which is relatively rare in the previous stories of the series.
--Will the return of the timeline add any important new settings or open up new chapters to the series?
Kondo: Most of the previous installments of the series have been set in the territory of the Romun Empire, but this time we wanted to expand and complete the worldview of the continent of Eresia and the setting that takes place for the story. This time, the port of Karnack is also part of the the Romun Empire, but it's actually ruled by the Normans, who belong to the female protagonist, Karja. In terms of the real world, the Romun Empire is equivalent to the Roman Empire, and this game depicts stories that take place in areas of Northern Europe that are not under the control of the Roman Empire, thus expanding the richness of the worldview of Ys, and there may be a chance to once again venture into the Norman territory in future Ys titles, and perhaps Adol will have a Norman companion in the future.
- - Is there still a chance for characters that appeared in the previous game to make an appearance? For example, Dr. Flair was seen in previous promotions.
Kondo: The only characters that appeared in the previous entries in the series are Dogi and Dr. Flair. There will be some easter eggs from the previous works in the series in terms of item props, such as Lila's shell, which I had wondered who Lila really was before I even got into Falcom, and will be given a info filler in that regard in Ys X. Dr. Flair is a character that Adol befriends during his adventures in the ancient kingdom of Ys, and the events that occur with him in this game may mention names or terms that are very familiar to veteran players.
--Ys X will focus on Adol's adventure as a teenager, how do you ensure that the work is independent and in continuity with the previous works in the series?
Kondo: For both of Falcom's two flagship series, the Kiseki series is an RPG that needs to know the ins and outs of each arc in order to better understand the contexts and enjoy the overarching story, while the Ys series is an action RPG where each installment can stand on its own, with each of them have a unique story concluding in a single installment, and that's the case with this one as well. Dogi is a familiar character to the veteran players, and new players might be able to guess what happened before in the previous games, it's the level of connection which probably that points out as much, so there's not much need to know the rest of the that backstory to enjoy this title.
-- How long after Ys II does Ys X takes place? Since Adol and Dogi's main goal was to help Lilia find the medicine to cure her illness after they left Eresia and before that they accomplished their goal at the Sea of Trees, does this trip to the Northern Sea have that same significance?
Kondo: It's not explicitly stated in the game, but in fact Ys X takes place about a month after the story of Ys II. Dr. Flair also appears in Ys IV, where he goes on an adventure in search of the Celcetan Flower, so he has to make an appearance in Ys X in order to fit in with what happens after that, and in fact, in the beginning of the game Flair explains why he's traveling with us. and players will get to know Dr. Flair as a character a little more better during the course of the game.
-Ys VIII plot was a critically acclaimed, how do you think Ys X's plot will fare in comparison? Will there be multiple endings? Will there be hidden labyrinths, or hidden plots that ties into previous works of the series?
Kondo: After I finished writing the plot of Ys VIII, I had no idea how gamers would react to it. I can't objectively judge whether it's good or not when the idea of the plot has been going around all over the place over and over again in the back of my mind, and it's the same with Ys X. I'll probably have to wait until it's released to find out what people really thinks of the game. The ending is not easy to talk about at the moment. The game has a lot of islands that can be explored, they don't need to be traveled to in the main story, and the player will discover hidden mazes and storylines while exploring these islands.
How it links takes into perspective that has been mentioned the most before which is that the duo of Dogi and Flair, who often say lines that are linked to the previous game, as well as Lila, a character who is very important and will also have relevance to the previous game.
-What previous development experiences from Ys VIII and Ys IX that was used for Ys X? Is there a importance for the Romun Empire in Ys X as well?
Kondo: Each previous work of Ys wanted to do something that the previous works hadn't done, like for example, Ys IX did "exploration of three-dimensional space" which it hasn't been done in Ys VIII, and I wanted to do like a partner type system "combination mode" which I didn't do in Ys VIII into Ys X, and that was the element that will bring something different or revolutionized the story of this game. This time, the story will be about the foreign cultures in places that are not under the rule of the Romun Empire, which the Romun Empire only be mentioned not as much, and the game will focus on the story of the Normans.
-The adventure is obviously set in the real world of Old Norse, what is the reasoning behind this unique setting? Can players see and draw inspirations for the game's storyline from real Norse mythology?
Kondo: It's true that this game references the Norse mythological setting and the Viking style, but the plot is its own original. The worldview of the Ys series is based on the worldview of the European Continent, but it also presents many elements that are different from realilty. A player who knows Norse mythology like the back of their hand can probably guess which of those are based on real Norse gods and such being referenced in some elements. Those who are familiar with the history of the Vikings may be able to find a few clues in the game, such as the Vikings' rule of northern France in the past.
(Translator Note: The History event that he mentions of Vikings' rule of Northern France is the events of Siege of Paris.)
--Many of the areas in previous works were related to the sea (e.g. shipwrecks, islands, etc.), but this is the first work to introduce the element of navigation and use the sea directly as the stage for Adol's adventure. What was the main reason for the decision to include the concept of the sea?
Kondo: So far most of Adol's adventures have been on land, but there have also been adventures on isolated islands like in Ys VIII. In fact, Falcom has always wanted to make adventures along on the sea, but due to cost and labor considerations, we've never been able to make a ship-related system for the series. Before this game was developed I asked the core team members if they wanted to do a adventure with sea as the main concept, and a lot of them agreed that they wanted to challenge that aspect, so they did. Another reason is that when I first joined Falcom, I was sitting at the workstation where my predecessor sat previously, and I pulled and open the table drawer and found that my predecessor had drawn of a figure, which is Adol, which on that piece of paper, and there was a line next to it that said, "Ys of the sea," and that theme has left an impression on me ever since then, and I have been trying to realize those keywords that my predecessor left behind for many years. The "Five Dragons of Altago" in "Ys VII" are like deities as ships going at it, and I've always wanted to have a seafaring setting, but this time around, "Ys X" was finally able to do so thanks in part of years of experiences and reach that financial standing, that I was really determined to make this idea that I had in the back of my mind become a reality.
-Would it be dangerous for Adol to command and sail a ship (laughs)? Will those in charge make some a sea disaster related side quests based on these circumstances? For example, will there be the classic sequence where Adol went through a shipwrecked and is drifted ashore which lead to being rescued by the heroine?
Kondo: Since this game comes right after the story of Ys II, Adol hasn't experienced that many shipwrecks yet and is still relatively safe in that regard. Although there's none of the classic moment or went overboard from a ship, drifted upshore of a beach and being rescued by the female protagonist this time around, there will be some easter eggs in the game that those shows references in the series. Also, in regards to Adol's sidekick/partner, "Dogi the WallCrusher", more info and others in relations to his title will be revealed in the game.
[Regards to its Platforms and Graphics]
-- <Ys X> is the first game in the Ys series to be released in Traditional Chinese simultaneously, and it is also the first game in the series to be released simultaneously across PS4, PS5, and Switch platforms. What were the key breakthroughs that made this milestone possible? Were there any challenges you encountered during the development process that stood out to you?
Kondo: When Ys X was first started, it was decided that it would be released on both the PlayStation and Switch platforms, and all the gameplay is designed for the Switch in mind. Previously, Falcom games were often released on PS before being ported to NS, but this time we prioritized the simultaneous release on PS and NS.
This indirectly affected our development process, for example, if I wanted to release a game in September every year, I would probably finish the script at the end of the previous year or the beginning of this year, however because I had to release Ys X on both PS and NS simultaneously, the development team asked me to finish the script in last October. Since I finished the script earlier, I was able to provide the source code to Clouded Leopard Entertainment at an earlier development stage to do the localization work, and Clouded Leopard Entertainment have expressed their willingness to release and do the localization work at a very early stage, which is one of the reasons why the Chinese version can be released at the same time.
In order to ensure for a simultaneous release for both PS and NS, I was actually prepared for a delay if needed, but I didn't expect the internal development to be completed on schedule, which is the first time in my professional career that it has went really smoothly.
- When reaching for the differences in hardware performance of each platform is there any special optimization, such as the specific differences on PS5, PS4 and Switch?
Kondo: Because of the performance differences between the platforms, it is adjusted for each platform, and what will be the most suitable for the platform to present to the player, the game on the PS5's graphics and the quality are of course the best, and the frame rate is very stable, and the material is capable of 4K or even potentially 8K in some areas, so players will be able to notice those asepcts and differences within the game. Please look forward to it.
--What adjustments and enhancements have been made to the new engine developed by Falcom for Ys X? Are there any significant changes being used in this new game?
Kondo: The new in-house engine was originally designed for Kuro No Kiseki, but when we worked on Ys X we have developed a proprietary shader specifically for this game because using the same shader would make these two games look very similar. A lot of work was also done on effect of the water since this adventure focuses on the theme of the sea.
[Combat, Systems and Exploration]
--How will the game balance out the adventure between traveling on land and the sea? And what kind of connection will there be between the land and sea?
Kondo: The ratio of adventures on land and sea depends on the player's choices, with the sea favoring free adventures and the land focusing on plot development. Depending on the player's style of play, the ratio of both will be different. If the player has explored all the elements in game, the sea adventure will take up about 40% of the overall ratio; if the player focuses on the plot and explores less, then the sea adventure will take up about 30%.
--Is there anything special about the nautical theme portion of the game other than the crusade to take back the land from Griegers? For example, treasure hunting, crusading against sea monsters, and so on? Will there be sea battle exclusive bosses?
Kondo: The basic part of the game is to explore new islands by sailing. In the opening part of the game, the town of Karnack will be under attack and the inhabitants will be scattered all over the Obelia Bay, so one of Adol's goals is to travel to various islands to find the original inhabitants of Karnack and make them part them of his crew, which is one of the core gameplay aspects of the game. On one of the islands where the player needs to go after Pikkard, there are a lot of similar side elements.
--It seems that Recapture Battle has drawn on the content of Ys VIII "Intercept Battle" and the Ys IX "Nox Battle", what parts have been improved in terms of gameplay?
Kondo: The design of Recapture Battle is not quite the same as Ys VIII/Ys IX versions of the mode, but when you recapture the island, you need to capture the island's exclusive labyrinth that emphasizes its combat, and you need to take down enemies as fast as you try to reach and get to the end of the labyrinth during the Recapture Battle. The battle also includes a score element that allows players to repeat the challenge for a higher score.
--The Ys series has had a major change in the battle system every few games in the series, and Ys X has been focused on the switching of characters and the three main-attack attributes, so I'd like to ask the president to tell us more about those changes in this game.
Kondo: Since Ys VII, the Ys series has used party members being switched and the three main attack attributes as the basis for combat, and although it's easy to understand, the combat system has basically reach a conclusion that it is needed to be change over the years. When we thought about how to make a new combat system in Ys X, we observed that some of the characters were underutilized in the previous installments, despite the fact that there were six to eight members in the party. Instead of making characters that players wouldn't used or underutilized, it was better to focus and used our resources to develop in other areas by reducing the number of characters that could be controlled, so a lot of actions and other variables could only be realized in the combination mode/partner system for this game. And with only 2 maneuverable characters, the player's skill in maneuvering as well as their own preference for these characters will continue to accumulate over time.
--Where did the inspiration for "Mana Move" come from? In addition to the three Mana action that have been announced so far, are there any other types of Mana actions that have not yet been announced? Will there be mini-games or challenges using specific Mana action, such as skateboarding?
Kondo: The inspiration for this comes mainly from Ys I and II, and it's a common practice in the series for players to get new abilities when they get new items to solve puzzles or move forward. The Mana Moves that have been revealed so far will have more powerful versions later in the game, and there are also Mana Moves that have not been revealed yet, such as the ability to see hidden objects. There will be storylines related to these Mana Moves, as well as racing and other forms, but there are no separate mini-games specifically planned for this.
--This is the first game in the series to include a two-player team-up "Combination Mode", what was the reasoning behind this decision to include this mechanic? What was challenging about the development of combination mode and cross action? Can you share with us how we use the mechanics of "Solo Mode" and "Combination Mode"?
Kondo: The Ys series is characterized by high-speed, fast-paced combat, and we wanted to build on that with a heavier feel, so we used "Combination Mode" to do that. As I mentioned earlier, having too many characters means that some of them are rarely used, so by take it down to only two playable characters, we were able to focus more on the variety of character movements and their growth status. When we first started developing the combination mode, the game was quite complex, with two different sets of controls for single and duo characters, which it would go against the tradition of the Ys series of being easy to use, so to shrink down the sets of controls was the biggest challenge we encountered. In the wild, if you are fighting mobs or weaker enemies we recommended to use solo mode, this experience is the closest to the original "Ys" series that many players knows ; if you encounter a more powerful enemies with their health bar will have a shield-like durability on top of the screen, then it is more recommended to use combination mode. Of course, as the game progresses, players are free to mix and match the combination mode style for clearing out stragglers and the solo mode for cutting down on endurance in the character growth screen.
--Was there an intentional difference between the offense and defense aspects of solo mode and the combination mode?
Kondo: It was indeed intentional. Originally we designed it so that you had to press one button to switch between solo mode and combination mode, but now when you hold down R2, it switches to combination mode, which is the guard button in the Ys series, and the main reason for the difference is to simplify the controls.
--Is Karja the only partner you can operate this time around? Will there be other partners joining the battle? Or will partners be added via DLC? If so, will other partners be able to perform combined attacks with Adol in Combination Mode?
Kondo: We don't have any plans to add new partners through DLC at this time. There is only Adol and Karja available, so players may be concerned that there will be less variety with only two characters, but I can assure you that this will not be a problem, as each of them has the most varied amount of moves in the series once you play the game.
-What is the reason for removing the Slash, Hit, and Shoot attack attributes in this game? Will the three main attack attribute will be completely abandoned in future installments?
Kondo: We can't say for sure whether or not we'll continue to use the three main attack attributes in the future, and we'll have to see how players respond to the combination mode this time around. I understand that players who are accustomed to the three main attack system may feel reluctant to let go of it, but I can assure you that the Combination mode will not be inferior to its predecessor in terms of richness of its combat and strategy.
--President Kondo mentioned earlier that he would introduce "Souls-like" elements in order to show a different "Souls-like" game that is created uniquely to "Ys". How did Mr. Kondo interpret this Souls-like element?
Kondo: At the time, we discussed with the team the idea of adding some having bigger, weighty action elements in addition to the high-speed combat style of the Ys series, and emphasizing the importance of combat positioning by combining fast and slow movements. After finishing the game, if you ask me whether "Ys X" is closer to a Souls game or an Ys game, I think it's still closer to an Ys game. To be honest, I think this is still a pretty good attempt at that initial concept.
--What are the differences between enemies on different difficulties in "Ys X" besides their attack power, and what are the better rewards for playing on the highest difficulty?
Kondo: The enemies on different difficulty levels change in parameters, and when you challenge them on Hard or Nightmare difficulty, the bosses' attacks change, and there are more ways to attack them. Because this game's combination mode is a little more complexed than the previous installment, the enemies are a little easier on Normal difficulty, so if you're confident, you can start out on Hard or above, but if you're not, Normal or Easy is fine. There will be places where you will need to jump, so if you're having trouble with that, you can turn on the "Automatic Jump" option in the Options section. Playing on the highest difficulty will give you a special bonus, so look out for that.
--When I tried out "Ys X," I found it difficult to attack the bosses in solo mode, but very easy when I switched to combination mode, was this balance is designed this way?
Kondo: Because the bosses in the demo just now were purposely designed this way in order for players to fully experience the importance of combination mode. There will be times in the game when Adol is alone, and players will realize how great it is to have a partner in those fights.
--Will there be any support characters that players can't use to help in battle?
Kondo: In this game, there are only two people, Adol and Karja, in battles. Other characters that have joined the ship will provide support during sea battles.
--How long did it take to get through "Ys X"?
Kondo: It took me about 40 hours to complete all the collectibles on my third playthrough, and gamers who are better at action games may be able to get through it faster than me. First-time players will take about 50 or 60 hours to fully explore the area.
[About the role]
--This time, toi8 is in charge of the characters illustrations, and the style of the characters is very different from the past works, so it's very eye-catching. Why did you choose toi8? Do you have any stories to share about your collaboration with him?
Kondo: Ys X is set in when Adol's is a teenager, and the main characters are teenagers around his age, so the first thing we considered when choosing a character designer was his ability to draw young characters in an appealing way. After seeing toi8 work, we decided that he could fully embrace and showcase the youthful and fantasy elements of this work, so we worked together. toi8 always submitted his work right before the deadline was approaching, so it made my heart race a little bit, but other than that, the process went very smoothly.
--This time the heroine, Karja, is a pirate princess, which is different from the heroines in the previous series, was this influenced by the "maturity" of the "Kiseki" series? Is the overall atmosphere of this game light and fun, or more matured and serious?
Kondo: This time around, the script is mainly bright and positive, not really heavy and serious. Despite the fact that the heroine is a pirate, the story of the game is essentially surround around these teenagers, and the main theme of the story is that the town they live in is attacked at the beginning, and the tone of the story is how they work together to get through it. Of course, at the end of the story everyone will be faced with a test on a very grand scale, and these teenagers will also use their perspective to observe the problems faced by the adults. The game is not entirely positive and bright, since there is a little bit of seriousness as well, but overall it is still cheerful and lively.
--Adol can be heard speaking in his voice in the promotional video for this game, how many lines in the game does he have in voice?
Kondo: The number of Adol's lines in this game is about the same as in the previous Ys games in the series. The previous promotional videos were edited to focus on the highlights of the game, and it looked like Adol would have a lot of voiced lines, but overall the number of voiced lines is basically the same as in previous entries in the series. Adol is the player's avatar in the game, and we didn't want do too much of the voice acting to ruin the player's engagement with the character. Mr. Yuki Kaji, the voice actor for Adol, complained after every voice recording, "I can't figure out what the plot is with so few lines. For us, there are some elements of the Ys series that we want to stick to for every main installment.
--There's a raven "Hugill" in the character introduction, how is its exclusive sub-story is different from the others?
Kondo: The raven "Hugill" acts alongside Adol and Karja in the game, and it's the starting point for many of the side-quests. There are also interlude events in the game that are exclusive to each of the main characters.
--There is a whale in the visuals and promotional videos for Ys X. Does it have any significance in the game?
Kondo: This game has an "Action Overdrive Event" system, where the player controls Adol, which a whale that appears in the mid-game. The Action Overdrive Event and the whale has a deep connection to the game's setting, the Obelia Bay. In the main storyline, you can learn about its relationship with the Normans, and through its subplots, you will get the full picture of it.
--Falcom has had some older games that are "remastered" recently, such as Tokyo Xanadu eX+ and Nayuta No Kiseki Ad Astra, is there any chance that Zwei: The Arges Adventure, which has already been released for the PSP, will it received a remastered someday? Is there a chance that Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana will be released for PS?
Kondo: There are a lot of gamers who doesn't have access to Falcom's older titles, which is why that Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, and Tokyo Xanadu eX+ were released on the Switch. Some of the older Falcom games are currently not available on modern platforms, and we'd like to release them as full remasters if we get the chance, but there's nothing we can talk to you about just yet.
--Is there any chance of a remake or port of Ys V?
Kondo: At every internal meeting at Falcom, the topic of whether or not to remake Ys V would always come up, and I would ask everyone, "Do you want to develop a new installment in the Ys series or make an remake of Ys V?" Most of the staff still felt that it would be more better to make a new installment for the series. I've played Ys V when I was a university student, and the script and its systems are very different and unique compared to games today. A remake would require significant changes, it would require significant changes to the script and the game design, and would probably cost more than making a entire new game. Of course I'd like to completely remake Ys V before I retire if I get that chance.
--We'd like to conclude this interview by asking President Kondo to say a few remarks to the players.
Kondo: In Ys VII, we used the party-based and the three-main attack attributes, and the amount of effort that went into Ys X was comparable to what we had done at the time. We are waiting with anticipation to hear the feedback from you all after the game's release, and we are very happy with the game, so we hope that you will enjoy it as well, and we hope that you will support "Ys X -Nordics-".