Kingdom of Paradise

Owners of Sony's PSP platform have been clamoring for original and engaging titles to play every since the system's release. While these experiences have been few and far between, both Sony and developer Climax Entertainment have released in Kingdom of Paradise a game that many could find to be just what they are looking for. We had the opportunity to speak with the game's Assistant Producer, Satoshi Ban regarding this exciting new action RPG for the PSP.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us regarding Kingdom of Paradise. What has your role been on this project, and how has working on this game been different from other games you've been involved with?

My name is Satoshi Ban and I am the Assistant Producer on Kingdom of Paradise. For this project, my role was to coordinate staff and direction of the title along with the Producer. The big difference with this game compared to other projects I've worked on in the past is that I really wanted to develop the first "Asian" title that goes beyond the borders of Japan. By joining forces with a broad level Asian staff, we were able to go beyond just a "Japanese" title and incorporate bits and pieces from all sorts of Asian cultures.

As an RPG with action elements, this game seems to share much in common with other entries in this genre hybrid. If you had to compare this RPG to another existing title, what would you say would offer a comparable experience to that of Kingdom of Paradise?

I don't know if there are specific games that influenced us, but by breaking down the traditional action-RPG gaming mold, we believe Kingdom of Paradise offers a new action-RPG gaming style customized for the PSP. The key difference in this game is that it is almost more of an action game with RPG elements. Also Kingdom of Paradise is a completely original IP. We were inspired by epic adventure, classic samurai sword-fighting, and a mythical world based on the Orient. I would really like players to see how we're trying to push the boundaries of traditional genres and game design with Kingdom of Paradise for the PSP. I want players to experience how deep and powerful the PSP hardware really is and I'm really looking forward to the future possibilities of PSP game development.

What is the general gameplay of Kingdom of Paradise like? Is this a fairly linear game, or is there an emphasis on exploration?

Kingdom of Paradise is definitely considered more of an action game that contains RPG elements. There are many RPG-like moments, such as event scenes and talking to people in town, but there are way more action elements to this game than the typical RPG. Similar to classic RPGs, players will level up their character by defeating enemies and earning experience points. Players will also need to talk to people along the way, gaining information and clues necessary to move the story forward. The game's story is fairly linear, however players will be able to visit any clan region whenever they'd like. However, players will need to collect certain items and visit certain areas before moving on to others, and moving along the story. Depending on the skill level of the player, it should take around 15-20 hours to finish the game.

What we some of the challenges you and your team faced in bringing an RPG to a portable market?

This was the first time our production team has had a chance to create a game for the PSP. Developing action-RPG titles is a genre that our team has excelled in, so creating something in that vein for PSP was a challenge but we believe we were able to pull it off successfully. By utilizing our strengths in creating traditional action-RPG games, we were able to offer a new twist to the genre that fits well with the design of the PSP. The best example again is the ability to create your own Bugei Scrolls. This type of fighting mechanic lends itself well to the quick action that gamers will expect from a portable player. I look forward to the future possibilities of game development for the PSP and I would really like players to see how we're trying to push the boundaries of traditional genres and game design with Kingdom of Paradise for the PSP.

The idea of being able to combine different techniques in order to create your own original combos sounds exciting, but complicated. How does this work, and, perhaps more importantly, how have you managed to implement this without bogging down the fast-paced action aspects of this RPG?

The combat system is very unique. The biggest feature we introduced is our concept of Kenpu and Bugei Scrolls. Players will receive Kenpu as they defeat enemies and proceed through events in the story. In the game, Kenpu is part of a scroll that focuses on specific sword technique and style. Basically, Kenpu is a specific fighting move. By aligning multiple Kenpu, players can create what is known as a Bugei Scroll, or, a set combination of Kenpu moves. By equipping various Bugei Scrolls, players can begin implementing fighting combos in their attacks. The Bugei Scroll is a "continuous attack" which can be freely customized, and the players can decide which Kenpu to use and its order. The reason why this Bugei Scroll system is unique is because of its variation on fighting mechanics and that we're utilizing this as a feature on the PSP. Since there are more than 150 kinds of Kenpu throughout the game, the total number of combos is almost limitless! Each Bugei Scroll is inevitably your own personal combo. In a typical action-RPG, you fight by changing weapons in accordance with the enemy. In Kingdom of Paradise, however, you are able to switch the Bugei Scrolls instead of the weapons.

You can equip up to six Bugei Scrolls at the same time, and you can also switch them to more effective Scrolls depending on the enemy. Using the right trigger, exchanging Bugei Scrolls can be done very quickly during battles so it is possible to switch Scrolls every time an enemy appears. When multiple enemies surround you, pick the Bugei Scroll that lets you attack enemies close by. When you fight against one enemy, you can pick the Bugei Scroll that makes you get close to the enemy right away. Depending on each situation, the Bugei Scrolls can be switched just like you switch your weapons.

After players beat the game, gamers can play through again to try and collect additional Kenpu (specific moves) that they may not have acquired during the first play through. Players can take these additional Kenpu and add to their Bugei scrolls, creating even more sword fighting combos. Terrain and weather generally will not affect elements of combat in the game and no, there is no real stealth aspect.

What did you decide to go with a more combo-oriented style of gameplay rather then a more accessible system that would appeal to general gamers?

Being a PSP title, we placed a great deal of importance on the tempo of the game. Since the game is for a portable player, gamers may not be able to play for long hours like with console games. Flow of the story and tempo during battle are things we paid attention to the most so that playing for a short time play can be fun, too. Especially during battle, we were meticulous about timing the action and balancing the enemy's strength to keep players feeling comfortable, even during a short period of gaming. Because of this, we wanted to provide a robust fighting system that could really spotlight the action of the game and provide for some classic versus fights on ad hoc.

Does Kingdom of Paradise support multiplayer Wi-Fi? What about Ad Hoc? Will two players be able to take part in the main campaign, or is multiplayer only available in secondary modes of play?

Unfortunately, the story is only a single-player game. However we do support ad hoc functionality. In ad hoc, players can face off in a two-player versus mode. Here, players can fight against a friend using original Bugei Scroll combos. In addition to a versus battle, players can show off their originally created combos to a friend in Ad Hoc as well. Players can simply focus on beating an opponent but since the fighting system is so deep, we hope that players will come up with unique ways to go through battle, considering things like what kind of combo to use to defeat the opponent.

Additionally, we are offering a Kenpu exchange system in ad hoc. This is a function in which you can exchange Kenpu with your opponent's Kenpu. If you play and finish the game, you will only collect about 70% of the total available Kenpu. The remaining Kenpu has to be collected on the second play through with cleared save data. But if players use the Kenpu Exchange, they can obtain Kenpu from your friends that you may not have. One thing we like to do here in the dev offices is to face off with an opponent and the winner gets a Kenpu reward.

What sort of downloadable content will be available with this game?

Players can get rare Kenpu, items, and weapons that are not available in the normal gameplay. The power in the rare Kenpu is very strong, and as a result players can create some really crazy combos with unusual character attack motions. Use this type of Kenpu in a versus match and your character will be so strong that the other player may think you're cheating.

What do you recall as being the single biggest obstacle you and the team had to overcome during this game's development? How did you overcome this challenge?

The biggest obstacle was to agree upon and share a complete vision of the game with all production staff members involved. The production staff for Kingdom of Paradise includes a Korean character designer and illustrators from other Asian countries. So, there were many individuals involved that were not from the gaming industry or even the same country. So definitely sharing a coherent image of the game was a really difficult task. Although it was tough, I think we did a good job bringing it all together and that resulted in our team being able to express a unique view of the world that you won't find in other titles.

What has it been like to work with Korean animator Ko Jinho, and what do you feel this distinct art style adds to the experience?

Ko Jinho worked on the game's character designs. As for the general game design, the Japanese production team handled that aspect of the game, but there are many parts that were influenced by the designs of Ko Jinho. Despite our languages being different everything went relatively smooth. One challenge was that our team's image of Asia is different from the image Korean people have on Asia. Instead of viewing this as a problem, we took advantage of the situation. With two different visions of Asia, including clothes, environment, and character design, we were able to create an original world that consisted of parts from both perspectives that really brings a unique look to the game.

Nov 23, 2005 - 11:51 am | 0 comments
Jason Dobson