Introduction
[00:00:00] Jon Jordan: Hey and welcome to the Cell Video games Playbook. Thanks for tuning in for an additional episode. This can be a podcast all about what makes a fantastic cellular recreation, what’s and isn’t working for cellular recreation designers, and all the newest developments. I’m your host, Jon Jordan, and becoming a member of me at this time; We now have one professional, however what an professional he’s, Teemu Palomaki. Good to have you ever again on, Teemu. Your official title is Chief Sport Analyst Japan for Sport Refinery, and you’re speaking about one of the defining, I suppose, Japanese video games at this time. So you’re the good man for this. Inform us what we have to learn about Remaining Fantasy.
[00:00:36] Teemu Palomäki: Nice to be right here speaking about it. I’ve performed numerous them. I’m hoping I can shed some mild on issues that may very well be useful for non-Remaining Fantasy builders at this time.
[00:00:54] Jon: Sure, it’s an enormous topic, and it’s one of many longest-running. I imply, whether or not you see it as an fascinating franchise, isn’t it? As a result of just about many of the video games are single video games, however to a point in some shared universe. Then there are some direct sequels, however then there’s an terrible lot of side-quests and multimedia, and over time, that’s develop into larger. Very fascinating from that standpoint. Additionally, we’re timing this now as a result of Remaining Fantasy VII: Ever Disaster has pretty just lately been launched as a cellular recreation. Once more, that’s one other retelling of the basic Remaining Fantasy VII recreation as properly. That might be one thing we’ll cowl. How do you need to begin? How do you need to begin this large overview?
What makes Remaining Fantasy particular
[00:01:42] Teemu: First, what makes Remaining Fantasy so particular? Fascinated about it. Clearly, as you talked about, there’s connections. Some comply with in the identical universe, whereas most of them are completely completely different and possibly share solely gameplay mechanics or themes. I believe that’s what makes it so good, at the very least for me. The best way they will maintain issues recent. If I play Remaining Fantasy VII, which is a sci-fi world, after which I play Remaining Fantasy XVI, which is the most recent one for PlayStation 5, which is type of like Sport of Thrones, like medieval Europe factor.
These don’t have a lot in frequent if you happen to take a look at them like that, however after I’m enjoying them, there are these components that make them acquainted and simpler to strategy. I believe that the best way the collection evolves is the best way that it catches individuals’s consideration and retains them involved in it for a very long time.
[00:03:09] Jon: I suppose there’s at all times the view that until you actually don’t like RPGs, which clearly that’s not the franchise view then. In the event you do, you’ll have a favourite, however you’ll in all probability have one or a few video games that you simply actually like traditionally as a result of the story actually labored, or for the extra fashionable ones, it’s simply one thing that basically chimes with you. Which means you’ll at all times have an interest within the subsequent one, even when the setting isn’t one thing that you simply like or, for some purpose, you don’t just like the one. It’s an fascinating kind of what’s very fundamental promoting. That’s one of many causes it’s lasted so properly.
Clearly, the standard of the video games has been nice. Anybody who’s ever performed a Remaining Fantasy recreation and favored a part of it’s like, “Effectively, I’m wondering what this subsequent one goes to be like.” It appears that evidently generally, let me simply say, with James Bond movies again within the day, the place everybody at all times watched the following one, even when the final one was garbage. There was at all times that concept. , a number of the Remaining Fantasy video games are actually really not going to be superb, however there’s sufficient great things in there that you simply’re similar to, “They’ve realized from their errors earlier than.”
Hits and misses within the Remaining Fantasy collection
[00:04:15] Teemu: Effectively, mainline Remaining Fantasy, so clearly, some video games are thought-about large hits. 7, I believe, 10 would depend as an enormous hit. 16 is a very good hit proper now, regardless of the smaller set up base in PlayStation 5. There are people who individuals think about misses, like Remaining Fantasy VIII, which was a bit off-putting for a lot of, and 13 is at all times getting numerous hate from the fanbase. That’s the principle line. That can be the case for the cellular video games, the spinoffs which can be on cellular. There’s been numerous actually bizarre ones that haven’t resonated in any respect.
One instance was the Remaining Fantasy All of the Bravest, the place you simply had a ton of various characters, no story, no something. It’s simply monetization, and not likely a lot to do. There’s simply numerous results taking place on the display screen, and gamers actually didn’t like that one. There have been spinoffs from the Remaining Fantasy-type zero recreation. There was an Agito recreation concerning the college setting. Since Sort-0 didn’t resonate properly with the gamers, the spinoff didn’t resonate both. There’s been numerous errors. Most just lately, the Remaining Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, you would possibly bear in mind the Battle Royale recreation. I believe it lasted solely 4 months earlier than it was killed as a result of it was attempting to do one thing bold.
Personally, I favored the gameplay, what they launched to the Battle Royale setting, and the best way you’ll be able to kill monsters; you’ll be able to select to go PvE to concentrate on the monsters or PvP and attempt to kill the gamers. It was fascinating, it was recent, however the recreation simply didn’t maintain me hooked lengthy sufficient, and it looks like it didn’t discover its viewers in any respect.
Comparability of Japanese and Western audiences
[00:06:38] Jon: I suppose usually, we’d be, say, evaluating the cellular ones to the non-mobile ones. Clearly, cellular video games are cheaper to develop, and so there’s a degree of experimentation there that’s extra addressable. Then additionally you have got this drawback with cellular in a manner that the– Notably on cellular, the best way the Japanese play cellular video games in comparison with how non-Japanese or Westerners play cellular video games could be very completely different. Whereas if you realize you’re making a console recreation, it’s important to make it work all over the place.
Cell has extra flexibility, however equally, it has extra stratified audiences. Each Remaining Fantasy recreation has in all probability, we are able to say, bought extra in Japan than not in Japan. I don’t know if that’s really true, however you’d suppose broadly that numerous its hardcore viewers is extra Japanese than it might be globally.
The flexibleness of the Remaining Fantasy IP
[00:07:38] Teemu: Undoubtedly. Wanting on the efficiency of various Remaining Fantasy video games, as I used to be wanting by them, they’re at all times performing significantly better in Japan. The place in Japan, gachas are extra favorably checked out. Whereas right here within the West, not a lot, individuals are inclined to shun them. Particularly the console recreation viewers. It’s important to keep in mind that these followers of this IP, they’ve performed console video games from, like, in the event that they grew to become followers someplace between 1 and 12, they’ve by no means had sufficient purchases in these video games. They grew up pondering that this is sort of a complete recreation, and any further monetization seems like a rip-off for them or a rip-off.
Nonetheless, there are these success tales that also resonate within the West as properly. I listed numerous these video games that weren’t obtained so properly, however there are good video games performing properly. Courageous Exvius is doing fairly properly. Courageous Exvius: Struggle of the Visions can be a spin-off from that cellular title. Then the Dissidia, Opera, and Omnia doing properly. Remaining Fantasy XV: A New Empire is their 4X recreation. I don’t understand how, but it surely discovered its viewers. If I think about a Remaining Fantasy gamer, I don’t consider them as a 4X kind of participant however as an viewers.
[00:09:31] Jon: That was fairly an fascinating one, wasn’t it? As a result of really there’s– Machine Zone, on the top of its energy, was doing these large advanced 4x video games with very mainstream promoting round it as a UA funnel. Then they signed a cope with Sq. to principally reskin one among their 4X video games as a enjoyable fan recreation, which is fascinating in and of itself that Sq., in a manner, would, I’m going to say, enable somebody to do this. Clearly, they do these issues, these license offers are to generate income. Equally, I believe these machines owned 4X video games, even on the time, they weren’t drastically cherished amongst most individuals. Individuals who performed them cherished them. It was an fascinating use of the Remaining Fantasy license. Then there’s really been one other one, which hasn’t been so profitable.
There are literally two 4X video games from Machine Zone utilizing the Remaining Fantasy license. That’s fascinating, it exhibits nothing to do with RPGs, however there’s amongst possibly a small subset of people that actually like enjoying and paying for video games. Really, Remaining Fantasy is a license that basically works in a manner that you simply wouldn’t suppose it might. That’s a optimistic to the pliability of the license to draw an viewers.
Experimentation with the IP
[00:10:56] Teemu: Sure. I believe that’s one of many success components for these video games that the Remaining Fantasy cellular video games have achieved properly. If we take a look at Courageous Exvius, it was developed by Alim, who was the maker of the Courageous Frontier recreation. This Courageous Exvius Remaining Fantasy recreation is principally like a reskin of the Courageous Frontier recreation, however now with Remaining Fantasy and all the extra fancy animations, the CGX assaults. That’s the sport that launched us to collaboration characters of Ariana Grande and Katy Perry, who at the moment are Remaining Fantasy characters as properly.
Then the Struggle of the Visions, a derivative of the Courageous Exvius, is developed by Gumi. These are the makers of the Alchemist Goat recreation, which was actually a preferred crit-based RPG recreation in Japan. It was okay within the West, but it surely’s killed now. As soon as once more, this recreation is just about a reskin of that recreation. There’s an present idea that they then combine with this Remaining Fantasy IP. If there’s sufficient overlap with curiosity for gamers, then they succeed fairly properly.
Using supply materials for achievement
[00:12:37] Jon: I believe that’s level the place you have got these– Courageous Frontier is an ideal instance, I suppose, of an extremely profitable recreation, just about simply in Japan. Western audiences, until you’re actually into JRPGs, it wasn’t mass market there. Remaining Fantasy is type of that license you could take one thing that you realize works at the very least to some viewers, after which Remaining Fantasy, by placing that license on it, you realize you’re going to draw 10 occasions extra individuals to at the very least obtain it and see what on earth it’s like. It’s a really fascinating international play on that.
As you additionally identified, I believe going again to the experimentation that Sq. Enix does on cellular, my impression is all these video games that you simply simply talked about Sq. weren’t creating in them. They have been publishing them, however they’d well-known Japanese builders taking their fashion of recreation after which placing Remaining Fantasy in there. As you say, Remaining Fantasy video games are sometimes– These characters preventing in opposition to evil is a little bit of a cliched factor.
These characters at all times have fascinating or fascinating interpersonal relationships. Which I suppose is one thing else, which is a attribute of the Remaining Fantasy video games that the setting doesn’t actually matter there. Even when the storytelling and if that FMV stuff is considerably a little bit of a cliché, it really works. They appear to raise the story, the plot, and the characters to the next degree. Which can be, once more, one other attribute of that franchise. I suppose JRPGs on a really broad scale, the opposite massive comparability in Japan is Dragon Quest, which is equally as massive in Japan, however simply by no means has labored within the West for causes I wouldn’t know.
Evaluating Remaining Fantasy and Dragon Quest
[00:14:27] Teemu: Sure, possibly the Remaining Fantasy aesthetics work higher for the Western viewers. You talked about numerous these have been created by firms aside from Sq.. Sq. Enix has additionally had hit recreation developed by themselves for cellular, the Mobius Remaining Fantasy. Which was created by the massive stars of the corporate who’re like, the present model supervisor for Remaining Fantasy was a producer there. The individuals who labored on that recreation at the moment are engaged on the upcoming Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth video games and actually filling massive boots. They’d made massive mainline video games earlier than.
If you put one of the best individuals to work on these, these those that have made these nice console video games, while you put them to make the cellular recreation that’s meant to be a fantastic expertise akin to the console gaming expertise, then they will create one thing nice. Mobius Remaining Fantasy was doing very well. I believe a part of the rationale why they killed it may need been in order that they might get these good individuals to work on the opposite mission, which is the Remaining Fantasy VII remake trilogy.
[00:15:58] Jon: I suppose, if there’s a much less experimental recreation that you realize is coming with a Sq. stamp of approval, you then simply push that out barely. I suppose the opposite factor is, we have been speaking a bit concerning the FMV, the complete movement video the place you’re humorous that you simply’re enjoying with these barely down pink characters after which out of the blue do an assault, and exquisite graphics come into play. Clearly, again within the day of Remaining Fantasy VII, that was the massive factor, and that was since you couldn’t run these graphics in actual time. Whereas clearly, now you’ll be able to, but it surely’s nonetheless that nostalgia, although technically you might do all of it in FMV, I suppose. That’s humorous.
I suppose one other attribute of it’s the audio and the music and all that stuff, which, once more, is one thing that these video games at all times have. They by no means have a nasty soundtrack. That’s absolutely the type of– you realize you’re going to start out with good music.
Music and nostalgia in Remaining Fantasy
[00:16:50] Teemu: It’s Remaining Fantasy soundtrack. These are at all times nice. I believe that’s additionally one factor that makes the video games stick in your reminiscence as a result of when there are these impactful moments within the video games while you hear the music in these, the music is memorable. It additionally hits your emotions everytime you’re listening to that soundtrack while you’re on the fitness center, or working, or commuting or no matter you’re doing, working. Then you definitely bear in mind these moments, and it simply builds the connection higher. The sounds are at all times undoubtedly necessary.
[00:17:34] Jon: You’ve been enjoying numerous Ever Disaster, the most recent one. Do you need to go right into a little bit of element on that, clearly based mostly on the Remaining Fantasy VII Basic World?
Remaining Fantasy VII: Ever Disaster
[00:17:45] Teemu: Sure. The Remaining Fantasy VII: Ever Disaster, is a very fascinating experiment from Sq. Enix. I believe it’s doing okay now, the little bit that we’ve seen its efficiency. What the sport does is it tries to compile all of those completely different additions to the Remaining Fantasy VII World right into a single cellular recreation. What they’ve achieved is that they’ve remade the Final Fantasy VII authentic story, and so they’ve additionally remade Remaining Fantasy VII Disaster Core, which is the prequel one.
Then there’s additionally at present within the recreation the unique story from The First Soldier, which was the failed Battle Royale recreation. There’s a storyline about that recreation which is the mobile-only a part of the story. What they will do and what they’re planning on doing can be introducing playable content material from the film Introduction Kids and the novels Traces of Two Pasts or On the Technique to a Smile. These tales that aren’t playable and novels I believe most followers of Remaining Fantasy VII haven’t even learn. Deliver these new issues in there. Very nice experiment on methods to deliver a console MIP to cellular.
The gameplay. I believe the core gameplay is feasible. It’s enjoyable, however quickly you progress it to auto-battle. It’s good that it’s straightforward to auto, however you’ll be able to nonetheless sort of have an effect on it. It shouldn’t get too boring, however I’ve to see a little bit little bit of fan reactions, like how they take it. I believe there’s sufficient customizability by, like, what abilities you’ll be able to put in there that the followers might be okay with it. I believe it’s a good combine, but it surely stays to be seen. Story, clearly, the supply materials is actually good. Then while you get to the primary Soldier’s story, you sort of really feel that it’s the cellular recreation story as a result of it begins lagging. In that, there’s numerous this dialogue that doesn’t result in something when in comparison with the unique supply supplies, the seven, it simply– right here’s this necessary second, right here’s this subsequent necessary second. It’s consistently transferring. You’re feeling what’s cellular solely.
Monetization in Ever Disaster
[00:20:41] Jon: How about monetization? Have you ever acquired a really feel of the place it sits for that?
[00:20:48] Teemu: There’s something actually fascinating about that. Often, characters are what you get by gachas, however on this recreation, you unlock characters routinely. There isn’t any monetization associated to unlocking the characters. What you do unlock by gachas is the weapons for them and the skins for the character or armor. You may also use them as skins. That’s actually fascinating. The best way the gachas are achieved, you have got the gachas, which provide you with these weapons, however in order for you these armors they aren’t obtainable by the gacha drops, however there’s a separate stamp system. With every pull, you get from 1-12 stamps, and I believe for each 12 stamps, you will get the armor or pores and skin for a personality.
It’s important to pull a number of occasions to get these skins. I believe that characteristic is likely to be one thing that can flip off many console gamers who come from these video games and usually are not accustomed to gacha monetization. It might probably get a little bit bit irritating as a result of there’s a random aspect on high of the random components.
[00:22:31] Jon: Did you say that that’s very within the Japanese cellular gaming psyche? They invented it, and as different territories or different builders are transferring away from it in varied types, it doesn’t look like that’s–. They’re simply doubling down on gachas. It’s only a cultural factor, I suppose, isn’t it?
Gacha mechanics in Japanese gaming tradition
[00:22:52] Teemu: Sure. On different monetization points, battle go is there. It feels a little bit bit like an afterthought. Effectively, you get beneficial objects out of it, but it surely’s forgettable. The subscription plans, they’ve a few these, however they final for seven days. I believe the value level was one thing nearer to $10 for seven days, and I believe which may really feel a little bit bit steep for a lot of gamers. The worth will increase your rewards from that quest. In the event you’re occurring a seven-day grind fest, then it may very well be undoubtedly price it. I believe many gamers will ignore these.
Curiously for the weapons that you simply acquire from the gacha, the sport has the very best rarity ranges that I’ve ever seen on cellular video games. Mainly, you acquire 3-star weapons that may be upgraded to 5-star, however then on high of these 5-star, you’ll be able to over-boost them. You’ll be able to first over-boost them to 10 stars, then to fifteen stars. Then after the 15 stars, that is based mostly on what I noticed in achievements. There are 15 stars plus 20 that you have to attain to get a sure achievement. I believe you’ll be able to go as much as 35 stars. Earlier than this, the largest I bear in mind was 10, in cellular video games. They’re going actually subsequent degree, sort of Remaining Fantasy, Courageous Exvius Struggle of the Imaginative and prescient shocked me with their gacha. Often, you have got 5 gacha banners, possibly 10 at most. I bear in mind after I was analyzing one occasion for them from that recreation, and so they had like 60 completely different gacha banners, and I used to be like, “Why do you want this many?” They wish to go experimental on these quantities.
Distinctive weapon rarity ranges
[00:25:12] Jon: A Remaining Fantasy recreation can be the one– pondering a Remaining Fantasy VII-based expertise can be the one the place you suppose in some way the nostalgia kicks into a few of these middle-aged gamers who bear in mind enjoying it on the PlayStation. There we go.
[00:25:29] Teemu: Not less than there’s a loss of life there.
[00:25:32] Jon: Completely. I suppose one thing else is passing. It’s fascinating after I was simply wanting by the app retailer to see the Remaining Fantasy video games and see all this record and stuff. As you say, numerous the video games you’ve talked about have been in for a few years after which come out as many cellular video games are. If it’s not economical to run them, however nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of the video games sitting on there are premium video games.
It’s fascinating that you might virtually see any new Remaining Fantasy free-to-play recreation being launched. It additionally highlights the truth that you’ve acquired possibly 10 of the outdated remakes of all of the video games which can be– I believe they vary from as much as $20, $25 for the most costly ones sitting there as premium video games. Which I presume our individuals are nonetheless shopping for as a result of why wouldn’t they?
Premium video games and cellular releases
[00:26:23] Teemu: Sure, the nostalgia there. It’s good. Personally, I want buying them on consoles as a result of that’s the place I’ve performed them. That’s the place I really feel most snug enjoying them. Having them out there on cellular is one thing individuals can then play on the airplane. They don’t want an web connection for many of them. From one to 9, I believe the remakes are there for the PlayStation, as much as PlayStation One. They’ve additionally made Remaining Fantasy XII video games for cellular, however these are cloud variations. Since cloud gaming by no means actually acquired going that a lot, at the very least but, these have been fascinating experiments, forgettable.
[00:27:19] Jon: Oh, okay. In the beginning, you talked about there have been some conclusions you thought for builders. What are these, then? Let’s actually broaden it out.
Conclusions for builders
[00:27:34] Teemu: Effectively, I believe the largest factor to study could also be from these Remaining Fantasy cellular video games. If you take a look at them, the profitable ones play to the important thing strengths of the IP. In the event you’re making a console recreation or cellular recreation. I believe many– Not less than Sony was very on this. In the event you’re attempting to make a cellular recreation, then it simply doesn’t resonate together with your core viewers. If I take, for instance, Horizon Zero Daybreak, you’re looking these large robotic dinosaurs and animals with Aloy. In the event you take that idea into cellular and also you go like, “Okay, everybody performs match-3 on cellular, so let’s make match-3 with Aloy and pals.” It simply doesn’t resonate together with your viewers as a result of there’s not a lot to match.
Now if you happen to make it say base constructing, a 4X recreation the place you’re preventing wars between these completely different tribes, nonetheless a little bit bit completely different than what the core IP is, however there’s that attraction that, “Okay, there have been these tribes, they have been having these conflicts.” There’s an fascinating setting to this that might resonate to new audiences and resonate additionally with the older followers. If you wish to make it actually attraction to the followers of the IP, then you have to have an motion RPG the place you’re aiming for these completely different weaknesses of those robotic dinosaurs and doing these stealth missions.
It simply must have the identical feeling, and the identical storytelling. The extra you’ll be able to deliver the supply materials, the higher. As a result of if you happen to take a look at Remaining Fantasy: Courageous Exvius Struggle of the Visions, it just about is Remaining Fantasy Ways, however with free-to-play mechanics, and it resonated very well when it was launched. They knew what they have been aiming for as a result of they launched it with the Remaining Fantasy Ways collaboration. This actually highlights for the followers of that IP that there’s a related recreation, and try to be enthusiastic about this as a result of we’ve got seen these oversimplified video games. There are a few these infinite runners about Crash Bandicoot or Sackboy. Positive, there’s a little little bit of overlap there, however these have been extra like platformers as a substitute of infinite runners. It’s good to have full management of the character for it to really feel thrilling for followers of the IP.
[00:30:50] Jon: I suppose on a broad degree, that could be why a Remaining Fantasy Battle Royale doesn’t work as a result of that’s clearly simply concerning the capturing. The characters are there. Clearly, you’re working round with the characters. Whereas, as I bear in mind from the 4X recreation, okay, 4X isn’t about characters, but it surely was a really heavy use of the characters popping up on the display screen, and also you felt they have been enjoying into that in a manner and benefiting from the truth that Remaining Fantasy is concerning the characters. [crosstalk]
[00:31:23] Teemu: Sure. Then throwing is one other one. Cell players these days, even the extra informal ones, are used to extra advanced mechanics. Oftentimes we would suppose that, okay, easy cellular recreation touchscreen, possibly maintain it so simple as attainable. Persons are searching for leisure, and they’re used to dealing with their cell phones and doing stuff with them. You may be extra courageous with the mechanics. You don’t need to oversimplify it for them essentially.
Experimentation and mini-games
[00:32:06] Jon: I suppose not everybody has the assets of a Sq., however clearly, at that degree, Sq. have been superb at experimenting with their IP and seeing what works. I suppose, cellular nonetheless is that place the place the price of experimenting, whereas it’s risen so much in the previous couple of years, it’s nonetheless place to experiment with discovering audiences and doing new issues.
[00:32:33] Teemu: Sure. We’re at all times speaking concerning the hybridization and mini-games popping up in video games. If we consider probably the most memorable Remaining Fantasy video games, there are these mini-games that you simply bear in mind. It’s not simply purely that you simply make the identical progress within the story and also you struggle the battles, however there are these moments the place you play the sport otherwise. For Remaining Fantasy VII, you have got the bike chase, you have got the submarine hunt, you have got snowboarding. For some purpose, after a really tragic second, you’re fortunately snowboarding.
For Remaining Fantasy X, you have got blitz ball that you simply play, and in Remaining Fantasy VIII, you play card video games, additionally in 9. These are the issues that basically resonate. Possibly they take that as studying to your cellular video games as properly, you could have these completely different moments to steadiness the sport expertise as a result of individuals like various things. It’s enjoyable to have a break from the grind, do one thing fully completely different. In the event you handle to maintain the participant throughout the recreation throughout these break moments, that helps them to construct reference to the sport extra.
[00:34:01] Jon: Cool. good. Effectively, I coated numerous stuff there. Do you’re feeling such as you’re emptied of Remaining Fantasy now? You’ve dumped your experience into the podcast.
[00:34:11] Teemu: Sure. Possibly.
[00:34:16] Jon: There’s at all times some extra.
[00:34:16] Teemu: Now I’m simply itching to play all these Remaining Fantasy video games that I discussed. I need to return and possibly boot up my PlayStation 5 and proceed a little bit bit extra on Remaining Fantasy VI.
[00:34:27] Jon: That’s it. All the time good to fireside up the urge for food for extra gaming. That’s what we need to do on the podcast. Thanks very a lot, Teemu. That was nice.
[00:34:36] Teemu: Thanks.
[00:34:37] Jon: Thanks to you for listening, watching, to the podcast, nevertheless, you’re consuming it. In each episode, we’re digging into the world of cellular gaming, which is ever-dynamic and ever-changing. We’ve acquired some good episodes arising quickly, so don’t overlook to subscribe. Thanks for watching this one, and see you subsequent time. Goodbye.