Reynatis Interview
FuRyu and Natsume-Atari’s action RPG Reynatis releases in North America and Europe later this month, courtesy of NIS America. Set in a version of Shibuya where magic is real but those who practice it are required to conceal their powers, it follows two contrasting main protagonists with different ideals. RPGamer was given the opportunity to put questions to creative producer TAKUMI, as well as composer Yoko Shimomura and scenario writer Kazushige Nojima about the game.
RPGamer: Can you go into the reasoning and/or inspiration behind using Shibuya as the primary setting for Reynatis?
TAKUMI: I chose Shibuya because it is a unique location instantly recognizable as a sort of symbol of Japan. It’s a bit of a magical place itself with its blend of specialty shops and unique people.
RPGamer: Can you describe the role that the realm of “Another” plays in the game?
TAKUMI: Another is the magical world that the Guild manages. Because of that, one’s magic does not need to be suppressed, so you can be liberated. At first glance, that might seem good, but the fact that the Guild manages it means that Another itself is also suppressed.
RPGamer: Can you explain the ideas behind the Hoodie System and what makes it distinctive?
TAKUMI: In this game, the Hoodie System is used both in exploration and combat, but I would say the battle system itself is more distinctive. In exploration, elements of investigation and stealth aren’t that important, so think of it as something that can be interacted with stress free.
I personally think it would be super cool to put on a deep hood and walk the back alleys of Shibuya. (laughs) That’s super chūni, though. (laughs)
I thought about how to include something like that as a game system, and that’s how these systems came about.
[Note — TAKUMI describes his definition of chūni/chūnibyō in a previous interview]
RPGamer: How does the secretive nature of magic and wizards help drive the story and gameplay?
TAKUMI: In the world of the game, magic is something that anyone has the potential to be able to use. They just need something to kickstart it. Where magic comes from, exactly what magic is, and other related questions are what become important in the story.
RPGamer: What are some of the primary goals you’ve aimed to achieve with Reynatis‘s gameplay?
TAKUMI: There were various things; for example, completing the battle system, replicating Shibuya in-game, and, of course, the collaboration [with NEO: The World Ends With You]. There are still many things I would like to do, but they’ll have to wait until later…
RPGamer: How differently do the playable characters act in battle, are they individually better suited depending on the combat situation or opponent?
TAKUMI: They have no clear weaknesses, affinities, or anything like that. That’s because if we put them in the game, a player might be forced to play as a certain character from a strategic perspective, even when they might want to use their favorite character.
Instead, each of the six playable characters has their own specialties. For example, Moa’s attacks start out slowly, but she’s very powerful. She isn’t great at dealing with mobs, but she’s extremely strong with more stationary bosses.
RPGamer: How far into the game’s development were you when The World Ends with You collaboration came into being? How easy was it to get it agreed?
TAKUMI: When I first presented it, Marin could already walk around and battle in Shibuya. The systems were almost all in place, and we were in the asset-creation phase. I can’t talk about the particulars of the contract, but I became close enough to the producer of TWEWY that we were going out to drink about once a month, so I think it went very smoothly. (laughs)
RPGamer: What sort of emotions and atmosphere have you looked to cultivate with the music?
Yoko Shimomura: In the midst of oppressiveness and darkness, there’s always a way to pierce through it. I kept that atmosphere in mind.
RPGamer: How have you aimed to differentiate the music between the real-world and supernatural elements of Reynatis?
Yoko Shimomura: There isn’t really a polarization in that respect. For each composition, the instructions were clear, so I followed those instructions while composing. That might have lead to them all sounding different.
RPGamer: Can you describe some of the themes you’ve aimed to explore with Reynatis‘s scenario?
Kazushige Nojima: Suppression and liberation. It’s important to break free from suppression and liberate oneself, but as a result of that, one might lose one’s place as a member of society. I think that the theme, in the end, became just how difficult it can be to live.
RPGamer: What were some of the challenges and opportunities with writing an RPG scenario with a real-life setting?
Kazushige Nojima: Incorporating communication devices [like smartphones] into the narrative and game itself. It was difficult to find the right balance. Adding to that, it was also difficult to incorporate how the phenomenon of magic would be in real-life society.
RPGamer: Were there any particular elements about Reynatis that attracted you to working on it?
Yoko Shimomura: TAKUMI’s enthusiasm! (laughs)
Kazushige Nojima: The Creative Producer TAKUMI’s enthusiasm and individuality.
RPGamer would like to thanks TAKUMI, Yoko Shimomura, and Kazushige Nojima for taking the time to answer our questions, as well as to Erica Enos and Clever Communications for facilitating the interview. Reynatis releases on September 27, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
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