Dragon Ball 8" is now on sale! Interview with Hiroyuki Sakamoto, Chief Producer──A new story unfolds in the largest volume in the series

Sega's dramatic RPG "Yakuza8" will be released on Friday, January 26, 2024.

The latest title in the "Yakuza" series, in which the men of the underworld show their passionate lives, features a further evolution of the command-selectable battles introduced in the previous title, "Dondoko Island" for developing the island, "Ending Note" in which Kazuma Kiryu, the series' leading character, reflects on his life, and various other contents. The "Ending Notebook," in which Kazuma Kiryu, the main character of the series, reflects on his life.

We therefore conducted an interview with Hiroyuki Sakamoto, chief producer of "Yakuza8. With the release of the game just around the corner, we asked him about the points of evolution and highlights of the game.

Hiroyuki Sakamoto, chief producer of "Yakuza8

--How has the combat in "Yakuza8" evolved from the previous title "Yakuza7: Whereabouts of Light and Darkness"?

Sakamoto: This time around, you can move the character whose turn it is to take to some extent freely, making strategy related to positioning more important. Attacking from the rear gives you a "back attack" bonus, and placing characters with high "kizuna" (bond) nearby allows you to perform "coordinated attacks. In "7," we were inspired by Japanese nightlife jobs such as "host" and "cabaret girl," but since "8" is set in Hawaii, we have added jobs that are more Japanese and tied to local activities. Thanks to this, the game has been well received overseas as well.

--What did you consider changing from "7" to "8" in terms of development?

Sakamoto: I would have to say how to upgrade the battles. The battles in "7" were rated as good by RPG beginners. However, for us, the element of luck was too strong, and we wanted to make more changes as we continued development. The first mission for the combat in "8" was to "make the player's strategy have an effect on the part that had been left up to luck. The originality of "7" was that everyone could fight while moving around, so we created many patterns by repeatedly adding and subtracting while incorporating elements such as movement, back attacks, and coordination. At first, there was some discussion about whether it would be better to make the game more like an action RPG, in which you punch when you press a button, but that would take away from the turn-based system, and it would also have the detrimental effect of making you not control your friends, so we settled on the current form. However, we have added a special element for Kiryu, which is the ability to battle in an action mode. As we were adding various elements to the game, we decided that adding Kiryu's actions would not break anything, and if it would deepen our love for the character, then we decided to include it.

--Since the "Yakuza" series is played by a wide range of players, from the light to the enthusiast, wasn't it difficult to adjust the level of difficulty?

Sakamoto: We went back and forth between making the enemies too hard or making the battles too long, and making them so easy that you could win no matter what you did. We decided that we had to create a new principle, so we created a system that increased damage by making good use of attributes or by combining attributes. For example, after a water attack to catch a cold, an electricity attack would be more effective. The most beautiful game design is to have players discover these aspects naturally, and this is also our goal in "8. As the game progresses, there will be tough giant bosses such as squids and sharks. In "7," we fought power shovels, so we hope they will be even more spectacular and fun to fight.

--In addition to the main storyline, "8" includes various contents such as "Ending Note," in which Kiryu visits his memorable places, and "Dondoko Island," in which he develops an island. If I don't play these contents, will it be difficult to progress through the main storyline?

Sakamoto: "Ending Note" and "Dondoko Island" are integrated into the main storyline, so after playing through the tutorial, we leave it up to you to decide whether or not to continue. However, the parameters of the "Ending Note" will increase as you achieve the goals, so the more you play through the game, the stronger you will become. The more you play through the game, the stronger you will become. The volume of the game is also impressive, as Kiryu visits memorable places such as Kamurocho and Yokohama. Kiryu's own personality is also changing little by little, and for the first time he talks about aspects of his life that have not been talked about before.

--How long will it take you to play "8"?

Sakamoto: It's hard to define what the standard is, since there are so many different contents, but I think it will be about 100 hours for the normal playthrough, which is the main storyline. It is the longest game in the series to date, exceeding the volume of "Yakuza 5: Yume, Kanoeshimono" (Yakuza 5: The Dream Comes True). I have played the game many times for debugging, and "Dondoko Island" alone took me about 20 to 30 hours.

--I think many fans were surprised to see Gachapin and Mukku in "Dondoko Island. Could you tell us about the reason for the collaboration?

Sakamoto: "Dondoko Island" was created as an activity where visitors can experience the tropics in a space far removed from the main storyline. We came up with a lot of ideas for the promotional impact, but the moment Gachapin and Mukku appeared, I felt like the stage was raised several notches. Gachapin, in particular, has taken on various challenges, such as skiing and scuba diving, and when it comes to activities, Gachapin is the one to think of, so I thought it would be a good idea to have Gachapin in the movie. The other language versions are dubbed, so you can see them speaking in the local language.

--Is this a reflection of his childhood? Is this a reflection of his childhood, or is it because he could watch "Hirake Ponkicki" as a child? Ponkicki" when he was a child, so he didn't know Gachapin?

Sakamoto: It's not that meta. It's simply that I would have been surprised to see Gachapin and Mukku in Hawaii.

-- Some of the installations that appear in "Dondoko Island" include quirky items such as "finger-stuffing sets," "free information center signs," and "bath mats. Did the fact that these items are not there as background items but can be placed at the user's will affect the rating?

Sakamoto: No, I don't think so. The "Yakuza" series is classified as "D" for 17 and older by Japan's CERO, and it is also released in other countries after being checked in all directions. The Dondoko Island installation also appears in the main "Yakuza" series, so we are okay with that. We have been making the "Yakuza" series for a long time, so we know what the lines are. However, the previous work "Yakuza 7 Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name," a cabaret using live-action footage, was on the edge.

--In the movie that has been released so far, there is a scene that seems to have an online element in "Dondoko Island".

Sakamoto: You will be able to visit islands created by other players. You will be able to receive items and enjoy "Suzimon Battle" asynchronously online.

--Will there be any official island contests?

Sakamoto: That has not yet been decided. Yakuza" is a single-player, narrative game, and we expect that many people will enjoy it.

--How many items can be placed on "Dondoko Island"?

Sakamoto: You can place a lot of things, from small objects to buildings. Of course, there is a limit, but it is so many that you can't reach it in a short period of time. In the latter half of the series, you will be able to pull a road in order to place a building. You can create your own entertainment district with neon lights and lights that come on at night. Customers also roam the streets with AI and react to your installations. If the customers are impressed or if you get a big customer, your income will increase, and if you give them a souvenir, you will receive a gift in return. The currency used on Dondoko Island is called "zeny," which can be converted into money for use in Hawaii.

--It seems like "Dondoko Island" could stand on its own as a stand-alone game.

Sakamoto: People say, "You've already put too much into this game.

--When you create a new game, which do you come up with first, the story or the town where the game takes place?

Sakamoto: I start with the story. In the case of "8," Kasuga is looking for his mother, who has run away, and we decided that Hawaii would be the best place for a Japanese person to hide out. We had to include Waikiki Beach as a tourist attraction, and since the "Yakuza" series deals with the underworld, we decided on a location called "District 5," which is illegally occupied by the Mafia.... I proceeded in this way.

--Is there any element in "8" that makes it easy to develop characters?

Sakamoto: As we become stronger, we have a feature that allows us to defeat weaker enemies in an instant with "Quick Battle. You can clear the game even if you only stick to the default job. In "8," you can choose your own techniques to take over when you change jobs, and you can even bring techniques from your previous strong job to fight to your advantage, so changing jobs in various ways does not seem to be a long way off.

--I don't feel that changing jobs in various ways is a detour.

Sakamoto: To be honest, there are too many elements in "8" to talk about them all. However, once you start playing, you really can't stop. The satisfaction you feel when you finish the main story and what remains in your heart is one of the best in the "Yakuza" series. It's a really good value for money, and we hope you will trust us.

--Thank you very much.

(Reporting and photography by Shinichi Yanamoto)

Yakuza8

Compatibility ： PlayStation5 / PlayStation4 / Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Windows / PC (Steam)

Release Date ： January 26, 2024 (Friday)

Price :

　Standard Edition 9,680 yen (tax included)

　Deluxe Edition 10,780 yen (including tax)

　Ultimate Edition 12,760 yen (including tax)

Genre : Dramatic RPG

Player : 1 player

Publisher ： SEGA Corporation