On Sale 9/23! Disconia: CA" combines the grammar of adventure games with the new world of VR! Interview with Kento Kishigami (CEO, MyDearest) & Impressions

DYSCHRONIA: Chronos Alternate" ("Dyschronia: CA"), a VR game touting "VR non-stop investigative action," and its Meta Quest 2 (VR) version will be released on September 23, 2022.

In Astrum Close, a paradise city controlled by AI and where crime is impossible, a murder has suddenly occurred. Players take on the role of Hal, a special inspector with the ability to "rewrite the past," and search for the truth by switching back and forth between the dream and reality investigation fields.

In the demo version distributed on September 15, 2022, players can play the stealth part and part of the adventure part.

In the stealth part, Hal and his navigator robot, "Lily," give him advice as he navigates his way through the field, evading the surveillance of security robots.

The adventure part of the game has a nostalgic adventure game flavor, in the best sense of the word. You have to use your own eyes and hands, just like in a VR game, to explore the rooms with your head in a head-mounted display (HMD) and reach for the controller to pick up and use important items. items and place them where they should be used. The immersive experience was strongly felt, and I was constantly surprised by the unexpected compatibility between adventure games and VR.

MyDearest, known for "Tokyo Chronos" and "ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos," which introduced a taste of Japanese anime into VR games, created "Diskronia: CA." We asked its CEO, Kento Kishigami, about the highlights and aims of this title.



Fusing the grammar of adventure games with the new world of VR. Interview with @dyschronia: CA

--Please give us a brief introduction to "Dyschronia: CA". First of all, could you give us an overview of "Dyschronia: CA"?

Kishigami It's a mystery adventure with JRPG-like looking characters in a science fiction world. Our previous work, "Tokyo Chronos," was set in Shibuya in 2018 and had a strong visual novel aspect to its style. Disconia: CA" is more like a VR game, with mystery solving and stealth in a VR space.

--I was surprised at how well VR and adventure games work together. The combination of VR and an adventure game is a bit unusual, but I think there are not many other VR games with an anime look and a science fiction story.

MYST": A puzzle adventure game that has been developed since 1993. Set in a beautiful, static world, the game involves solving a variety of riddles.

Kishigami Actually, puzzle adventure and VR go well together in terms of "playing with your hands. There are many action games in VR, but few story games, and we wanted to be one-of-a-kind. So we decided to compete in what Japan is good at. In fact, when we exhibited "Diskonia: CA" at an overseas showcase, it was highly acclaimed for being both a VR game and a mystery adventure.

-It was fun to be able to pick up the mysterious items in the SF world and look around from different angles.

Kishigami: It gives you a sense of presence that you are in a science fiction world.

--Kishigami I think some people worry about "VR sickness" (*) when it comes to VR games. What measures have you taken for this in "Diskronia: CA"?

VR sickness: A phenomenon similar to motion sickness, which occurs when there is a large difference between the visual and physical sensations, such as when you are moving in a VR space but your body is still in the real world ....... It is said that habituation and anti-sickness medication are effective.

Kishigami: In "Diskonia: CA," we are taking measures at the game design level, and you can choose between "movement like a normal 3D game" and "movement that instantly teleports when you specify where you want to go. If you are not used to VR, you can choose the latter option to avoid VR sickness. The normal movement itself is also slow, and the adventure genre is meant to be played at your own pace and leisurely.

--Kishigami: I heard that there is a connection with "Tokyo Chronos" in terms of the worldview, but can people who have never played the series enjoy it?

Kishigami: There is no direct connection with "Tokyo Chronos" except that they share the same background world. So there is no problem at all if you start from "Diskonia: CA".

--Kishigami: How big will the story be?

Kishigami: The "Diskronia" series is a trilogy. You will have to play two of them after finishing this one, so it will be shockingly long. Compared to past VR games, it is probably the longest. In terms of "Diskonia: CA" by itself, it takes about 5 hours to play the main story only smoothly ......, but we didn't finish it in about 5 hours during test play (laughs). Of course, there are side trips and explorations that allow you to get a deeper understanding of the story and the characters' personalities, so it will probably take 2 to 3 times longer if you play through the game carefully.

--If you want to play the game diligently, it will probably take two to three times as long.

Kishigami: We designed the paradise city of "Astrum Close," where the game takes place, with the idea that "since you've entered a VR space, you want it to be a place where you want to stay forever. You can move to various places, and as a characteristic of VR games, you will have a strong sense that you are moving around, so please enjoy exploring. We also made it so that knowledge about this world is not forced on the player, but is understood naturally through the conversations of the residents of Astrum Close.

--I see. Are there any other points that appeal to you?

Kishigami: I would have to say the graphics, which I think are among the most beautiful in VR games. We also want to depict a story that can only be depicted in a game, and we want to create a game whose storytelling is consistent with VR games. I think that both story lovers and game lovers will enjoy the game, and when they finish the final chapter, Episode 3, they will feel that "this is a story that could only be depicted by a game".


--The setting of "a city in the future where crime is impossible" and "a protagonist who can interfere in the past" has a nice touch of classic science fiction. At the same time, the characters' looks and the VR game system itself were modern.

Kishigami: The worldview was conceived by the director, Ao Sueoka, who loves science fiction, JRPGs, and mysteries, so we ended up with something like "Diskonia: CA". However, the theme of the story itself is universal, so you don't have to be a gorilla sci-fi fanatic to enjoy it.

--So, is it safe for people of a fairly older age group to play?

Kishigami Yes, I think so. Younger people as well as older people can enjoy the game. The characters include an old man, and the game is a bit more mature than past games, so I can recommend it to the hardcore gamers who like games like "MYST," which was mentioned earlier as an example. I would also like people who are looking for something a little different from other VR games, or who are a little more familiar with VR games, to give it a try. The grammar of adventure games has not yet been brought into VR games, and I think it will be a fresh experience in that sense as well. There is a mode in the game called the "Inquiry Part," which is also very VR-like. In a normal trial, the plaintiff and the defendant just argue with each other, but in the "Inquiry Part," players can recreate the crime scene themselves as in a VR game.

--Kishigami: When you say "recreate the crime scene," do you mean explain the situation?

Kishigami: No, the player himself demonstrates "this is how the criminal acted at the scene. For example, in the case of a murder case, the player might hit the victim with an iron bar.

--Kishigami: So you are demonstrating the crime as the murderer? Certainly, this is an experience unique to VR games. Even though it is in a virtual space, the player commits the crime knowing it to be a crime, so the psychological impact must be great.

Kishigami It's completely different from what people imagine when they hear the words "courtroom game," and I think it's a revolutionary system. I think it's a revolutionary system. Since the action is based on the information and evidence obtained from the investigation, reasoning and information gathering are also important as in an adventure game.

--In this game, the characters appear in a VR space and talk to the player. In terms of production, is there any difference from the visual novel style you have used in the past?

Kishigami: The characters and you can "see eye to eye" with each other. This is something that cannot be achieved in other media, and it is what I like best about VR games. In this game, the characters act as if they are looking down at you or looking up at you, so you can directly feel their hidden emotions. In the conversation scenes, you can wonder what this person is thinking and make choices while thinking "what is he/she thinking? I think you will be able to feel emotionally involved with all the characters. Also, Lily, the navigator robot, is always by the player's side and can be stroked, so I don't think the player will feel half as attached to her.

--I think it's easier to get emotionally involved in the game than in non-VR games. Are there any differences in the way you make them?

Kishigami: The exaggerated theatricality of non-VR games can be a bit disconcerting in VR games. For this reason, we try to make the movements as natural as possible during development. This is different from other VR games, but this game has a large number of characters. Normally, we would not do such a thing due to cost and the burden of production, but this is MyDearest's madness and survival strategy, so we did what we had to do. We're just going to do it and get it done (laughs).

--(laughs) It's true that most VR games involve one-on-one interaction between the player and the character, but is that not part of your survival strategy?

Kishigami That's right. Diskonia: CA" is the third VR game we have made, and the fact that there are so many characters in the game is something that other companies have not done yet. The relationships between the various characters become apparent when they are all intertwined, and that is why there is a story that can be told. The main character, Hal, has the ability to see past memories through a memory dive, which allows him to see everyone's thoughts and feelings. It's like a zapping system where you switch perspectives to see the story. But there were some screams from the development team (laughs).

--Kishigami: The story is about the relationships between the characters and the feelings that emerge from their pasts.

Kishigami I think it's a story that can be enjoyed regardless of the gender of the player. We did not limit the story to a male or female audience. There are good-looking characters and cute characters, so I think it will appeal to female users as well. We want "Diskonia: CA" to be the first game that people play after buying a VR device. It's not a difficult game, and while it's an adventure, it also has stealth elements. Also, when you explore the world, you can't help but feel a sense of attachment when you see the world from your own perspective.

--What do you think the future of VR games will be like?

Kishigami: There is a difference in temperature between Japan and overseas. Overseas, 15 million units of "Meta Quest 2" alone have been shipped, so the scale of the market is about the same as that of home video game consoles. Elementary and junior high school students are also buying them on a regular basis, and we recognize that this is a situation where multiplayer games played with friends are beginning to be needed. In addition, HMDs are becoming lighter and users are becoming accustomed to VR games, and the playing time of VR games themselves is getting longer. What is happening here is an emphasis on narrative elements. We are a manufacturer at the forefront of this trend.

A view of our office. A large number of science fiction novels and other materials line the bookshelves.

Development staff test-playing with Meta Quest 2.

--The game is a game about a community of friends, multiplayer demand, longer play times, and an emphasis on storytelling. It seems like we are fast-forwarding through the history that home video game consoles have followed up to now.

Kishigami Yes, I think VR games are on the eve of "Dracula and FF" on the NES.

--I think the nature of Famicom software certainly changed after "Dragon Quest" and "Final Fantasy". Where short action games were the norm, long-playing RPGs became popular. As play time became longer, genres that emphasize thinking and storytelling, such as simulations and adventures, were also created, further diversifying the market. Such changes may be coming to VR games as well. Finally, could you give a message to those who do not have VR equipment?

Kishigami: "Diskonia: CA" is an adventure game with JRPG grammar. It has all the elements that Japanese people like in VR games, so even if you don't have a VR device, please borrow one from a friend and play it. are in their infancy and new ones are being created all the time. In that sense, please try "Diskronia: CA" as one of the first VR games you can experience.

--Thank you very much for your time.



(Reporting and writing by Shinichi Yanamoto)

Game Information

DYSCHRONIA: Chronos Alternate


Release date: Oculus Quest 2 version (VR) Chapter 1: September 23, 2022 / Chapter 2: Winter 2022 or later / Chapter 3: Spring 2023 or later
　　　　　Nintendo Switch™ version (Non-VR) Full episodes: Spring 2023 or later
Genre: VR non-stop investigation action / Cinematic investigation adventure
Players: 1 player
Price: 2,208 yen
Languages: Japanese / English / Traditional / Simplified / Korean / French / Spanish
Sound: Japanese / English
Compatible hardware: Oculus Quest 2 (VR) / Nintendo Switch™ (Non-VR)
Other devices/platforms will be announced as they become available.
Developer: MyDearest Inc. / IzanagiGames, Inc.

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