Attack On Titan Interview: Titan Madness

Based on the first season of the anime, Attack On Titan features a story revolving around three individuals who need to face off against man-eating Titans. GamingBolt recently got the chance to speak to Hisashi Koinuma, Producer of Attack on Titan to check out how the game is shaping up.

How much from the first season of the anime can we expect to see and what new scenarios were created to further extend the game?

The entire first season of the anime is covered, but we have included side stories not included in the anime to provide a broader story for the game. There is an original storyline that includes Titans that have not appeared in the anime’s first season and Titan battles that fans of the manga have been waiting for.

What are your thoughts on the franchise in its current state and how will the game appeal to fans who are more familiar with Dynasty Warriors?

I think that Attack on Titan is a franchise that is popular on a global scale. With the anime’s second season announced, there will probably be more excitement surrounding this series.

For this game, there is the tactical maneuvering on the battlefield similar to the Dynasty Warriors series. The feeling of accomplishment when the player is able turn around a disadvantageous situation is something that Dynasty Warriors fans will enjoy.

"We thought that the exhilarating aerial action using the omni-directional mobility gear is what fans of Attack on Titan would want the most, so we paid special attention to the quality of the omni-directional action."

Omega Force’s experience with the Dynasty Warriors franchise is well known. What was it like transitioning from a primarily ground-based crowd brawler to one that emphasizes aerial attacks and movement?

In the early stages of development, we referenced many games that including various aerial attacks and movements such as Batman and Spider-Man games. However, it was not enough to reach a level of quality of a maneuverable system that felt right. It took a long time to figure out how to come up with a way where players can move where they want while being visually pleasing and easy to operate.

What challenges did you face in properly recreating the tone and atmosphere of the show?

We struggled with the Titan battles. It was a challenge to put into the game themes and settings from the manga such as the “overwhelming difference in scale”, “escape the Titan’s grasp or face death”, and “the Titan’s weak point is the nape.” It took a lot of trial and error, but I think in the end we were able to bring it all together into the game system.

How did you get the movement of the 3D Maneuver Gear just right and how does it work within the game?

As previously mentioned we referenced different games and struggled to make it into something that is easy to operate while being visually pleasing.

After numerous attempts by trial and error, we were able to come up with a simple system where the omni-directional mobility gear can be used by pressing the square/X button to fire steel wires that attach to walls or Titans and enable players to move as the wires are reeled back in. Temporary bursts of speed are provided by firing compressed gas.

What are your thoughts on properly translating the anime into video game format and balancing the aspects of both media to appease fans and gamers alike?

The key thing we kept in mind was to implement a concept that anime fans would be happy with. We thought that the exhilarating aerial action using the omni-directional mobility gear is what fans of Attack on Titan would want the most, so we paid special attention to the quality of the omni-directional action.

The aerial action in this game is an innovative type of action, so we think it is something gamers will enjoy as well.

"There are also various collection elements including a Titan Field Guide that displays details of the Titans defeated, and the Muster Roll where collected information about characters is compiled."

How long will the gameplay experience of Attack on Titan be?

The story mode will take around 30 hours, and to complete all elements of the game will take around 100 hours.

With season two for the anime being greenlit, is there a sequel currently planned?

Currently there are no plans.

Are there any collectibles or challenges to encourage replayability?

Once players clear the game, they unlock the True Attack Mode which is a highly difficult mode for gamers who are confident in their skills and want to enjoy an additional challenge.

There are also various collection elements including a Titan Field Guide that displays details of the Titans defeated, and the Muster Roll where collected information about characters is compiled.

Is the game going to run at 1080p and 60fps on both the PS4 and Xbox One?

The PS4 version runs at 1080p and VFR 60fps. The XboxOne version runs at 900p and VFR 60fps.

What are your thoughts on the game’s sales in Japan? What are your expectations from the Western release? Do you believe it will tap into a wider margin of consumers given its availability on Xbox One and PC along with PS4, PS3 and PS Vita?

We have been fortunate to achieve favourable sales in Japan.

However, we know that there are fans of Attack on Titan around the world, so we want all these fans to play the game. In order to extend our reach to as many fans as possible, not only have we localized the game for a Western release, but added the Xbox One and Steam versions for a multiplatform release.

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