Warriors Orochi 4 is going to be the latest installment in the Warriors Orochi series which is a crossover series between Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors. While it looks like the core gameplay will remain mostly the same, the developers are also bringing some improvements with this sequel.
To learn more about what changes are in store for players, Gamingbolt reached out to the developers with some questions and Masaki Furusawa provided the following answers.
"Basic actions will be different for all 170 characters. In addition, each character will have “Unique Magic”."
Being the fourth entry in the series, what are some of the major changes we can expect to see?
This title’s keywords being “Fantasy Orochi”, we have added tropes from Western mythology to the overall world of the game, its characters, weapons, and actions with the introduction of “Magic”, new types of moves.
With 170 playable characters, can we expect these characters to be distinctive in significant ways?
Basic actions will be different for all 170 characters. In addition, each character will have “Unique Magic”.
Yoshitaka Murayami , the writer of Suikoden has been supervising the story for this game. Has this contributed to a difference in how the story will play out when compared to past games in the series?
More than a difference from what we have been creating until now per se, we think the story Mr. Murayami wrote is very intriguing. This is further enhanced by his supervision of the new characters of this title, in addition to the storyline itself.
Who are some of the major characters in the game and what will their role in the story be?
Zeus, who initiated the events of this story, will face the player’s team in battle.
The story will also narrate how Perseus, who we recently announced, rebelled against Zeus’s actions leading him to be pursued by Athena for treason.
On top of that, the thoughts and personalities of characters from Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors will also clash with them and among each other. Key characters will also perform transformations called “deifications”, which will also be available to enemies that we hope players will have lots of fun fighting against.
Dynasty Warriors 9 brought us an open world setting. Why have you decided to go a different route with this game?
We changed the approach in order to focus more on exhilarating action itself, and on a gameflow that allows players to play without getting confused.
As the story of the Orochi series is generally considered the most exciting among “Warriors series” games, we have been focusing on making it even better and more streamlined.
"We have been observing the evolution of the PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Steam in order to evaluate whether the environment they provide was ready and adequate to bring a new Orochi title that can be enjoyed by many players."
It has been many years since the release of Warriors Orochi 3 which was released back in 2011. Why has it taken so long for this fourth installment to be released?
No, this title has not continually been under development since that time.
We have been observing the evolution of the PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Steam in order to evaluate whether the environment they provide was ready and adequate to bring a new Orochi title that can be enjoyed by many players. Only from then did we start developing the game.
With so many musou games across different series that Omega Force and Koei Tecmo have worked on, how has your approach to this genre of games evolved over the years?
The constant base of these games, satisfying and exhilarating action, has not changed. Along the years we have performed some game design changes based on whether players at the time wanted more focus on strategy or on storytelling. We are well-aware more changes have been awaited by players in recent years, with Dynasty Warriors 9 being one of the challenges we worked on in order to answer those wishes.
On a related note, is it a struggle to keep things fresh and innovative with each new game?
It is indeed. The goal is not just being able to make something new, but to keep the balance between maintaining the essential parts of the game we must protect and bringing users the changes they wish for, which can be difficult.
However, this is the very reason I think this is a worthwhile and exciting mission.
What can you tell us about the Sacred Treasures techniques in the game?
By using Sacred Treasures, the new “Magic” actions will become available. The concept is to use them in combination with the usual base weapons. These techniques can draw the enemy to the player or stop their movement, for example, in order to boost the satisfaction brought by base actions. We also have prepared critical moves specific to each character.
The game will feature Xbox One X specific enhancements. What can players expect if they are playing the game on Xbox One X? Is 4K/60fps on the cards?
There are no features focusing on the Xbox One X. Resolution is at 4K, and the framerate, while variable, is at 60 fps maximum.
"PS4 is on FHD at a maximum of 60 fps. Xbox One’s framerate is similar to PS4."
And how will the PS4 Pro version turn out in terms of resolution and frame rate?
As with Xbox One X, there are no special features. The resolution and framerate are also the same.
From a development perspective, how do you find the Xbox One X to be? With so much GPU power, we are sure you must be doing some amazing things.
Yes, if used at maximum potential I think we could achieve very attractive graphics. However, as we cannot realistically exclusively target this platform, this is a range we cannot enter yet.
How is the game running on the original Xbox One and PS4, frame rate and resolution wise?
PS4 is on FHD at a maximum of 60 fps. Xbox One’s framerate is similar to PS4.
What is the resolution and frame rate of the Switch version in docked and handheld modes?
On TV mode, we expect it to be on FHD at a maximum of 60 fps. On handheld mode, resolution is planned to be at 720p. (The framerate is the same.)
Next gen is coming sooner or later. From a development perspective, what is your biggest expectation from the next PlayStation and next Xbox?
I am sure each platform has its own specs and targets thoroughly planned, and as such I don’t mean to say much: I am sure these will be good. However, I hope they avoid raising prices in conjunction with performance, as it could prevent the hardware from spreading well. As I am sure we will develop for these consoles, I hope they turn out to be platforms we can use for new positive business challenges.
What is your take on the on-going controversy of loot boxes and microtransactions?
In the end it is all about what the player can get or experience from it.
I think this business model in itself is not to be denied, but I believe it is very important for developers and publishers to face players with sincerity in order to make content that can be accepted by them.
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