The Legend of Dragoon was Sony’s try and crack the traditional turn-based RPG components on the unique PlayStation, but it surely wasn’t a part of some grand push into new genres. The best way ex-PlayStation Studios veteran Shuhei Yoshida talks concerning the cult hit, apparently the formidable fantasy journey mainly happened by chance.
“Remaining Fantasy VII was already already introduced and the usage of 3D graphics for the fight and the pre-rendered 3D CG—stunning CG—for the backgrounds was superb to us,” he mentioned in a latest interview with YouTuber Kyle Bosman (by way of Gamesradar). “Like ‘oh, that is next-generation sort of recreation.’ We have been younger and we have been naïve, and by chance I used to be given the project to develop the interior staff. I used to be assigned to make the studio bigger. I used to be given a free funds, nearly, to rent folks.”
Whereas Yoshida was The Legend of Dragoon’s producer at Sony Pc Leisure of Japan, the important thing inventive pressure behind the venture was Yasuyuki Hasebe, who had not too long ago left Sq. Delicate after designing the battle system for Tremendous Mario RPG. “When he joined us, I requested him, ‘What do you wish to do?’” Yoshida mentioned. “‘I wish to make a brand new RPG.’ And that’s how I began gathering much more folks to begin making The Legend of Dragoon.”
It was uncommon for builders in Japan to go away their corporations, Yoshida famous, making Hasebe a uncommon discover. The remainder of the studio was then principally populated with recent graduates. “I didn’t also have a funds once I began, as a result of it was an inner manufacturing,” Yoshida mentioned. The Legend of Dragoon staff would finally be 100 robust and find yourself costing Sony $16 million.
A variety of the trouble by that enormous staff went towards the sport’s notorious half-hour of, on the time, attractive CGI cutscenes. Whereas the prerendered backgrounds and polygonal character fashions have been wanting roughly on par with what Sq. was doing on the finish of the PS1’s life, the cinematics helped elevate into a way more epic and lavish-feeling recreation general. The opposite spotlight was the timed battle mechanic that turned fight right into a mini-rhythm recreation, an evolution of what Hasebe had created for Tremendous Mario RPG (and which continues within the trendy Paper Mario video games).
“Ultimately, we recouped that (price), due to gross sales exterior Japan,” Yoshida beforehand informed Kotaku. “The gross sales within the U.S. have been very robust.” Sadly not robust sufficient to manifest a sequel or non secular successor. Fortuitously, The Legend of Dragoon is playable immediately after coming to PS5 a few years in the past, although deep down in my coronary heart of hearts I’m nonetheless hopeful we’ll finally get The Legend of Dragoon 2.
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