Overwhelming restlessness and physiological fear! ――The latest demo report and interview of "Psycho Break" aiming for "pure survival horror"

World, this is Survival Horror!

　The new work "Psychobreak" from Tango Gameworks, led by Shinji Mikami, has finally been announced. In 2010, it became affiliated with the Zenimax Media Group, which includes Bethesda Softworks and id Software, and in 2012 it was revealed that it was working on a survival horror project called “Project Zwei”. We will deliver a summary of the latest demo of this work that has finally taken off the veil and an interview with the development team.

Speaking of Mr. Mikami and survival horror, many people will inevitably associate it with the "Resident Evil" series. This work, like the first Resident Evil and Resident Evil 4, is a survival horror directed by Mr. Mikami, who is "on-site solid" (according to a person involved). If "Break" comes out in 2014, it will be lined up at intervals of 9 years). Platforms so far include PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and "other next-generation consoles," scheduled for release in 2014. There is no doubt that this title will attract attention not only in Japan but also around the world as a new title directly handled by “Master of Survival Horror”.

Demo Report Part 1: The stage is modern, but something is wrong...

　The demo was divided into two parts, and the first half began with a scene in which the main character Sebastian Castellanos, his partner Joseph, and the young female detective Kid rushed to a mental hospital in the city. rice field. It is said that there was an incident in this hospital where all the staff and patients died suddenly, and when the police were dispatched, contact with them was cut off...

　This work uses a customized version of the id Tech 5 engine from id Software, which belongs to the same group as Tango Gameworks, as the game engine. The demo was done on a PC, but the density of the screen is truly impressive. The hospital towers quietly, the lights of many unmanned police cars parked in front of the hospital cause lens flares, and the wet road surface reflects the lights dimly... As if holding your breath in preparation for the terrifying feast that is about to begin, an extraordinary sight quietly approaches.

Leaving Kid behind, Sebastian and Joseph made up their minds to go to the hospital. The entrance is littered with mute corpses, but the world is still silent. What is this restlessness? He finally finds a survivor, but he faints after repeating his rumors.

　When I went to the guard room with Joseph to look into the security camera, I saw someone being chased by someone. However, it is slaughtered by the one who moves at an abnormal speed that followed. And the next moment, a mysterious shadow appears behind Sebastian!

Demo Report Part 2: Imagination, Fear, and Sneaking

　When the unconscious Sebastian wakes up, it seems that he has been hung upside down from his feet. In the surroundings, similar "victims" human bodies are hung like butchers. And before I knew it, there was a giant man in a bloody apron and covered in a bag. He hears a dull sound as he faces the human body hanging next to him. Yes, it's like dismantling the meat of a large animal with all your might... Before long, I hear the sound of something wet and violently spilling onto the ground, and I see "that guy" dragging only the upper half of the pitiful human's body away...

　The decisive scene was not seen here, but the acoustics, and the surrounding environment full of iron rust and blood stains, fueled an exquisite sense of terror accompanied by a sense of physiological disgust. Even if people can't see scary things directly, if they imagine the most scary things, things that they don't want to happen, that's all there is to fear.

　After this, I succeeded in releasing the restraints in a certain way, but I was still helpless without a weapon. You'll have to escape from this mysterious giant who looks like you'll never win. Yes, sneaking is also an important element of this work. It tries to escape slowly by hiding behind objects and throwing things in random directions to divert attention.

　Even so, he should have been in the hospital, and there was certainly a wheelchair lying around, but something was wrong. Why is there such a human dismantling place? On the escape route, there is even something that looks like a car wash machine with all the brushes replaced with blades. After enduring a big question and the fear of being chased from behind (some scenes where you have to drag your feet and run without looking back), you escape and find yourself in an unbelievable sight. Is this real, has a natural disaster occurred, or has he wandered into a world of madness...?

Demo Report Part 3: Trap

　In the second part of the demo, the stage was the main battle scene in a private house in a deserted village. "Sebastian is alone here as well." However, this time he has two weapons, a handgun and a "MINE TRAP" that combines sensors and explosives. Combat is a relatively orthodox TPS style. First of all, I encountered a strange inhabitant in the basement. Kill it with a headshot, or shoot it in the leg to make it fall over and burn the place where it crawls on the ground.

　While going up from the basement to the 2nd floor and exploring the private house, the strange-shaped residents who had gathered gathered through the windows and attacked. They set traps and resist with guns, but they are outnumbered. I couldn't help but run downstairs... Huh, was this a dead end? "It's really strange." Before long, Sebastian is enveloped in a torrent of blood that flows from the depths, and the place is like a hospital again! When I was taken aback by what happened, I was suddenly attacked by a strange creature with many legs like a spider that appeared from a room like an extraction room, and I jumped while fighting while retreating. The demo ended when everything was over.

"Make your hand soaked in cold sweat when you hold the controller"

　The live-action video released on the official website was like an image video, but the demo is exactly that video As you can see, I was able to feel the essence of survival horror, which is filled with a disturbing atmosphere and exquisitely drives the player's psychology. Then, what kind of intent and direction was this work actually being developed? We interviewed Shinji Mikami, the director of this work, Masato Kimura, the producer, and Naoki Katakai, the art director.

――In re-challenging survival horror this time, please tell us how you capture the essence of horror games. Mr. Shinji Mikami (hereafter Mikami) 　Is it a combination of being scared if a scary enemy appears in a scary atmosphere? Masato Kimura (hereafter, Kimura) When it comes to the enemies, I'm making things that are incomprehensible and scary because they can't be understood. ――I was overwhelmed by the sticky feeling that came through the screen. Naoki Katakai (hereafter, Katakai) 　Yes, it's the same with bright and dark productions that people intuitively feel scared of, but I feel a little physiologically disgusted. I value the kind of atmosphere and things like that, and I also take the approach of spatial things, like, "I don't want it to appear in such a small space."

――At first, it was like a modern day criminal drama, and the enemies and human beings appeared. Something is obviously wrong. Mikami 　How to create a situation that cannot happen in real life alone? …. The creature design of the enemy is the same, but as a whole it is mysterious rather than suspenseful. I don't know what it is, so I'm designing it with a theme of anxiety and fear.

――At first, there was a scene where you were walking with your buddy, and I thought, "I wonder if the AI ​​will accompany you," but soon after, I was alone and without a weapon. I was hit. This feeling of insecurity is an important part. Mikami　Yes. If you have a lot of friends, it feels like it's more spacious. But actually, as a horror game, it's not scary to have friends all the time. That's why when you actually play, you have to enjoy the horror alone, and when you're with friends, it's generally a dangerous situation, and if you don't cooperate, you can't survive. Horror in a form that relies on different situations. Kimura 　I think you should think that there is a great variety of situations.

――In today's demo, the first half and the second half were quite different stages, but even so, there was something in common that made me feel "unpleasant". I noticed that the loading screen says chapters, but is it okay to proceed in a chapter format? Mikami　Yes. The reason why I made it chapter format is that it is necessary to read the data, but I think it will be easier for the user to understand that "I have survived so far" if I cut it into chapters and create a good rhythm.

――Bethesda Softworks, creators of the "Fallout" and "Elder Scrolls" series, are the publishers, so I'm sure some people are wondering, "Is this an open world?" What do you think? Mikami 　At the beginning of development, we tried to do a somewhat open style, but as we focused on the scary part and adjusted simple parts such as dark, cramped, and scary, As for the flow, I would like to make it a one-way street and expand the range of the game based on the pattern of fear and the range of play (instead of the expanse of an open space). I think that you can enjoy it as it is even for the second and third times. Kimura　I think waves are very important. It can be scary or exhilarating. In order to control the rhythm well, rather than creating an open world, it feels like I specialized in a game where you clear it in a straight line to some extent. Mikami　But if it's just a (straight) dungeon-like place, even I will throw the game away. I don't like wide situations with gaps if they don't come in good rhythm, and from a world perspective, it's like, "Is this a dungeon game?" "So, if the dark, narrow, and scary parts come out well while keeping the good parts of the wide situation, I think you'll be able to feel the fear in various situations until the end. We have prepared scenes suitable for wide areas, and narrow areas are tight and scary. However, it's not like we're having a picnic, so we enter a narrow space while maintaining a certain amount of tension in a wide scene. It's basically a repetition of that.

- Is there such a thing as a death trap? "It feels like it's over if you don't find a good solution." Kimura　I think there are two types of traps, one that is set by the player and the other that is set by the player. It has both. There was a scene in the demo where a bomb was attached to the wall, but that is also a trap. Since it's a game made by Mikami, there are always few bullets. If you use it wisely, you can beat it very strategically, or you can save bullets and clear it. The traps that the player takes also prepare places for such situations. Mikami 　Enemy will also set in, and if you get caught you will die, and if you learn it, you can use it to kill the enemy. How many types of traps are there? Shoot with a gun, manage to survive in close quarters combat, sneak out unnoticed by the enemy, and set traps. It's a little wider than previous games, so you'll have less bullets than usual. Since the times are eco-friendly, the ammunition is also less. That's why it's eco-friendly now (laughs).

- So it's not a game where you shoot guns from the front and knock them down with force. Mikami　That's pretty serious. Kimura 　Depending on the situation, there are times when you have to fight hard, there are times when you use traps well, and there are times when you fight in cooperation with your friends, so we have prepared a variety of situations for you. increase. Mikami 　I think the gorigori (fighting scenes) are a little less. Ammunition is scarce, so I sneak because I don't want the enemy to find me.

--After getting out of the restraints, there was a scene where the giant was hiding and peeking in the room, wasn't there? When I noticed there, I was surprised that it was facing this way. Mikami　Not all patterns can be checked, but about 99% will die. If you find it, it will attack you, but if you say you can't escape, I haven't played it that far... Maybe someone with a transcendental play might get out. ――Well, basically, it's a place to learn that "it's really dangerous if you don't hide". Mikami　Yes.

--I think you were shooting your leg relentlessly in the demo, does that mean there are scenes that are more effective than headshots? Mikami 　Basically, headshots are easier to defeat. If you hit it well, you'll be lucky because you'll use less bullets. However, if you shoot the leg, it will fall, and if you set fire to it, you can kill it in one shot. In other words, you can save bullets with this method, but it doesn't fall easily now, so I'll adjust it. Even in that aspect, it's a game style where "how many more enemies and how many bullets are left" becomes more important than ever.

――The lens flare in front of the hospital in the opening and the wet ground left an impression on me. What about the game engine? Katagai Based on id Tech 5 from id Software, which is a family, it will be arranged according to the third person perspective. ――I think that lighting is a very important element in a horror game. Katakai 　In the case of horror, I think the lighting takes up a considerable proportion of the production. Shadows, darkness and brightness are also very important. We put a lot of effort into that. Mikami　Katagai is really good at this. Katakai　I've been working on lighting for horror games for a long time, so it's rewarding. You can make places that (players) care about, or places they don't want to go. Kimura 　In that respect, I think he's really good at what he likes, but he's really amazing. Sometimes I think, "Oh, I want to go there."

--Is it because the user interface is still under development? Mikami 　"I don't want to put it out as much as possible, but by the time it becomes a product, it should be put out to some extent", so now I'm sticking to it (without putting out the UI as much as possible) , Not only inside but also outside the team touched it and saw the reaction. Kimura　This time, we are proceeding with development based on the idea that we want to make the emotions that the main character feels on the screen and the emotions that the user holding the controller feels as close as possible. I want to create a UI that doesn't get in the way at that time, and that doesn't hinder the immersion as much as possible. I'm trying to minimize it as much as possible, but it's impossible to make it zero, so I'm making adjustments there. Katakai 　In terms of art, I don't want to put it out as much as possible. I think it's best to be able to get various information (such as injuries) from the character's behavior, but from the point of view of the game, there are opinions that it should be provided to some extent, and there is still some time left. Because. Mikami　The designers involved in the UI are also very picky. I don't want to bother you too much.

――In the scene where a machine like a giant car wash with a blade comes out, he injured his leg and was dragging, but he was being chased from behind, and he had to run before the blade approached him. I think it was a good scene with a lot of confusion, but I wanted to talk like that on the screen. Katakai　That's right. At the key points, we have prepared situations that can be said to be such a triple pain.

--By the way, in terms of visuals, are there any creature designs that have influenced you? Katakai　There are quite a lot of horror fans among our staff. In the 70's, 80's and 90's, I watched it both in Japan and overseas, and since I have that kind of background in no small part, I think it has some kind of influence, and I think it's reflected in my work. However, this title is a bit misleading. I didn't mean to be particularly conscious of it. However, from the point of view of game design, the creature design aims for a visual impact that is a little different from zombies, so I think it's going to be interesting. ――For the stage, I was quite impressed with the wet dirt and iron rust in the scene where it was hung, and the vicious feeling of the glaringly rotating blades. Katakai 　In many ways, I have a strong feeling that horror should be scary. Rather than cool and beautiful graphics, I feel that the graphics are becoming more scary and eerie, and physiologically unapproachable. Kimura 　If you feel bad about it, I think it's what you intended.

-By the way, how many weapons can you hold? Mikami　There aren't that many types. Of course, there are handguns, shotguns, and so on, weapons that surpass the situation at hand, and traps. Fighting with weapons is one way to survive, and winning without fighting is also a way to win cunningly by trapping the enemy. Until now, I haven't done much hiding in survival horror games, but I think that hiding and having traps to make the most of the limited amount of ammunition will expand the range of play this time. ――Is there something like a sneaking attack? "If you attack from a blind spot, it will end in one shot." Mikami Yes, I have that feeling. I thought that if I shoot from behind with a gun, I would be out in one shot, so at first I was in, but I don't think that's possible. It's too easy. Kimura　I think there is a great deal of strategic breadth.

--There was a scene where you throw an object to draw the enemy's attention in a different direction than you. Mikami　Basically. ――Have you done anything unusual with AI? Mikami　I didn't do anything special. How much can you pack in the obvious thing of searching for an enemy and losing sight of it? Kimura 　Properly do the obvious. Mikami 　How to activate the trap and how to get caught, starting with very stupid enemies for now, and as the second half progresses, I'd like to add smart enemies that require a bit of tactics. thinking about. Katakai 　Although it's not a feature of AI, it's not a perfect human being, it's just an enemy creature, so rather than being very smart, it feels like it's moving instinctively. It has become the AI ​​of Mikami 　Even if he is very smart, the game becomes complicated and he becomes less scary. It depends on how much you can improve in the second half.

—Can we expect some variation in creature types? Kimura 　Please look forward to it. I think you'll see something interesting. Mikami　By the way, what you saw today was treated as a mid-boss. There are quite a few enemies in the mid-boss class that are a little hard to figure out how to defeat. Katakai　It's quite big. Mikami 　One of the keywords is that it doesn't die easily. ――Does it feel like you have to look for hints, like the light is hitting it somewhere? Katakai 　I don't know if there is such a blatant thing, but the fact that there is a hiding action means that there are times when you have to hide, and there are times when you can't defeat it normally. Kimura 　The design is also rich in variety, but the feature is that there are many variations in how to fold it. ――In a game where ammunition is scarce, how to survive such situations is also an important game. Mikami　Because there are so few, I would like you to think about what to do, including traps and hidden actions.

-By the way, do you feel like you're stuck when you're stuck? MikamiI'm stuck. Kimura 　I'm making it so that there's nothing that can't be done, but it's going to be like, "This is pretty tough, isn't it?" Mikami 　The bullets are scarce, and the methodology of forcibly doing something with bullets cannot be adopted, so we have to use sneaking and traps. However, it would be a problem if there were places where progress could not be made, so I am thinking about how to adjust and follow up.

――Finally, I think many people were expecting something from the time it was announced as Project Zwei, but please give us a message that you would like us to expect something like this in the future. Katakai I'm making a full-fledged horror game for the first time in a while. Of course, there is also the beauty of the screen that really frightens everyone, but I'm making graphics that are more specialized for fear, so I hope you enjoy that kind of fear. You can count on me. Kimura 　I think it's important for survival horror to be both scary and the feeling of overcoming it, and I'm trying to create something that's well-balanced. I'm aiming for something with a good balance so that once you start eating something sweet and salty, you won't be able to stop. ”I want you to feel it. Mikami 　I wanted to simply listen to the voices of the customers so that they would say, ``This is the first time in a long time that I have experienced a scary game that made my hands soaked in cold sweat when I held the controller.'' I am working hard to make it my number one goal. On top of that, since this is a big title made in Japan that can be used worldwide, I would like to ask for the support of everyone in Japan.