The Legend of Dragoon was Sony’s try to crack the traditional turn-based RPG components on the unique PlayStation, nevertheless it wasn’t a part of some grand push into new genres. The way in which ex-PlayStation Studios veteran Shuhei Yoshida talks in regards to the cult hit, apparently the formidable fantasy journey principally happened accidentally.
“Ultimate Fantasy VII was already already introduced and using 3D graphics for the fight and the pre-rendered 3D CG—lovely CG—for the backgrounds was wonderful to us,” he stated in a current interview with YouTuber Kyle Bosman (through Gamesradar). “Like ‘oh, that is next-generation type of sport.’ We have been younger and we have been naïve, and by chance I used to be given the task to develop the interior crew. I used to be assigned to make the studio bigger. I used to be given a free price range, nearly, to rent folks.”
Whereas Yoshida was The Legend of Dragoon’s producer at Sony Laptop Leisure of Japan, the important thing artistic pressure behind the mission was Yasuyuki Hasebe, who had not too long ago left Sq. Tender after designing the battle system for Tremendous Mario RPG. “When he joined us, I requested him, ‘What do you need to do?’” Yoshida stated. “‘I need 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 depart their corporations, Yoshida famous, making Hasebe a uncommon discover. The remainder of the studio was then largely populated with recent graduates. “I didn’t also have a price range after I began, as a result of it was an inside manufacturing,” Yoshida stated. The Legend of Dragoon crew would finally be 100 sturdy and find yourself costing Sony $16 million.
Quite a lot of the hassle by that giant crew went towards the sport’s notorious half-hour of, on the time, beautiful 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 sport total. The opposite spotlight was the timed battle mechanic that turned fight right into a mini-rhythm sport, 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 (value), due to gross sales outdoors Japan,” Yoshida beforehand advised Kotaku. “The gross sales within the U.S. have been very sturdy.” Sadly not sturdy sufficient to manifest a sequel or non secular successor. Thankfully, 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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