On July 27, 2020, the Kickstarter campaign for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes went live. The game is a spiritual successor to the massively successful Suikoden series of retro JRPGs, and the team behind the upcoming title is nothing short of a Dream Team equivalent to that of Chrono Trigger.

The well-known YouTuber and mega-Dragon Quest-fan Sackchief was able to get some time with Eiyuden Chronicle‘s game designer and scenario writer, Yoshitaka Murayama.

My interview with Murayama-sensei, the creator of Suikoden and the upcoming Eiyuden Chronicle. I got a lot of good answers. The game’s visuals are inspired by Octopath Traveler and I learned a bit more about the gameplay mechanics including Rune Lenses. Please read!

Sackchief via Twitter

Originally posting them to Twitter, Sackchief gave us permission to republish his Eiyuden Chronicle dev interview here on The Geekery. So without further rambling, let's get to it!

How Large is the Development Team?

The size of the team will change based on the final result of the Kickstarter and what stretch goals we clear. However, we already have the base core members and external staff able to make the core game if it hits the initial goal.

How long is the game planned to be?

Our expectations are about 40 hours, but if you are a completionist and collect all the characters and max out your fortress town, it will take much longer.

Is there any period of time the world seems to be based on?

The world at an era where there are still fantasy elements, but also some countries have strong manufacturing and technological advancements.

Will the game be turn-based? How traditional is the team planning to make the combat?

That's correct.

What other RPGs would you say the game takes inspiration from, if any? And what games have the studio been enjoying recently?

Eiyuden Chronicle is an evolution of my experience as a designer. The same goes for the other members of the team. Altogether, we've worked on a large number of titles and that experience is the core inspiration for the game.

A lot of people have pointed out that the 2D/3D art style reminds them of some games like Octopath Traveler. Was there any inspiration taken from this title?

Yes, When we first saw Octopath Traveler, we were amazed by the blend of 2D and 3D that allowed the characters to have a great range of emotions via the pixels, but make the worlds feel vast and full of life through the 3D. We wanted to do something like that on a 32-bit level.

Are there any vampires, werewolves, or other mystical creatures in the world?

Murayama: This world is home to many different types of creatures…

Will there be any large-scale battles?

Skirmishes between big countries mean large-scale battles.

Any duel battles?

We haven't decided on how the design will be, but I do want to include something like that.

Does the game include a world map?

Yes, we want to create a world map where you can see the vast open sky and really feel how expansive the world is.

A lot of people are asking if there is anything similar to the Runes from Suikoden.

Rune-lenses are the base for magic power in Eiyuden Chronicle. They will be more complex than the Runes in Suikoden and have multiple abilities. Also, there are different ways of interacting with the Rune-lenses and utilizing their power and that becomes one of the core catalysts to different countries going to war.

Who is handling the English localization? Is it outsourced or in-house?

Right now, we are working with one of the most talented localizers who I trust 100% and [who] understands the world and story on a deep level.

How many party members are players able to have at once?

Normally, it will be up to 6 players, but with additional support members that can give you boosts on the field, it will be more. We have a new system where the battle scenes feel like it's a larger group all supporting the core fighting team.

Ready to Check Out Eiyuden Chronicle?

Of course you are! How can you not be when it sounds so fantastic? Many of us here at Geek to Geek have already backed the project, contributing to its massive ~2 million USD in pledges within 24 hours.

Again, many thanks to Sackchief for letting us publish the interview and for all the work he put in to making it happen.

Have you backed Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes yet?