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Suda 51 and Grasshopper are using Unreal Engine 4 'heavily'
No More Heroes and Killer is Dead dev Grasshopper Manufacture is "heavily relying" on Unreal Engine 4, with next-gen games in mind. Speaking to Joystiq at E3, Grasshopper CEO Goichi Suda, most commonly known as Suda 51, confirmed his studio's use of Epic's next-gen engine when asked about his thoughts on the PS4 and Xbox One. "As a developer, we're heavily relying right now on Unreal Engine 4," Suda told us. "That works really well with both systems – or in the sense that we could go either way." Grasshopper recently revealed it has a stylistic action game in development that isn't Killer is Dead - and it isn't No More Heroes 3 either. As Suda told Siliconera back in April, it's a new game coming to one or more consoles. He also teased to Siliconera the game was either running on Unreal Engine 3 or Unreal Engine 4, adding that if he said which one then "you would know about the platforms." Suda told Joystiq we can expect Unreal Engine 4 in Grasshopper games "if it's a big title, or if it's suited to that title," all of which suggests a next-gen landing for said secretive game. As for the future possibility of No More Heroes 3, Suda told us, "Travis [Touchdown] is one of the characters I'm really fond of, that means a lot to me. So if there was the opportunity to create another sequel then yeah, I'm always up to the idea."
Killer is Dead shows off sick moves, characters in first screenshots
Killer is Dead, the next game from Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture, is alive, and this set of screenshots provided by Famitsu proves it. Yesterday we learned the juicy bits of Killer is Dead's story, which stars a mercenary named Mondo Zappa as he travels the world killing bad people.Combat in Killer is Dead is sword-based and close-range, though Zappa has an arm that can transform into a drill, a gun and other items. As seen in the shot above, Zappa's attacks get pretty bloody, especially when he uses one of his more powerful moves, Adrenaline Burst. Check out Famitsu's screenshots right here.
Killer is Dead stars an assassin with a drill, gun for a hand
Grasshopper Manufacture's Killer is Dead stars – you guessed it – an assassin in an imperfect future, a spread in Famitsu reveals, as translated by Gematsu. The protagonist, Mondo Zappa, is hired by the Execution Office, led by Chief Brian Roses, to kill murderers around the world, some of which are trying to regain their talents and others that wish for death. And, somehow, the moon is involved.The combat is close-range, mainly using swords, though Zappa is a bit of a transhumanist and his left arm can transform into a drill, gun and other items. Previous teasers compare the swordplay to No More Heroes, another game from director Goichi Suda. Zappa absorbs enemy blood to use the Adrenaline Burst attack, a powerful move that causes large amounts of blood to gush when foes are decapitated.Zappa's favorite food is a half-boiled egg, he's 35 years old and he is quite a lady-killer (possibly literally). He's joined by co-workers Vivian Squall and Mika Takekawa, and an enemy by the name of Victor. Killer is Dead is scheduled to launch on Xbox 360 and PS3 this summer.
Suda and Mikami get silly in Shadows of the Damned dev diary
Watch as famous game designers Goichi Suda and Shinji Mikami pretend to strangle each another, act like zombies and generally goof off. The point? They're promoting Shadows of the Damned, the new survival-horror title they're co-developing for EA. Oh, there's plenty of gameplay footage in here, too.
Shadows of the Damned preview: Hardly Hell
As the tall, blood-covered Frankenstein doppleganger leapt from a gigantic flame in the middle of a courtyard, I thought to myself, "Man, this guy could really use a bath." The shock set in when the demon reached into his own chest and ripped out its heart, then ate it, causing him to transform into a gigantic beast-man with a grotesque wolf's head. Howling at the moon, he summoned forth a mouthless steed covered in blood and rotting skin. Mounting his hell ride, he then conjured a trident and spear from the ether and set his sights on me. If there's one thing I can say about the brief 15-minute Shadows of the Damned demo I played this week, it's that the game isn't short on crazy. Also, I wish I got to kill that demon and the disfigured horse he rode in on. %Gallery-121868%
Suda 51 plays Burnout Paradise (a lot) more than you
Grasshopper Manfacture boss Goichi "Suda 51" Suda likes to do everything to the extreme, whether it's the ultra-violence of No More Heroes or -- as we now know -- playing other developers' games, specifically Criterion's Burnout Paradise. The British dev's head honcho, Alex Ward, issued a tweet revealing that Suda had recently popped by his studio (likely after the recent Nordic Game Conference) and is a "hardcore Burnout fan.""Hardcore" may be an understatement, as Ward disclosed that server logs show Suda has played more than 700 hours of Burnout Paradise. So, there it is: Even more proof that Suda 51 knows great games and takes everything to the extreme. It may also explain why we haven't heard anything more about the horror title he's working on for EA alongside Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami.[Via VG247]
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle at 'very end' of production, won't be playable at E3
Well, today officially sucks, because the game we anticipate the most -- Suda51's No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle -- won't be available to play at next month's E3, Goichi Suda told 1UP. We'd cancel our trip, but we already bought the frakking plane tickets! It's not all bad news, however, as Suda51 does hint at the game being at the show, just not in playable form. He also says that the game is "at the very end of production," providing hope that it will meet its scheduled US release of January 2010 on the Wii.
Inafune, Suda51 to speak at Nordic games summit
Should you find yourself in Malmö, Sweden during the third week of May, you'll be able to pop in to Nordic Game 2009 and catch presentations by Capcom's R&D boss and Mega Man creator, Keiji Inafune, along with Goichi "Suda51" Suda of No More Heroes fame. The duo has signed on to the two-day event's roster of notable industry figures, which also includes reps from Media Molecule, Insomniac, Tigon and others.So, what are two big-name Japanese devs doing at a Swedish games event? It could be that Inafune-san might be in the area to visit Grin, the Stockholm-based developer that's finishing up Bionic Commando for Capcom. As for Suda51, we're guessing he's taking advantage of a "two fly for the price of one" airline promotion. [Via Develop]
Grasshopper goes Unreal for EA horror franchise
It may seem like a stretch, but we're keeping a close eye on every scrap of information surrounding the collaboration with Goichi "Suda51" Suda and Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami (as well as Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment). Publisher Electronic Arts has announced (via press release) that Suda51's studio Grasshopper Manufacture has licensed Epic's Unreal Engine 3 for the multiplatform horror franchise. We're curious what the use of UE3 means for the Wii version of the game, given Epic's non-support of the console.Unfortunately, what's lacking in the press release is any information about the game itself. Said Epic VP Jay Wilbur, "Grasshopper Manufacture is one of the most daring and innovative studios in the world, and we can't wait to see what they're able to do with Unreal Engine 3." Welcome to the club, buddy.
No More Heroes dev. will rerelease their first game on PS Store
Some of you might not know who Suda "Suda51" Goichi is, but perhaps you've heard of his game, one of the most talked-about titles on the Wii, No More Heroes. Another American release he was involved in was the PS2 title killer7, which featured a unique twist on the FPS genre. If you are a fan of these niche titles, you are in luck. Developer Grasshopper Manufacture's (where Goichi is CEO) very first title, released in Japan for the original PlayStation back in 1999, titled The Silver Case, will be headed over to the Japanese PS Store. The game yet another one-of-kind adventure title that featured usually deep characterization and unconventional plot, containing a story about murders that seem be committed by a dead man.No word on whether The Silver Case will get a stateside release; though a remake and a spinoff of the original is currently being ported and localized for the DS. That gives us a glimmer of hope of an English version, but don't count on it. Of course, we'll keep you updated if any of that changes.
Suda and team recount making of No More Heroes
Toilets seem to go hand-in-hand with Goichi Suda and No More Heroes. Around the time of the game's release, Suda mischievously compared making the game to defecating, and he's now revealed that he was inspired to make No More Heroes while perched on the porcelain throne. This in turn led to the title's quirky save mechanic, as seen above.These are just two nuggets from a "Making of No More Heroes" piece at the Official Nintendo Magazine site. Suda also mentions how Johnny Knoxville influenced the character of Travis Touchdown, while artist Katsuyoshi Fukamachi and assistant director Toshihiro Fujikawa reflect on the myriad challenges they faced during No More Heroes' eight-month development cycle, including the chaotic final weeks, which both describe as a "total nightmare." It's definitely worth a read, partly because Suda is one of the industry's most entertaining and frank interviewees, but also because he's talking about one of the best Wii games of the last twelve months.%Gallery-4611%
Taking a scary stroll behind the scenes of Twilight Syndrome
Famitsu has a pretty interesting video for those of you who've been watching Twilight Syndrome: The Forbidden Urban Legend. They sat down with three of the young ladies featured in the horror title for a behind-the-scenes talk about things that we can only imagine. We don't speak Japanese, sadly.But there's footage from the game, along with a plethora of screens! As much as we're certain we'll never get this game in North America, we still like to pretend it can happen.%Gallery-20543%
New Twilight Syndrome video isn't as creepy as the old Twilight Syndrome clip
As ominous as the quiet subway scene in the first 50 seconds of this video might be, there's little in this new trailer to convinces us that Twilight Syndrome: Kinjiraneta Toshi Densetsu (Twilight Syndrome: The Forbidden Urban Legend) will be even half as scary as Twilight Syndrome: Search for the PlayStation.Check out the old commercial we embedded past the post break to see what we mean! The animated skeleton and bugs are a bit goofy, but the smiling girl that pops up at the end for half of a second freaks us out every time!Fun trivia: Did you know that famed game designer Goichi Suda worked on the original Syndrome games during his tenure at developer and publisher Human Entertainment? More fun trivia: Did you know that we have Twilight Syndrome: The Forbidden Urban Legend's boxart after the break? It's all true!%Gallery-20543%
Suda51 talks Xbox 360, American market
An Edge interview with Grasshopper CEO Goichi Suda has recently been reprinted by NextGen, and features a few insights into Suda51's development of No More Heroes, as well as the punk-rock designer's future plans.Regarding the Wii, Suda51 felt that No More Heroes was a unique opportunity to appeal to the wide user base for the console, and set out to make the title appeal to both hardcore gamers, and those that might be experiencing their first action game.Beyond No More Heroes, Suda51 expresses interest in developing for the Xbox 360, citing the console's tremendous performance in the States. According to Suda, America is the "Major League" of game development, and it's a market he'd most definitely like to conquer. We'll just have to wait and see what his crazy brain cooks up next.
No More Heroes first planned for 360, says Suda51
No More High-Definition Heroes was almost a reality, had Grasshopper Manufacture's Goichi Suda not been privy to some Wii whisperings during his project's planning stages. "Originally, I'd wanted to make this game for Xbox 360, actually," he told MCV. The No More Heroes designer, also known as "Suda51," explained that he was swayed by Marvelous Interactive president Yashiro Wada, who shared "information about the new Wii and how the new controller would work before it came out." Suda51 admitted to being pleased with his choice, feeling that the distinctive wack 'n slash worked well with the Wii's control system. We're inclined to agree ... but then we wonder if anybody's ever expressed concern over the Xbox 360's "hardcore" audience.
2008's Biggest Blips: Flower, Sun and Rain / The Silver Case
Developer: Grasshopper ManufacturePublisher: TBD / TBDRelease: TBD / TBDThe DS boasts an enviable spread of adventure games, and 2008 promises much for the genre. Courtesy of Grasshopper Manufacture, both Flower, Sun and Rain and The Silver Case will be appearing on the handheld in the coming months, and it's fair to say that both reek of awesomeness.Flower, Sun and Rain puts the player in the shoes of Sumio Mondo, an assassin tasked with defusing a time bomb planted on a plane. Sumio initially fails his mission, only to wake the next morning and find that the explosion has yet to happen. Presented with a second chance to save the stricken plane and redeem himself, Sumio again fails, but wakes the next morning to find himself living the same day over and over, his hotel room becoming more and more warped as he slowly begins to lose his mind from the repetition.Comparatively little has been revealed about the DS version of The Silver Case, a murder mystery title that originally appeared on the PlayStation back in 1999. Centered around a series of grisly murders, the game is played from two perspectives: that of a leading detective, and of a freelance writer investigating the affair. In the PlayStation original, the story was narrated entirely through a montage of 2D illustrations, 3D CG, live-action images, and motion graphics, but it's not yet known whether the DS version will adopt the same techniques (the presence of two screens would seem like the perfect excuse to mimic this, however).While both titles are wildly inventive, we feel we should also contribute part of this preview to the man behind them. Here in the DS Fanboy dungeon, our admiration and respect for Goichi Suda knows no end. As the name behind the likes of Killer 7 and No More Heroes, Suda has proven time and again that the punk spirit is alive and well in videogames, and that there remains a place in gaming for the unconventional and the plain bizarre.As much as it saddens us, Suda won't be making games forever, but we like to think that his eventual successor will keep the punk flame alive in game development by following: DO feel free to compare the process of making your games to defecating.DO pile on the geeks and freaks. Suda is an expert at this, as Flower, Sun and Rain looks set to demonstrate.DO try and avoid selling very many copies of your game, even if it's completely awesome. Selling games in any great quantity is for those Establishment suckers at EA and Ubisoft. Stick it to The Man through your own low sales!DO come across as an obnoxious, uncooperative ass in interviews -- think The Sex Pistols and Bill Grundy in 1976 (in a very unpunk fashion, we should warn you that that last link is NSFW). In truth, Suda actually fails to follow this particular rule, as he consistently comes across as the kind of affable, fun-loving fellow you'd quite like to go for a drink with, or at least become friends with over the internet, which could perhaps lead to you both becoming BFF IRL. AND ON THAT SUBJECT, GOICHI, WHY DO YOU NEVER ANSWER MY EMAILS?DO NOT follow rules or guides -- they just, like, totally pigeonhole you. Except, y'know, this one.%Gallery-12911% FFIV Back Many infos
Yet More Cosplay
We can totally get behind No More Heroes cosplay. For one thing, it's a cheap and fairly easy pastime, not unlike your mom requiring none of the intricate and potentially expensive items needed for, say, successful Metroid cosplay. For another, the end result generally looks quite good, if you have the right physique to pull it off (we don't), as well as the correct cocksure attitude (again, no).Hit the link below for more photos of Travis Touchdown and Sylvia Christel imitators that you can shake a paper-mâché WarioWare mask at.[Via GameSetWatch]
So, Goichi Suda, how would you describe making No More Heroes?
There seems to be some sort of inextricable link between No More Heroes and toilets. Previously, it was revealed that we'd all be saving our progress in the game by perching on the john. Then there was that novelty No More Heroes themed toilet paper that was handed out at the game's launch party in Japan, and which director Goichi Suda would later give away on the streets of Akihibara.Now, Suda has told Eurogamer that the creative process behind the game was comparable to ... pinching a loaf. You know: making a deposit at the Porcelain Bank. Taking the Browns to the Super Bowl. Defecating. We're struggling, so we'll let Suda take us from here: "When you take a shit, everything you've consumed is all mixed together, there are all sorts of things in that -- and that's the same kind of idea, I think."That's ... charming.
Suda 51 wants more No More Heroes
No More Heroes isn't even out on shelves yet outside of Japan, most of the reviews haven't even been published, and already director Goichi Suda wants a sequel. The punk-rock Killer 7 creator is already itching to create the next in this bizarre Wii-sclusive action series, despite publisher Ubisoft not yet soliciting for the sequel-itis treatment.Talking with GameSpot, Suda says he's "really willing" to make a second No More Heroes, and is already asking about moving forward with it as a future project. Suda describes No More Heroes as being unlike any other action game for the Wii, likening it to alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys in terms of its energy (uh, whatever you say, Suda).Suda 51 is currently working on American localizations of two Grasshopper-developed DS games -- Flower, Sun and Rain and Silver Case -- and is also working on an undisclosed Xbox 360 title for Konami. No More Heroes drops on January 22 in the US, and February 29 in the UK. We'll see then if it's sequel-worthy.
Kojima working on a Snatcher sequel?
Hideo Kojima and Suda 51 (Goichi Suda) recently murmured about a project they've been plugging away at, aptly titled Project S. Rumors abounded that this project was, in fact, a sequel to the cult classic Snatcher by Kojima himself. Turns out the rumors are true -- this project is indeed based on Kojima's Snatcher title, but this project isn't actually a game. Oof.Turns out the project, re-named Snatchers, will be a radio drama written by Suda 51, who will also appear as a voice actor in said radio drama. Yep... radio drama. Seems we've taken a step backwards in time. There are other parts of the overall project, but Suda and Kojima are remaining hush-hush... let's see if a game is hidden between the secret decoder rings we'll need to solve the puzzle in the radio drama. More Ovaltine, please!
