Today’s issue of Weekly Famitsu included an article on the upcoming action JRPG by Cygames Granblue Fantasy Project Re: Link, including a chat with relevant developers.
First of all, we learn that Kenji Saito will work on the game as a Producer on PlatinumGames’ side. Saito-san directed Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Transformers: Devastation, and has done relevant work on both Bayonetta games. On Cygames’ side, Tetsuya Fukuhara will take care of the game’s direction.
Saito-san mentioned that the game is at a point in development in which basic actions and features can be executed in gameplay, and it’s already possible to express the worldview of Granblue Fantasy with game’s graphics. Yet, it’s going to be a while before developers will be able to show more beyond what was showcased at Granblue Fes 2017.
He also explained that the project is a full-fledged collaboration between Cygames and Platinum Games. In order to properly showcase the worldview and story of Granblue Fantasy, Cygames is providing support and supervision. PlatinumGames is working on the kind of gameplay that they’re proud of, with “action that can display the charm of the characters” and a flow that changes from various situations to multiplayer. They’re steadily making progress while aiming for a game that everyone can enjoy.
Fukuhara-san provided more detail about the progress of development, mentioning that from the spring of 2017 staff from Cygames and Cydesignation (Cygames’ own art team) gradually joined PlatinumGames’ developers working on the game. The two studios are promoting joint development including technical cooperation on elements such as art.
At last, they recently got to the point in which they could show the graphics at Granblue Fes, however, the final result will be even better. The gameplay concepts and the story were already in place in the early stages of development, but working on the graphics is what took a long time. Just a few days ago, Fukuhara-san checked the final version of the main screenplay.
He also explained that people should not worry if they have not played the original Granblue Fantasy on smartphones, as they can easily start with the console game. On the other hand, the team is conscious of those who only played the smartphone version or don’t play many action games, so they’re developing the game that will be accessible to a wide audience of players.
Granblue Fantasy Project Re: Link has been announced only for PS4. In an earlier trailer, it was mentioned that the game is bound for release in 2018, but it’s worth mentioning that the latest press release marks the release date as “undecided.”
If you want to learn more of the game, you can also enjoy the first gameplay reveal, a batch of direct-feed screenshots, the first teaser trailer, a second video, an earlier gllery of screenshots, and the impressive tech being used for the clouds.