Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 - playstation 2

Interview with Yusuke Sasaki, game producer of NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.

- The game is based on an original story. What role have you taken in the creation of this new adventure?

Yusuke Sasaki, game producer of NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
"The idea came up in discussion with my colleagues, we then discussed it with the TV animation director, and it took off from there."

-    Can you tell us a bit more about the plot and how it is linked with the original universe of the Manga?

We, of course, wanted the story to be based in the Naruto universe.  The story pans out  between the episodes when Sasuke exits after fighting against Naruto in the Final Valley, and when Naruto leaves for training with Jiraiya.  The characters, and the relationships between them, remain true to the original story.

-    What were the fans’ reactions in Japan?

Our Japanese fans loved the game!  It is the first Naruto action game where a player can team up or play against their friends.  The player can also enjoy fighting against opponents who don’t often appear in the original story.

-    How long did the development last and how many people were involved in the creation of this game?

It took a year and 3 months with approximately 40 people involved in the project.

-    What difficulties and obstacles did you come across during the game’s development?

Writing the script was by far the biggest challenge.  We were in constant talks with the TV animation director in order to keep the spirit of the original anime series alive in the game.  It may have been a long process, but I’m very pleased with the result.

-    In your opinion, which are the main features of the game that make it different from the previous Uzumaki Chronicles?

I would say the choice of characters to play is a key feature of the game.  In the previous Uzumaki Chronicles, the player could only play as Naruto.  Now, the player can choose to play from a host of different characters in Uzumaki Chronicles 2.

-    Some new techniques and Jutsu seem to have been created especially for the game. Can you tell us a bit more on how do you imagine and create them?

We create a variety of moves for each character, and then the original author is responsible for selecting the moves that will be used in the final game.

-    Could you talk a bit about yourself and your route as a game producer?

I’ve worked on the NARUTO Ultimate Ninja series, the Uzumaki Chronicles series and Saint Seiya series.

-    What are your next projects?

My next project is NARUTO Next generation on PlayStation3. It’s a very exciting project and I’m sure our hard work will pay off with an impressive game!

Thank you very much for everything, we hope to see your upcoming games very soon.