The new coming-of-age RPG game Loop8: Summer of Gods produced by SEGA & Marvelous will be officially released on June 1 for Playstation 4 / Xbox One / Nintendo Switch, and will be followed by the PC version on June 7. Before the game is released, we had the opportunity to interview the producer of Loop8: Summer of Gods, Hideji Matsubara, to allow interested players to gain further understanding of this game.

Q: As this is a completely new game, we are interested in the origin of the game's title in Japanese ("Loop8 降神").

A: There are generally two reasons for the naming of this game. First of all, one of the settings in this game is "gods descend to fight in the human body". The word "降神" (pronounced as "origami" in Japanese), is composed of the words "降" ("descend") and "神" ("gods"), which reflects the game's main concept.

Secondly, we wanted to make the name more "Japanese-like". The aforementioned "origami" is usually written in Japanese characters as "折紙", and in English it is also transliterated as "Origami" (Japanese art of paper folding). I found it interesting, so I chose it as the name for the game.

Q: Is there a special reason why  a rural town in Japan from the 1980s is chosen as the setting for the game?

A: When discussing the game's setting and plot, there was an opinion that "the characters should not have smartphones" and that "the players should experience a time without smartphones." After conducting some research, it was found that the first mobile phones appeared around 1985, so we chose the year 1983, which was slightly earlier and when the Nintendo Entertainment System was already released.

In addition, we did not want to include smartphones or mobile phones in the game because we did not want players to think that they could easily contact other characters. We wanted players to explore the town and search for others without relying on modern technology.

Q: The game features an emotion-driven AI system that presents realistic emotions of characters, which will change based on the situation and choices made by the player. It is known that each playthrough will be unique, thus we are curious about how this will be presented. Is there a limit to the number of emotions that can be expressed? Can you give us a more in-depth introduction to this system? We believe this is a very important feature.

A: The Carrel System is characterized by the fact that all actions and dialogues of the characters are managed by AI, including not only the branching of the story but also the actions of the player's characters during battles. It is the foundation of the entire game.

Through the Carrel System, players can experience the joys and challenges of building relationships in the virtual world, just as they do in real life. For example, the player-controlled protagonist, Nini, may consider another character a "friend," while in that character's eyes, their relationship may only be at the level of an "acquaintance." By incorporating these types of situations that could occur in real life into the game system, it not only adds to the gameplay experience in daily life but also during battles. I think this feature makes for a very worthwhile gaming experience.

Q: Will the relationships between the characters affect the plot? Will changes in relationships be reflected in the interactions between the characters?

A: As you said, the relationships between the characters will have an impact on the plot and their behavior towards each other.

Q: During the early stages of development, were there any inspirations or references for the game's art style, monster design, or combat system? Typically it takes some inspiration for a work to get started.

A: In terms of visuals, the game is not inspired by past games but instead boasts a nostalgic and aesthetically pleasing style commonly seen in Japanese animation. The monster design and combat system that utilizes interpersonal relationships are completely original.

Q: Earlier this year, Loop8: Summer of Gods announced a delay in order to further improve the quality. During this period, what did the development team work on and will there be any further delays?

A: First of all, we apologize for causing concerns with the decision to delay the release. As stated in our previous announcement, the decision was made in order to polish the game, and we hope for your understanding. There will not be any further delays in the release of the game. Please rest assured.

Q: Besides building relationships with characters, are there any other mini-games or side quests during exploration time outside of battles?

A: In the daily life part, in addition to establishing relationships with various characters, you can also engage in "training," "collecting blessings," and "finding extraterrestrial hosts" (exact English translation TBC).

Q: How long is the average duration of a battle? How does the game design ensure that most battles meet the desired average duration?

A: Battles are divided into two types, minion battles and boss battles. Minion battles typically take about 10 minutes on average, while boss battles typically take about 30 minutes on average.

Q: As this is a role-playing game, what kind of rewards will players receive after successfully defeating bosses or regular enemies? What are the benefits of these rewards for the players?

A: This game is a unique RPG that does not have the concept of experience points or money. Instead, the game rewards player "relationship points" with other characters based on their actions during battle.

Q: As Loop8: Summer of Gods revolves around the concept of "looping cycles", how significant is the impact of these cycles? Does it only affect the ending, or does it also affect character relationships? If the game has multiple endings achievable through repeating cycles, does that mean there is no New Game Plus mode?

A: The cycles will affect many aspects of the game, including the ending and relationships with various characters. Additionally, by utilizing the cycles in a flexible manner, players can experience multiple endings. However, the number of cycles in the game is limited by the system, so New Game Plus and multiple playthroughs are possible.

Q: Can you tell us how long would it take to complete the game?

A: The estimated playtime for the main story is around 50 hours. However, as we have also prepared a variety of other content, such as side-events and storylines with each character, so if you aim for a complete experience, it should take more than 100 hours. The estimated number of loops to get the full experience is about 8, and we're not joking about that.

Message to the players:

Loop8: Summer of Gods is a new coming-of-age RPG set in a nostalgic small town often seen in Japanese anime. We're working hard on developing the game to provide players the emotional experience of "interpersonal relationships", which is not found in other games. Please stay tuned for more updates and support Loop8: Summer of Gods!