With the development of Okami’s sequel in full swing, Clovers Studio Head Hideki Kamiya is taking his role as game director very seriously. This is the first time Kamiya is directing a sequel for a title he originally created, after all, so he wants to make sure Okami 2 improves upon the elements introduced in the first game.
In a recent interview with VGC, Kamiya said that his role as a writer and supervisor for Bayonetta 2, 3, and Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon helped open his eyes to the impact of prequels and sequels. Following their release, fans’ perceptions of what the Bayonetta IP is and should be became stronger.
“[The release of the Bayonetta sequels and prequels] created a gap between what we at Platinum Games wanted to do and what fans expected from the now-firmly established image of Bayonetta. It was a bit of a perplexing experience for me to see how fans reacted when Bayonetta 3 was released.” While he doesn’t necessarily intend to fight this with Okami’s sequel, the experience is something Kamiya is thinking of deeply even now.
Since directing a sequel is very different from directing a new IP, Kamiya is carefully considering how to approach Okami 2. The original Okami has a large dedicated fanbase, so it’s only natural that expectations for the sequel are high. According to the director, his mission is to make Okami 2 better than the first. Promisingly, he describes the development process so far as “extremely fun,” both for him and his staff.
Given that Clovers is still a small studio, working on Okami 2 is all they can afford to do right now. Should the game prove a success, Kamiya hopes Clovers will be able to take on other Capcom IPs, another Okami game, or possibly a brand-new IP while focusing on creativity instead of being burdened by investors.
On a related note, Hideki Kamiya has expressed much admiration and gratitude for how Hideaki Itsuno handled Devil May Cry’s sequels.
