Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya says pretty graphics alone don’t do much for him. A good action game needs mechanics no other game has  

Hideki Kamiya talks about how far 3D action games have come in recent years and what he values most in the genre.

Hideki Kamiya, the creator behind influential titles like Devil May Cry, Bayonetta and Okami, recently participated in a three-way discussion with Famitsu and Morbid Metal creator Felix Schade. He talked about how far 3D action games have come in recent years and what he values most in the genre, both as a player and as a developer. 

“When I make a new game, I try to come up with a unique gameplay mechanic that can only be experienced in that game. For example, in Bayonetta it was the Witch Time system where dodging an enemy attack slows down time, and in Okami, it was the Celestial Brush, which lets you directly affect the game world by drawing.” 

When Schade mentions that fewer games being released nowadays introduce such innovative ideas, Kamiya says that he’s personally not drawn to games that only offer improved graphics. “As a player, I want to get excited by the unique experiences which only that one game can offer.” 

Celestial Brush in Okami

At the same time, Kamiya is impressed by how far 3D action games have come as a genre. “Until not too long ago, there weren’t many 3D action games around, but recently there have been a lot of stylish, combo-based action titles. I think that’s a result of growing demand, and as someone who also wants to make that kind of action game one day, it makes me happy to see.” 

Given that Kamiya built his expertise through numerous projects during his years at Capcom and PlatinumGames, he says he’s surprised with the ability of recent studios to “suddenly” come out with high-quality titles like Morbid Metal, Stellar Blade or Lost Soul Aside. “It’s amazing to me that someone can just start making a game and end up with something of that quality.” 

Hideki Kamiya is currently working on a sequel to Okami as head of studio CLOVERS. 

Related articles: Hideki Kamiya wants his new studio to inherit the teachings of Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami 

Hideki Kamiya’s new game studio Clovers is not just a company for making sequels, creator emphasizes 

Amber V
Amber V

Editor-in-Chief since October 2023.

She grew up playing Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein with her dad, and is now enamored with obscure Japanese video games and internet culture. Currently devoted to growing Automaton West to the size of its Japanese sister-site, while making sure to keep news concise and developer stories deep and stimulating.

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