{"id":74532,"date":"2026-10-30T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T06:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=74532"},"modified":"2026-10-30T15:33:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T06:33:19","slug":"showa-american-story-director-talks-about-the-games-progress-preserving-cultural-references-in-localization-and-the-easy-mode-even-a-cat-could-beat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/interviews\/showa-american-story-director-talks-about-the-games-progress-preserving-cultural-references-in-localization-and-the-easy-mode-even-a-cat-could-beat\/","title":{"rendered":"Showa American Story director talks about the game’s progress, preserving cultural references in localization, and the easy mode “even a cat could beat”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Showa American Story<\/strong>, the much talked about pop-culture action RPG set in an alternate version of America during Japan’s Showa era, is currently in development by independent Chinese studio NEKCOM Games, aiming for release in 2026. Although a specific release date has yet to be announced, the title has already been showcased in playable form, and appears to be making steady progress towards launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AUTOMATON China<\/a> recently had the opportunity to interview Xiangyu Luo, the game’s creative director, at the G-Fusion event held in Beijing. We talked to him about the project’s current progress and other topics gamers are likely curious about.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2014To start, something I think many people are wondering about: How far along is development at this point?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
The game’s content is already completely finished, and we’re now at the stage of polishing its overall quality. The game is relatively large in scope, and there are many details that still need refinement, so we’ve spent quite a lot of time on this process. We’re continuing to work hard on it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Since gamescom 2026, you’ve offered several public hands-on opportunities, with G-Fusion being the latest. The development team also seems to be taking player feedback seriously. Have there been any particularly useful suggestions, or aspects of the game that you’ve already started adjusting based on that feedback?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
We’ve received a great deal of feedback from players who’ve tried the game. In particular, we’ve heard many valuable comments regarding the feel of the controls and how the action is presented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’re currently focusing on polishing the narrative and exploration aspects. We’re also continuing to improve the combat based on this feedback, and we want to make sure the final experience lives up to players’ expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Since the game began appearing at offline events, many people have been drawing comparisons to the Like a Dragon series. How does your team feel about that?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
There are actually many differences between the gameplay of Showa American Story and Like a Dragon, but we’re certainly still happy that players are making that association. It means they’ve recognized Showa American Story as a rich RPG with plenty of content to sink their teeth into. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014The game offers three difficulty settings: \u201cReiwa Baby,\u201d \u201cHeisei NEET,\u201d and \u201cShowa Man.\u201d What exactly are the differences between them? Aare there any rewards for completing the game on higher difficulties?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
Heisei NEET is the difficulty I’d personally recommend the most to players. It’s the game’s standard difficulty experience, offering a reasonable level of challenge while allowing players to appreciate the thought we’ve put into the system design without getting stuck too easily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Showa Man, on the other hand, takes the normal difficulty as its foundation but significantly ramps up the intensity of the combat. Damage taken when your health is low increases dramatically, so you’ll quickly get punished if you just mash buttons without thinking. This difficulty is designed for hardcore masochists who enjoy a challenge and want to push themselves beyond their comfort zones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there’s Reiwa Baby, which is actually my personal favorite. That’s because it features auto-combos, allowing you to play without having to think at all. Even a cat living in your yard could breeze through the game on this setting. At our offline demo events, I’ve seen some players whose entire approach was to use only basic attacks and keep hammering the same button. If that’s your kind of playstyle, I definitely recommend giving \u201cReiwa Baby\u201d a try. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, completing the game on a higher difficulty will earn you additional in-game item rewards, but it won’t affect trophy or achievement unlocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Approximately how many different minigames will there be in the game? And do they appear at set points in each chapter, or do they vary depending on the location?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
There will be dozens of minigames. They don’t necessarily appear at fixed points in each chapter, and some will vary depending on your side quest progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2014The demo’s boss fight against Akiratora Mutsuki featured multiple phases, along with various QTEs and cinematic sequences. Will there be many boss battles of a similar scale in the full game?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
The fight against Akiratora Mutsuki is representative of the scale of the boss battles that conclude each chapter in this game. You can think of it as similar to the big boss fights waiting at the end of each stage in classic beat-’em-up games. To avoid spoilers as much as possible, however, certain adjustments and cuts were made to the Mutsuki fight in the demo. Some aspects of the battle will therefore differ in the full release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Some of the game’s cutscenes incorporate presentation techniques reminiscent of motion comics. What’s the thinking behind combining these with conventional<\/strong> cutscenes?<\/strong> 
 
Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
First and foremost, it’s because I personally love manga as a form of expression. I think that sometimes, carefully composed panels and still images can bring out a character’s personality more effectively, while leaving players with more room for their own imagination. Rapid transitions between images can also make certain sequences feel sharper and more impactful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s why we combine motion comics with conventional cutscenes, choosing whichever approach best suits each situation. For scenes that call for continuous action or elaborate choreography, we use conventional cutscenes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014The game includes numerous memes related to Chinese internet culture. Chinese players may immediately understand these references, but players overseas might find them confusing. How do you plan to handle this in the localization?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
I think that’s perfectly natural, and I don’t believe there’s any need to forcefully eliminate those differences. That’s actually one of the most interesting aspects of cultural exchange. Personally, when I play games from overseas, I sometimes come across cases where original cultural elements have been forcibly replaced with something else and essentially reinvented during localization to make them easier for local players to understand. To be honest, I’m not particularly fond of that approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I’d like overseas players to experience the game’s original Chinese flavor as well. Even if they don’t understand the meaning of something at first, it might give them an opportunity to learn about another culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2014The second floor of the Guren Express is inaccessible in the demo, but it looks like a relatively small space. Will there be other interactive elements up there?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
The second floor is where you sleep, and it’s also where you can hide your own private stash of secret items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Among the companion NPCs revealed so far are Michael Hero and Bubba. Do they serve any roles beyond their involvement in the story and interactions at the camp?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
Yes. They play certain roles in combat, and they can also give players valuable items as gifts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014How long is the game overall? Can you give estimates for a regular playthrough versus a completionist run?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
If you skip all the cutscenes and simply play through the main story, it’ll take around 25 hours. If you take your time and watch all the cutscenes, that could bring the total playtime to nearly twice as long. As for side quests and the various collectibles, the time required can vary considerably from person to person, so it’s difficult to give a general estimate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Are there any plans to release a demo before the game launches?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
There are currently no plans to do so. Creating a demo requires additional manpower and time, and at this stage, we’d rather concentrate our resources on polishing the full game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Finally, do you have a message for our readers?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Xiangyu:<\/strong> 
I’d like to thank everyone who’s continued to follow the game and patiently waited for it. I’d also like to express my gratitude to everyone who came to our events to try the game and took the time to share their sincere feedback. Your enthusiasm has been a tremendous source of encouragement for the development team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve packed Showa American Story with many things that we personally love and that we really want everyone to experience for themselves. We’ll continue working hard to refine the game’s quality, and when the time comes for us to meet you through the full release, we hope you’ll thoroughly enjoy this world, grow fond of its characters and story, and feel that the wait was worth it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, when choosing your difficulty setting, please don’t push yourself too hard. We’re the ones who gave the difficulties those names, but you’re the ones who’ll be playing the game. Having fun is what matters most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Showa American Story is scheduled to launch for PC (Steam<\/a>) and PS5 in 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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