Thank you for taking the time out of your day to chat with us!

Outside of the Brigandine franchise, were there any other influences, either from video games or other media, that impacted Brigandine Abyss?

I’ve always liked strategy games, so I think I’m influenced by a number of them.

During development, I was playing games like the X-COM series, Battle Brothers, Symphony of War, and Wartales. There’s a lot more that I could list, too.

I can see why you are very interested in the genre!

Were there any mechanics from previous Brigandine entries that you originally wanted to bring back but decided it wasn’t a good fit for Abyss?

There is a “Free Mode” that was added to the Steam version [of Runersia], as well as some unit upgrade functionality that I wanted to include in Abyss but wasn’t able to.

This was because our focus was on enhancements that were in direct response to things like complaints from reviews for previous titles.

We’re also currently thinking about providing an update to this title due to the feedback we’ve received from players thus far.

Abyss introduced many new ideas to the series. Was there one particular concept during development that really defined the game’s identity?

From the very start of planning, we were looking at user reviews for the previous game, Legend of Runersia, as well as Steam achievement records in order to help us determine what kinds of elements to include.

[For example], we built the game so that there would be more of a direct connection between the events and battles that take place during the six storylines you can play through in the main story mode.

The new Rally system was also initially quite different [in concept], but we gradually refined it into what’s in the game now.

With 24 factions and 6 story campaigns in the game, how did the team ensure that each one feels mechanically and narratively distinct instead of just swapping out characters?

While the Abyssloa Empire is a common threat in all six of the main storylines, the characters that appear in them and the drama that unfolds is very different. We really wanted players to try out multiple paths and get to know each of the unique protagonists and how their stories play out.

There’s also a mission mode where you can choose to play as one of the multitude of characters from the 24 factions that pop up throughout story mode, since we wanted people to be able to get hands-on with any character that piqued their interest.

How did the team approach making monster units feel valuable beyond simply being another source of damage?

We wanted players to have to really think about how to approach every fight by giving them each monster’s species, class, and affinity to consider.

Also, while it’s something of a staple of the Brigandine series, having to manage the cost of allocating monsters into your party is another thing that makes this game unique.

Plus, there’s the Rally system that allows monsters to provide the party leader with various bonuses.

This definitely gives monsters something unique to contribute to the battles beyond just dealing damage.

Is there a particular battle or encounter that you feel best demonstrates what makes Abyss’s combat unique?

In previous Brigandine titles, the event battles that occur during the six scenario campaigns were the same across every campaign.

In Abyss, however, we have unique events and battles where NPCs also take part, which help Abyss stand out among the series.

Also, I just brought this up earlier, but Abyss’ new mechanics like field verticality and the Rally command really help give the combat a feel all its own.

Is there a particular feature or mechanic that you hope players take the time to explore more deeply?

I don’t have anything specific, since the game is designed so that people are empowered to choose a playstyle that works for them.

By that same token though, I hope that players that like to take their time will find it worthwhile to comb through every scenario, while those who prefer short play sessions will enjoy jumping in and out of missions in mission mode.

I think the game is very open-ended that way.

Looking back on the development of Abyss, what part of the game changed the most from your original vision?

Nothing changed too drastically from our initial outline, but once you get into the weeds, you can find a lot of really minor changes all throughout.

After completing Abyss, what is the most significant lesson you would carry forward into your next game?

There are a lot of mechanical changes we introduced during development on this title that were in direct response to reviews of the previous game in the series, and while we did get high marks in some areas, we also got low marks in others.

So, I think it’s really important to pick and choose what we focus on very carefully. That’s also why we’re currently thinking of putting out an update for Abyss.

Was there anything the team initially thought would be a small part of Abyss that ended up becoming much more important during development?

Not that I can think of.

Is there a particular character, mechanic, or feature that the team became especially attached to during development?

I wouldn’t say there’s any one aspect of the game in particular that the entire team became focused on.

Of all the factions in Abyss, which one is the most popular among the development team, and why?

Since I can’t really speak for the whole team, I’ll just give you my personal opinion. Zeilzarde, who appears in the Mysteine campaign, is my favorite character.

He’s just a really cool, yet kind-hearted middle-aged guy. In fact, there are a lot of cool middle-aged guys in Abyss, so I hope people will play through the campaigns and try to find them all.

There are uncool middle-aged guys too [if that’s more your style].

If you could develop any video game, past or future, without any limitations, what would it be?

I love strategy games, so that’s what I really want to make more of.

I’d love it if I could work on a strategy game like Battle Brothers—one that’s really difficult and has unique mechanics.

What is the strangest idea you’ve ever wanted to put into a game but haven’t had the opportunity to?

I can’t really give specifics, but I did consider making a fighting game before.

The rest of the team didn’t really care for my ideas on the gameplay side of things, though.

Honestly, it was so ridiculous I’d be embarrassed to say anything more about it here.

Oh! That sounds interesting!

And finally, the most important question: cats or dogs?

I have four cats right now, so I think the impulse would be to label me a cat person, but I’ve had dogs before too.

I like both, but I’m definitely a little bit more on team cat right now. I really like birds and rabbits as well.

Go team cats!

Thank you again Mr. Saito for your time!