KAMIWAZA: WAY OF THE THIEF
PC, SWITCH, PLAYSTATION 4 • 2022
The latest game from Acquire is an interesting one, as its roots can be found in the past. Way Of The Thief is actually a remaster of Acquire’s Playstation 2 game Kamiwaza and as a result it has had numerous updates to ensure its stealth-based action will appeal to modern gamers.
TAKUMA ENDO ON REMASTERING ACQUIRE’S 2006 STEALTH GAME KAMIWAZA Why did you choose to remaster Kamiwaza: Way Of The Thief?
Because it has a unique action gameplay style that still hasn’t been replicated to this day. It also has the uniqueness of featuring a Japanese thief main character who has an arabesque-patterned furoshiki. I think that even players today will find it fresh and interesting.
How will this version differ from the original game?
We didn’t change anything from an atmospheric perspective, but we did update and refine the textures and make the game fully HD so it has been greatly improved visually. We also added an auto-save feature and more tutorials to aid in ease of play. Finally, we added a system, like in Shinobido, where you can change the main character’s appearance and we added some secrets as well.
How difficult has the new version been to make, and what challenges did the team face?
Because the game is very unique, it was difficult to appropriately explain the game systems. In order to overcome that, we had staff who weren’t familiar with the game playtest it and based on their feedback, we added tutorials and improved the user interface.
Would you say there’s more interest in the localisation of quirkier Japanese games than there was during the Playstation 2 era?
I think it’s more difficult now to sell games abroad than in the Playstation 2 era, and that is because so many are made without the foreign market in mind. That said, while Kamiwaza is a niche game, I think it is very fun, and I hope players abroad are able to enjoy it as a type of ‘fantasy’ game.
Acquire is still going strong after 30 years, what’s the secret to the company’s success?
While we aren’t on the cutting edge of technology or technical refinement, I believe that we are a company that has broadened the potential of originality and that that has brought us this far. I would like for us to remain adaptable to changes and the continuing evolution of the industry.