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Interview with CJ Producer of Double Dragon: Second Coming: Back to the Beginning

Aunt Wang Li

2024-07-31

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Author: Auntie Wang Li

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Invincible Whirlwind Kick

If you ask me to recall my childhood, I will definitely tell you about the passionate past when I was young. That year, I wore blue clothes and the kid next door wore red clothes. Then we punched the broom head and kicked the man in sunglasses, and successfully rescued Marian... Of course, this does not mean that I was a bad boy and caused trouble every day. It's just that the 8-bit "Double Dragon" series on the screen is too classic. Whether it's the whirlwind kick, the wall kick, or the refreshing feeling of Billy Jimmy blowing everything up, they are the most profound impressions of my childhood.

But to be honest, looking at Double Dragon now does seem a bit "retro" - you know, its last official game was seven years ago. During this period, countless excellent games have emerged in the video game industry. Now that Double Dragon has revived again, can it bring back the passionate memories of the past for players?

Fortunately, at this ChinaJoy, we met the producer of Double Dragon: Second Coming, Mr. Ishikawa Tatsunobu, in advance and talked about many topics about Double Dragon: Second Coming. It is worth mentioning that he had previously participated in the development of BlazBlue and served as a director - therefore, such an experienced Mr. Ishikawa will definitely bring new changes to the Double Dragon series.

Q: What is the game type of Double Dragon: Second Coming? Will it be a beat-em-up action game like the previous games in the series? Will the number of players change?

A: We named the game "Double Dragon: Second Coming" with the intention of bringing back the familiar "Double Dragon". Therefore, Double Dragon: Second Coming will continue the game type of clearing and fighting action, and will not make too many changes. As for the number of players, it is still 1 to 2, and they are still brothers Billy and Jimmy.

Q: We all know that the disadvantage of beat-em-up games is that they are short, so how long is the game of Double Dragon: Second Coming? Will you make some optimizations and changes to address this shortcoming?

A: First of all, the estimated game time of Double Dragon: Second Coming is about 2 to 3 hours. Secondly, I personally do not agree that a short process is a disadvantage. Does it mean that a game process of dozens of hours, which requires players to spend a week or even a month to complete, is an excellent game? Therefore, compared with the length of the game, I think that the game can bring some positive feedback to the players. Take Double Dragon: Second Coming as an example. With a process of 2 to 3 hours, players may only need an afternoon to complete it. After turning off the computer, they don’t need to worry about "the game has not been completed yet", which is also a good game for players.

Q: Is Double Dragon: Second Coming just a remake based on Double Dragon? Will it incorporate the settings of Double Dragon 2 and Double Dragon 3?

A: In fact, I prefer to call Double Dragon: Second Coming a "remake" rather than a "remake" - we are not simply making a "renovation of an old game", but a completely new game. Of course, in order to ensure the flavor of "Double Dragon", elements related to the first three generations will definitely appear in Double Dragon: Second Coming, such as the main characters, familiar enemies, etc. However, we also have our own original content to keep it fresh, such as the final villain Mr. Raymond.

Q: Why did you choose to remake it in 3D?

A: In my opinion, traditional 2D horizontal board games are relatively weak in terms of game performance - the scenes and enemies you can see are basically all the same, and the attacks you encounter are also simple forward, backward, up and down. 3D gives the game many possibilities. Here, you can see a lot of different things, and the attacks you face are all from all directions, requiring you to constantly adjust the angle to deal with them. Therefore, it is also easier for us to design some rich attack methods and different scene interactions.

Q: Will there be more remakes or porting plans based on Double Dragon in the future? In addition, Double Dragon 2 and Double Dragon 3 are very popular in China, can they also be remade?

A: We certainly hope to bring more "Double Dragon" works to players, but this will depend on market response and the company's internal evaluation and decision.

Q: What new designs have been added to Double Dragon: Second Coming? And what designs have old players retained?

A: Compared to "adding", we chose to simplify more. The core of the clearing game is to rush from the left to the right - therefore, we do not intend to add various growth elements to drag down the refreshing feeling. Whether it is a new player or an old player, being able to feel the refreshing and hot battle in this game is our vision.

Q: In the previous Double Dragon series, obstacles such as tracks, narrow bridges, and ladders were everywhere, which really tested the player's mobility and often made the players miserable. Will similar designs be retained in the new game?

A: We want to give players an authentic "remake", so these distinctive level designs will definitely be retained. However, we have simplified and modified them relatively. In addition, our game will not have the "Game Over" in arcade mode - even if the player dies by mistake, he can still continue his life and start again. Therefore, players don't have to worry too much about various mistakes during the game.

Q: Since the game is only 2 to 3 hours long, will there be new modes or new difficulties after completing the game to keep the game playable?

A: There may not be a new mode for the time being. However, we have designed a scoreboard for each chapter and corresponding level tasks and rewards. If players want higher scores or corresponding rewards, they can play the game again.

Q: In terms of story and character design, how can we ensure that players feel "fresh" without losing the original flavor and being closely integrated with the game world view?

A: In order to avoid making players feel that the characters are stereotyped, we set clear personalities for each character. For example, Billy is an impulsive and reckless boy, while Jimmy is a calm and restrained character who will still fight with his brothers - but no matter what, their original "hot-blooded boy" design will not change, and when they encounter unfairness, the brothers will still stand up. Of course, the combination of characters and the game world view requires other elements to enrich. Therefore, we have set up detailed background stories for former enemies and NPCs, and have more interactions with the two protagonists, so as to make the game richer and more in line with the game's world view.

Q: It’s been seven years since the last Double Dragon IP game was released, so why did you choose to release a sequel now?

A: We don’t want to let this classic IP fall into obscurity, and we also want old fans and players to regain their passion. In addition, I am also a fan of Double Dragon. Therefore, when all conditions are very suitable, we chose to launch Double Dragon: Second Coming.

Q: The "Double Dragon" series launched a new derivative game last year, and it was also a "Rogue" mode. Has the producer Mr. Ishikawa experienced it? Will your game include related systems?

A: Of course I know about this product. But you have to know that they are "side stories", so they can play freely. This game is a remake of the "original story", and we want to give players an authentic experience, so we must first ensure the original core of the game - "refreshing, ruthless, passionate and heroic", and then consider whether to add other systems or gameplay.

Q: Producer Ishikawa-san was once the director of BlazBlue. Do you think this will be helpful in the development of Double Dragon: Second Coming?

A: Definitely. In fact, I didn't start out as a director. I was in charge of front-line development and had other work experience before I became a director. Therefore, after accumulating a variety of experiences, I was able to serve as the producer of Double Dragon: Second Coming.

Q: In a previous interview, ARC SYSTEM WORKS's president Minoru Kidooka said that there will be new BlazBlue games released in the future, but he does not want it to compete with Guilty Gear. Does this mean that after Guilty Gear: Fighting completely stops subsequent updates, BlazBlue will start planning new works?

A: We do have such plans, but it is not convenient to disclose the specific plans now.