The Story and Rules of Life of Game Designer Hideki Kamiya

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Hideki Kamiya is not only the creator of the Devil May Cry series, but also an outstanding Japanese game designer who has developed a number of unique games throughout his career. He became a key figure in shaping the third-person slasher genre. Kamiya's games are renowned for their dynamic gameplay, intense action, and original mechanics, while his characters are characterized by vibrant charisma and memorable traits. His contributions to the video game industry have had a significant impact on the genre's development, inspiring both developers and players worldwide.

For over 25 years in the gaming industry, the game designer has created numerous outstanding action and adventure games, including hits such as Bayonetta, Viewtiful Joe, Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry, Okami, and The Wonderful 101. For many years, he also set the overall direction for projects at Clover Studio and PlatinumGames, contributing to their success and recognition among players. His contributions to gaming have had a significant impact on shaping genres and attracting new fans.

Hideki emphasizes the actions and movements of his characters, as well as their personalities and settings, which highlight their individuality and enhance their charisma. The dark, gothic castles in his games serve not only as backdrops but also as battlegrounds for demons in Devil May Cry and as a setting for dynamic superhero movie scenes in Viewtiful Joe. This approach to level and character design fosters deep immersion and a unique atmosphere.

Against the gloomy backdrop, vibrant characters in red suits stand out, effectively defeating opponents and confidently posing for the camera. A striking example of this style is the witch Bayonetta, known for her mesmerizing dance moves that transform into powerful attacks. This unique approach to combat scenes creates impressive visuals and highlights the charisma of the characters.

Before the development of Devil May Cry, I defined the basic mechanics for Dante's character, including the ability to use a sword, perform jumps, and many other abilities. After that, I started creating the game mechanics, adding enemies and traps. It is important that all elements of the game emphasize the uniqueness of the character. Creating a character and defining his abilities are key stages that allow us to avoid limitations in the game.

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Creating an interesting character requires a natural approach, and not a desire to make them "cool" by adding tattoos or other attributes. For example, the hero of the game Viewtiful Joe is presented as a simple guy in red tights and a helmet, and at first glance, he does not look impressive. However, it is the lack of excessive "coolness" that makes him makes it fun and engaging to play. The key is to focus on making the character interesting and unique, which ultimately makes them memorable and attracts players' attention.

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To better understand Kamiya's approach, just look at the first part of the Bayonetta game. The game's style isn't just top-notch—it reaches astonishing proportions. The main character wears a skintight hair suit that dramatically disappears when performing powerful attacks. She uses heels as pistols and wields a multitude of giant demons ready to attack any opponent, including bosses. Furthermore, the game impresses with masterfully animated dances that combine elements of various styles. All of these aspects are imbued with a core motif that can be compared to striptease, adding uniqueness and artistic expression to the gameplay.

Kamiya noted that he prefers not to play new games, but continues to enjoy classic games from the eighties and nineties. His favorite titles include Punch-Out, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Castlevania, Ninja Kid, and Gradius. Interestingly, he set a world record for Ninja Kid and earned a Guinness World Record.

Kamiya admitted that he draws inspiration and ideas from classic action games and platformers. His goal is to convey the unique feel and atmosphere of these games using modern technology and his own artistic vision.

When developing games, I focus on what truly interests me. I strive to create a gaming experience that I would want to experience myself. It's important to me to gain new impressions and emotions from working on a project. I don't worry about whether others will like the game. Ensuring that the game's elements match my vision is paramount, as this is what makes the creation process fun and meaningful to me.

Kamiya is currently developing a new superhero project called Project G.G, which promises to be a thrilling action game. He is also overseeing the development of Bayonetta 3 for the Nintendo Switch console. In this game, players will be able to control multiple versions of Bayonetta and will also meet a young witch named Viola. Bayonetta 3 is expected to be released on October 28th.

From an early age, Kamiya realized his passion for creating games. He enthusiastically played all the games available to him, regardless of the platform - from Cassette Vision to Famicom. Hideki notes that his thoughts were always occupied by games, and all conversations with friends revolved around this topic. Games became the basis of his life and a source of inspiration for further creativity.

After graduating from college, Kamiya aspired to get a job at companies such as SEGA and Namco. He presented them with his game design documents created in his free time. However, despite all his efforts, Hideki was unable to get the desired position.

Despite numerous rejections, he did not stop and continued his attempts. In 1994, Kamiya landed a job at Capcom, where he became the planner for the first installment of the cult game Resident Evil.

Since then, Kamiya has not only established himself in the industry but also developed his own unique style.

I don't want my games to be perceived solely as "games from "Kami." However, I am very attentive to detail. For example, I never allowed composers to create soundtracks without my instructions. I didn't just tell them, "Make music for this level." Instead, I brought in sample discs and clearly stated what kind of melody I expected for each specific scene. I carefully monitor every aspect and influence every element of the project.

The aesthetics of Viewtiful Joe were influenced by the comics I enjoyed. The main character's appearance reflects the visual style of the Hellboy stories designed by Mike Mignola. The emphasis is on the hard pencil strokes typical of American comics, which gives the game a more mature and dark look.

Creating Okami in a Japanese setting was inspired by many reasons. One of them is my deep understanding of nature. Having moved to a big city, I realized the importance of the places I had left behind and felt nostalgic for my native land. This longing inspired me to create a game that captures the natural beauty of the Japanese countryside, allowing players to experience this unique world and relive the same feelings I experienced.

When developing games, Kamiya draws on his own tastes and preferences, striving to express a unique authorial approach. The game designer understands the importance of maintaining balance and control during the creative process so that the final product is interesting not only to him, but also to players. This allows him to create games that resonate with a wide audience and provide an engaging gaming experience.

During the development process, I often delve into my inner tastes and preferences. However, when creating Okami, I tried to control myself. This project was our first original creation at Clover, and I wanted every player to become a fan of our games. I worked on Okami with this approach. I hope I was able to shed the image that many people had of saying, “This is the guy who made Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe.”

Before leading the development of Resident Evil 2, I was part of the team that created the original Resident Evil. During the development phase, I worked as a regular employee and had the opportunity to get acquainted with every aspect of the game, including every detail, and I also participated in testing. When we began work on the sequel, we were confident that we were creating an outstanding project. However, as developers, we already knew too much about Resident Evil, and it was difficult to see the game from a new perspective. Therefore, we needed to look at the product from the consumer's perspective.

Listening to the opinions of focus groups is not always the optimal way to improve a game project. Including other people's opinions can lead to a loss of originality. During the development of Viewtiful Joe, we conducted a focus test with children to find out their opinions on the characters. The answers were quite unexpected: "His head is too big" or "Sylvia is annoying, I want to kill her." Such statements had no basis, and this made me dissatisfied. Ultimately, I decided not to make any changes to the game.

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I had an old cartridge for A Famicom Disc containing the game "Akumajou Dracula," known in the US as "Castlevania," released for the NES. I was impressed not only by its gameplay but also by the thoughtful details that reflected the creator's clear vision for the project. Every element of the game was carefully crafted to create a unique atmosphere. Levels weren't simply a series of challenges; they told stories themselves. The clock tower, where Dracula awaits, was visible from the very beginning, creating a sense of anticipation. Passing through catacombs and waterways, players gradually approached the castle, ascending and descending levels. This approach not only deepened the story but also ensured harmony between gameplay and narrative. There was nothing superfluous in the game; every element was in its place, creating a cohesive and engaging adventure.

I understand the importance of the players who purchase our products. People are investing, and I have a responsibility to them. I must ensure that they get something truly valuable for their money, perhaps even more. This is a fundamental principle that our publishers understand. They notice how seriously we approach the creation of games and how responsibly we fulfill our obligations.

Viewtiful Joe and The Wonderful 101 represent unique worlds, but they are interconnected within the framework of one superhero trilogy. Viewtiful Joe focuses on the story of one hero, while The Wonderful 101 tells the story of a team of superheroes. The new Project G.G will be the next step in this trilogy, offering a story about a giant hero. All of these games are intended to be connected not only through a common lore, but also through their core concept of superheroics, which emphasizes the diversity and development of the genre.

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When developing difficulty levels in In The Wonderful 101, we aimed to achieve the optimal balance. We offered three modes: Normal, Easy, and Very Easy. Normal represents the difficulty we, as developers, consider ideal and the one we would prefer to play on ourselves. Easy and Very Easy modes are designed to attract a wider audience, allowing new players to more easily get used to the game.