Interview: Getting To The Core Of Otomedius Excellent

Naturally, you had questions. Questions similar to "Pillowcase?" and "what?" After the break, Konami staff, inclusive writer Koji Igarashi -- who you might know from a specific other whip-smart Konami array -- help us comprehend Otomedius Excellent .

Despite the polygonal graphics and "moe" artwork, Otomedius Excellent has more in familiar with typical shooters similar to Gradius than modern "bullet hell" shooters in that players are forced to evasion screen-filling fate of projectiles. In fact, the name is a portmanteau of "otome" ("maiden") and "Gradius."

"The formerly title, Otomedius Gorgeous , was more similar to a 'bullet hell' sort of shooter, but you practiced Otomedius Excellent to be more "retro' style," writer Koji Igarashi told Joystiq. "Nowadays, you do not see that many 'retro'-type shooters, so this will be familiar for aged fans together with be a new experience is to side scrolling shooter genre." Associate brand executive Pearl Lu calls it a "highly approachable shoot-em-up." While the diversion might be accessible, the look gives it an observable "niche" quality. Otomedius array disposition planner (and Sgt. Frog creator) Mine Yoshizaki explained the playable characters and their outfits -- tools of spaceships similar to Gradius's Vic Viper, worn-out as wardrobe by flying, sharpened anime girls.

"Their costumes are front-line fighting uniforms," Yoshizaki told us. "But given they are ordinary girls when they are not fighting Bacterians, their tastes are taken in to care when it comes to their costumes. So they are not too austere."

If you purchase the Special Edition, you'll be able to see these wholly functional outfits on the characters in an artbook, together with on ... a pillowcase. "When you were considering of putting together the Special Edition," Lu said, "we were perplexing to advance up with things fans would like. We had this pleasing design with Mine Yoshizaki, so you longed for to do something engaging and fun that would uncover it off. Also, a of the Japanese special editions comes with a bedsheet , so our super hardcore fans can have a full bed set." See? Practical by and through.

That earthy release, forthcoming at a time when many shmups are going digital, was a chance for Konami, Lu mentioned -- as was the more impracticable special edition. "A garland of us put a lot of time and bid in to creation this let go a reality stateside," she added. "We all hope people suffer it!"