"Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth" director Naoki Hamaguchi gave an interview to Japanese media 4gamer, a large-scale project involving 176 well-known producers in the Japanese game field, in which Naoki Hamaguchi reviewed 2023 and shared his thoughts on 2024.
The most impressive (or shocking) game titles released in 2023.
Naoki Hamaguchi: Hogwarts Legacy. This is a game adapted from the popular IP "Harry Potter", and I am a remake of "Final Fantasy 7" myself, so I have a lot of attention to this game. It faithfully recreates the world of Harry Potter in the game, and players can experience first-hand scenes from the Hogwarts movies and **. The creator's respect for Harry Potter can be felt in every corner, and it is a work that can make people feel happy just by playing. Once again, I realized that the respect of creators is indispensable in gamifying great IPs.
Naoki Yoshida also chose Hogwarts Legacy).
Release 2023 Of the entertainment content published, which one impressed you the most?
Naoki Hamaguchi: "Crazy Elemental City". To make it more accessible to children, the elements (fire, water, etc.) are replaced with anthropomorphic characters, a wonderful work that is very much in tune with the times and conveys diversity to people of all ages. In short, Elements of Madness strikes me as a piece of entertainment that children love. It conveys the message that it can be annoying to be part of a world with different values, but beyond that, you'll learn about new experiences and possibilities that you didn't know you wouldn't have known about, and it's heartwarming just to look at. If you haven't seen the movie yet, you should definitely watch it.
Who have you personally followed (or are now) in 2023?
Naoki Hamaguchi: I think Yoasobi is the artist who represents 2023.
Please tell us your wishes for 2024.
Naoki Hamaguchi: Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, of which I am the director, will be released on February 29, 2024. The expansive world map that many fans have been waiting for will now be freely available to explore and choose from, and we guarantee that it is a significant improvement over its predecessor!This game will describe the story after escaping from Midgar to the Forgotten Capital, hoping that more players will be able to see Alice's fate.