Interview: Chrono Trigger Lead Programmer on Directing His Own Time Travel JRPG, Eternal Anima
What was the inception of Eternal Anima?
Makoto Shioda: It all started over five years ago when I drafted up plans to make a JRPG and Higuchi embraced the idea. At the time we were mostly working remotely due to the lockdown but for us, it was the perfect opportunity to take our time and think through the concept. Higuchi has been making JRPGs for 40 years, going all the way back to the 8-bit era, so he is something of a hero to me. I feel fortunate to have him by my side.
How did the plot come about? Why time travel?
Shioda: We set out to make the JRPG that we ourselves would want to play, then we decided on legacy as the theme we wanted to explore. Time travel is how we go about exploring that theme. In Eternal Anima, players change the past to ensure the survival of entire continents that have met their end. By traveling between two eras, we can see what the people of the past have entrusted to future generations and what those living in the present inherited from the past.
How was this team of veterans gathered? Was it difficult to hire everyone you wanted?
Katsuhisa Higuchi: I asked [Senario Writer Kazushige] Nojima and [Music Producer Hitoshi] Sakimoto to join partly because of our connections from our days at Square. Working with them felt like a reunion, and we were able to freely exchange and challenge one another's ideas. [Senario Draft Writer Keisuke] Makino, [Scenario Director Hironao] Fukuda and [Character Designer] Max [Berthelot] are all incredibly talented, and I was constantly inspired by them. Challenges are an inevitable part of development, but the creative freedom we had working on an entirely new title outweighed those difficulties.
What in your previous experience in the games industry has helped you with making Eternal Anima?
Higuchi: For me, it is the full breadth of my experiences. I have been making JRPGs for over 40 years, so I have encountered all kinds of situations that help inform how I approach challenges these days. Of course, we cannot know if a potential solution is the best course of action until we try it, but I believe there is value in simply knowing how to respond and move forward as a team.
What sets Eternal Anima apart from the other retro-inspired JPGs coming out recently?
Shioda: The biggest distinguishing feature of Eternal Anima is its Future Sight Battles. At first glance they may look like familiar turn-based battles, but experienced JRPG fans will notice the difference as soon as they play. We believe Future Sight Battles honor the legacy of this gameplay style, while also striving to progress the genre.
What are your favorite time travel stories and why?
Higuchi: If I don't say Chrono Trigger, I'll probably get in trouble with Sakaguchi! It was actually the first title on which I served as lead programmer, and it holds a special place in my heart.
Makoto Shioda: I'm also a huge fan of Chrono Trigger, but I love Back to the Future just as much. Above all, the DeLorean is so cool! I stood in a very long line at Comic-Con to get a photo with Christopher Lloyd, and I cherish that photo to this day.
What is your favorite aspect of Eternal Anima and why?
Higuchi: My favorite aspect is the Future Sight Battle system. Personally, I think battles account for 70–80% of what makes a JRPG enjoyable. My background is in battle programming, so the game systems were an area of Eternal Anima that I paid particular attention to.
Shioda: Our protagonist, Wade, combines the composure of an adult with a more emotional side in a way that I find particularly appealing. JRPGs traditionally tell coming-of-age stories about young male protagonists, but I think adults like us will find it easy to relate to Wade.
What has been your biggest challenge in making Eternal Anima and how did you overcome it?
Higuchi: The visuals were the biggest challenge. Early in development the game had a brighter, cuter look than it does now. We tweaked a great number of elements such as the characters' body proportions and the colors of the environments before settling on the current style.
What's the message or moral--the thing you want players to think about through playing Eternal Anima?
Shioda: The theme we most want to convey through Eternal Anima's story and game systems is legacy. We explored what it means to inherit and pass down humanity's accumulated wisdom, expressing those ideas in our own way. On another level, I feel that this concept also describes our feelings about JRPGs themselves.
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