Loveable PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida currently heads up the company's indie team, but before then, he was a key figure and decision maker regarding first-party games. He's been in the business for a long time and has a lot of titles under his belt, including the many fan favourites produced by Japan Studio. In a new video from Bokeh Game Studio — currently making Slitterhead — Yoshida sits down with Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama and Puppeteer designer Kazunobu Sato to chat about their past works.
It's a slow, insightful, and fascinating conversation, especially for fans of Japan Studio's games. The three have a relaxed discussion about the Siren series, Gravity Rush and its sequel, the aforementioned Puppeteer, and The Last Guardian, as well as indie development.
There's nothing too groundbreaking here, but there are some fun off-hand comments. Yoshida admits Puppeteer should've been a PS4 launch game, for example, as well as offering his criticisms of Gravity Rush 2. Toyama says it may have been better placed as a Vita game, but first-party at the time was pretty much all-in on PS4.
Anyway, we won't spoil anymore. If you have a spare half hour today, this is definitely worth watching.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 26
Every time I see Gravity Rush mentioned I get a little bit sad to know the series is over. At least it didn't end on a cliffhanger I suppose. I'll definitely give this a watch at some point today.
Said it for years and I will say it again... Bring back Puppeteer for PSVR!
The whole theatre setting with things flying in and out of the stage would work so well in VR.
Hardly touched their drinks
@Perryg92 I've completed this game just last year and I knew it had a good reputation but my God was it good. I would live to see it in VR. Could be a similar experience to Moss from the perspective you have.
@Perryg92 @dschons Puppeteer is so underrated! It came at the wrong time, just as the PS4 launched.
If it came out today, it would be seen as one of the best example of Sony's first party studios' output.
When you see how something like Stray has been received, Puppeteer should be lauded as what it is : a fantastic, inventive and extremely fun game.
Oh and yes, it would be amazing in VR!!!
Agree that Puppeteer was such a victim of poor timing.
Publishers really should take note how important timing of releases impacts commercial success. So many good games die unfortunately and so many crappy games succeed, all merely based on when they release.
@Olmaz Yes, unfortunately the game completely bombed sales-wise.
@kyleforrester87 Hey at least it isn't like Those Scenes in movies and video games where they take one bite out of the food that had just ordered then get up and walk out the door.
The pupeteer is a amazing game.i still got a physical disc on my ps3.and gravity rush 1 and 2 is cool also. And siren is good.and the last guardianis a a good game also. word up son
Forbidden Siren was one of the best horror games I ever played.
I'll never cease being disappointed about how things ended with Japan Studio. Their games might not have been big sellers, but they added something truly unique to Sony's first party mix, and that's gone now.
The Gravity Rush games, especially, deserved better.
I will forever cherish my physical copies of Gravity Rush 1 and 2 because we will never see anything like that from Sony again.
Gravity Rush was just so, so good. I really enjoyed it.
Gravity Rush 2 would have been a shot in the arm for Vita. It was a poor decision to move it to PS4 where it was lost amongst the shuffle. It could always have been ported later, as with Gravity Rush 1
This man deserves to be the head of PlayStation way more than Jim Ryan.
I think Sony porting Gravity Rush 1+2 along with a few others from Japan Studio to Steam would print them money along with bringing new life to these franchises who weren't appreciated in their time.
@Ralizah May by having their own study is better that continuing under the control of a huge corporation ?
It’s an unpopular opinion but I believe the PS3 generation is easily the best ever and it’s been SLOWLY downhill ever since.
The PS3 had:
Uncharted games
Resistance games
Motorstorm games
Little Big Planet games
Infamous games
Sly Cooper
God of War
Puppeteer
TLoU
GTA 4&5
Red Dead Redemption
Bioshock games
Demon & Dark Soul games
Spec Ops The Line
Split Second
Tomb Raider games
TMNT and Double Dragon 2d games
Spelunky
And a ton more I’m forgetting.
Man, I really miss the 360/PS3 generation. Hell, even Microsoft had some of their best games then.
Port gravity rush series to the switch and steamdeck, and see it get new life. Especially with the controls both those handhelds provide.
Puppeteer, Gravity Rush, Last Guardian, etc. These were the type of games that were unique and made the PS console feel special. Sure, Sony has huge sellers like Uncharted, last of Us, God of War to name a few and those are great too. But it is these more unique games that bring fond memories. Maybe they don't sell as well, but these are the type of gems that PS5 needs to complement the big sellers. Hope Sony remembers that.
@Sqush-Pare This IP didn't get much love, but it would be nice to hear from it again.
Unfortunately, the chances of seeing a new one are zero. Anyway, it's nice that the first Siren is on PS new Sub Service (I didn't remember in which tier, I assume it is on Premium because is a PS2 classic).
A reminder that SONY let down the creative team of Japan Studio!
Gravity Rush and Puppeteer were absolutely superb video games. Extremely fresh and unique something that is fading alot over recent years.
@NB-DanTE you are right but, hardly anyone purchased these games...a real shame .
In a perfect world we'd be getting an enhanced Gravity Rush collection for PS5 (leading up to a part 3) in September, while The Last Of Us sits on the sideline peeling oranges.
@OmegaStriver Alot of good memories with my multiple PS3s definitely. I've owned Slim and Super Slim models.
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