The hype surrounding Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes continues to intensify, especially after the trailer reveal at Gamescom 2022. But why do JRPG fans care so much about this title when heavy hitters such as The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II – CRIMSON SiN and STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE are coming out soon?
The answer is simple, the creators of Suikoden — a classic JRPG series — are behind Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. Yoshitaka Murayama and Junko Kawano, both veteran game designers, have returned to craft yet another epic quest.
The duo of designers is part of Rabbit & Bear Studios, which launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the project on July 27, 2022. And the campaign proved successful, as the minimum goal of reaching $509,713 occurred within three hours after launch. Production seems to be going smoothly, and the game will reportedly release in 2023 with 505 Games as the publisher.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will also hit multiple platforms, such as the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.
Similarly to the Suikoden series, this more modern iteration also boasts a massive cast of characters. JRPG fans should expect over 100 playable characters, a deep story, and an intricate combat system. And from what we’ve seen from the trailer, the visuals feature large 2D sprites that overlay detailed 3D backgrounds.
And according to the trailer, we can expect more details at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show that will run from September 15 to 18. We hope to hear more about the gameplay, characters, and perhaps a solid release date.
What is Gamescom?
It’s an annual trade fair hosted at the Koelnmesse Exhibition Centre in Cologne, Germany. Primarily, it functions as a video game fair that attracts large game studios and indies as exhibitors. But the fair also hosts cosplay events and showcases trading card games, such as Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh!
And while Gamescom lacks the prestige of more established expos, such as the Tokyo Game Show, it’s growing in popularity. With over 373,000 attendees in 2019, Gamescom has become an event that nobody in the gaming industry can ignore.
Will Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes satisfy Suikoden fans?
It’s too early to say, as we’ve only seen work-in-progress (WIP) footage thus far. However, the game does look promising and seems to tread similar ground to Suikoden. And given that the original creators of Suikoden are involved, the likelihood of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes meeting expectations are high.
But writing compelling backstories for over 100 playable characters won’t be easy. And ensuring that these backstories will appeal to new audiences and not only those that played the original Suikoden games will prove challenging. Let’s hope that Rabbit & Bear Studios have got what it takes to pull it off! Stay tuned!