It’s been a long time coming, but the wait is almost over! In just six days, the CHAOS; DOUBLE PACK will launch in the West, bringing with it the first-ever English localization of the Science Adventure Series’ thrilling genesis: CHAOS;HEAD NOAH.
In celebration of this monumental milestone, we’ve worked with publisher Spike Chunsoft, Inc. to bring our readers a brand-new interview with Tatsuya Matsubara, the series’ producer in Japan. Herein, you will find a wealth of insights on CHAOS;HEAD NOAH, as well as its full-fledged sequel CHAOS;CHILD—both of which are featured in the upcoming DOUBLE PACK release.
Without further ado, let’s get right into the interview. We hope you enjoy the read!
Kiri Kiri Basara: October 7 will mark the first time CHAOS;HEAD NOAH—the first entry in the Science Adventure Series—will be available in English. Were there any particular reasons behind the decision to localize the title now, thirteen years after its initial Japanese release?
Tatsuya Matsubara: Since this was the only title in the Science Adventure Series that had not yet been localized, the expectations of overseas fans were extremely high. In addition, because technological advances have lowered the hurdles for porting the game compared to a few years ago, we thought that it was a good opportunity to release it overseas.
KKB: No doubt, many English-speaking Science Adventure fans will be playing CHAOS;HEAD NOAH for the first time with this upcoming localization. What can these fans look forward to with this entry? What about newcomers to the series?
Matsubara: As the origin of the Science Adventure Series, many settings that lead to the later STEINS;GATE and ROBOTICS;NOTES appear in the game, so we hope that fans will play the game while thinking about these connections.
Even if you are new to the series, we hope you will enjoy the high-quality story that includes science fiction and suspense elements.
KKB: Our understanding is that CHAOS;HEAD was one of MAGES.’ first projects as a company. Do you have any interesting anecdotes to share regarding its initial development process?
Matsubara: Technically speaking, before the company changed its name, this was one of the projects for 5pb. Although 5pb. had worked on several other projects before CHAOS;HEAD, this was arguably the first project in the Science Adventure Series. In addition, this was also the first title that I directed after joining the company.
On the first day at the company, Shikura gave a six-hour presentation on this title, and we were overwhelmed by his commitment to the project. Also, at the time, the title of the game was “The Sword of Sorrow.”
KKB: CHAOS;CHILD, meanwhile, was released six years after CHAOS;HEAD. By that point, we imagine MAGES. had more experience releasing games, and more resources for development—hence, CHAOS;CHILD’s detailed visuals, lengthier plotline, and chilling musical score. Can you tell us about this game’s development process? Were there any challenges in securing the budget for its higher production quality?
Matsubara: The development process for the Science Adventure Series, including CHAOS;CHILD is always the same. First, Shikura provides the director and scenario writers the theme and scientific elements to be tackled. After several meetings among the development team members, including Shikura, the plot is completed, and the main scenario is created. At the same time resources are selected and the task of creating the scenario begins. After the scenario is done, audio recording and QA takes place, and then the game will be released. Since text adventure games are not large in scale, we do not have much difficulty in securing a budget, but we always have a difficult time finding CG designers and background artists to create high-quality assets.
KKB: CHAOS;HEAD NOAH, CHAOS;CHILD, and the Science Adventure Series in general are home to a variety of concepts that can be found in real, natural science. Is there any particular research process that the writers undergo when authoring the series’ games? How does the team decide which topics to cover?
Matsubara: As previously mentioned, Shikura will first present the theme and the scientific elements we will be dealing with. At that time, we’re given a dozen scientific books to use as reference materials. We use these books for research during the creative process. If there is not enough information, we will purchase additional materials, and also look at the latest data from science-related news online.
KKB: CHAOS;HEAD NOAH and CHAOS;CHILD contain some very harsh content, and carry a much darker tone compared to other Science Adventure entries. Is there anything you might say to fans who enjoy STEINS;GATE or ROBOTICS;NOTES, but are more apprehensive about approaching the CHAOS; titles?
Matsubara: Due to the story’s setting, there is certainly more harsh or darker content compared to other works. Although this is not a work of horror, such scenes are inevitable. I would appreciate it if you could accept those as part of the story.
KKB: CHAOS;HEAD NOAH is the earliest title in the long-running Science Adventure Series. If you could go back and make any changes to it, is there anything in particular that you would want to address?
Matsubara: This was our first development on the Xbox 360, and since we were unable to fully grasp the system’s peculiarities, there were many aspects of the game that were not refined for a consumer title, such as operation speed and other aspects of the system. In addition, because it was difficult to port, for many years, we were unable to easily bring it to other consoles. However, with the Nintendo Switch version, we were finally able to put it on the latest MAGES. engine, which was able to address some of our concerns.
KKB: With the CHAOS; DOUBLE PACK coming to the Switch in English, it’s safe to say the series is taking a big step forward in the West!
With that being said, our readers have also expressed, over the years, interest in the CHAOS; series’ sequels: CHAOS;HEAD Love Chu☆Chu!, CHAOS;CHILD Love Chu☆Chu!!, and CHAOS;CHILD: Children’s Revive. Do you feel we may someday see some or all of this content officially localized for English fans?
Matsubara: These fan discs are based on the assumption that the characters in the main story are popular with Western audiences. If there are enough fans who want to see the IF world where some unfortunate characters in the main story live happily ever after, we will of course consider localization.
KKB: What are MAGES.’ plans for the future of the series—both in Japan and the West?
Matsubara: Through the development of the series in both the U.S. and Europe, we are confident that Science & Fiction, the themes of Science Adventure Series, attract interest not only in Japan but also in the rest of the world. We hope to continue developing new titles and expand the series not only for Japan but also for the rest of the world.
KKB: The Science Adventure Series often features protagonists that are difficult to stomach in the beginning, but develop dramatically over the course of their stories. Is it challenging to create and use protagonists that are, initially, dislikeable in some respects? Has this trend of uniquely provocative protagonists ever made it difficult to market the series to new players?
Matsubara: In reviews, it is often written that the games are recommended for those who can tolerate the behavior of the main character in the early stages of the story, and I am sure that it can be difficult to get to know them. However, the way the characters are set up is necessary to make the story work, so I think everyone will understand it once they complete it to the end. The change in perception of the main character is also cathartic for the work, but it is difficult to find a balance between what is acceptable and the words and actions of a realistic otaku.
KKB: CHAOS;HEAD NOAH and CHAOS;CHILD‘s Delusion Trigger system is a unique take on how visual novels typically approach player choice—rather than choose how the protagonist behaves in reality, the Delusion Trigger allows the player to choose what sort of fantasy the protagonist will get engrossed in mentally. What may have inspired the team to subvert the medium’s tropes in this way? Why was the Delusion Trigger system chosen for these games?
Matsubara: This system was conceived to make the “delusions” that everyone has the basis for the branching of scenarios. This is one approach to reduce the gap between what the protagonist and the player are thinking by incorporating the protagonist’s ability to “turn his fantasy into reality” into the game system without any sense of discomfort. This system is the basis for the unique “no choice” system that has been consistent throughout the series. For example, like in STEINS;GATE, the act of replying to a text message on a cell phone is a branching system, we try to create a system that is consistent with the theme of each work.
KKB: Some CHAOS; characters are depicted with bright, uniquely colored hair: for example, Serika and Rimi’s pink hair, or Takuru and Takumi’s blue hair. Was there an artistic reason why these varied colors were used, as opposed to the team aiming for a more “realistic” approach?
Matsubara: It follows the format of the so-called “gal games” that were popular in Japan in the 1990s. In that era, to add personality it was common for characters to have flashy hair colors. With CHAOS;HEAD, we wanted to take the approach that the game looks like a good old-fashioned “gal game,” but when you play it, you will find that it is completely different.
KKB: On behalf of our readers, thank you for answering our questions! We appreciate you taking the time to leave us with new insights.
We would like to extend our thanks to Spike Chunsoft, Inc. for their gracious support in the production of this interview.
The CHAOS; DOUBLE PACK will launch on Nintendo Switch this October 7 in North America and Europe. Physical preorders, which include a regular edition and an exclusive SteelBook edition, are currently available through various retailers; digital eShop preorders are available for CHAOS;HEAD NOAH and CHAOS;CHILD at a 10% discount.
To learn more about this upcoming release, be sure to check out the CHAOS; DOUBLE PACK official website.
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