Well, he didn't just talk about noodles.. You'll see what I mean...

Famitsu recently interviewed Shinji Mikami, the man behind the Resident Evil series and even series producer Kobayashi gets a word in too. Here's a translated version which i pinched from the forums :)

Hamamura-Tsushin (Famitsu employee): I just finished playing Bio-4.

Mikami-Shinji: How was it?

Famitsu: I was honestly suprised that the enemies were not zombies! It was very interesting. Very scary actually.

Mikami-Shinji: Oh thats good...

Famitsu: While I was playing I was thinking, the terror has changed, the tempo of the game has also changed. This time, the quaility of fear has changed has it not?

Mikami-Shinji: That was what I naturally intented but, as for the degree of fear has been lowered somewhat. From now on, the "type of horror" [flavor of horror] has been taken into serious consideration and...

Famitsu: Yes, it seems...

Mikami-Shinji: Concepts like survival horror games usually begin first with the type of horror, and after that the game style. I havent completly seperated the two, but the priority this time is reversed.

Famitsu: The fun of playing has been placed ahead of the horror this time, right?

Mikami-Shinji: Yes. This time I put the interesting aspects of "gameplay" ahead of everything else. The feeling of horror is gradually brought out by playing this way. So...um...Which is more important the noodles or soup? [japanese idiom?]

Famitsu: "Hahahaha". Soup and noodles. Ah, I understand the sense of what you are saying.

Mikami-Shinji: If we throw them both together, we cant really understand. Which is the flavour of the soup, which is the flavour of the noodles. After all is said and done, the you cant seperate them and have it taste good. The gameplay is the soup, while the horror is the noodles.

Famitsu: true. true.

Mikami-Shinji: After saying that, the noodles/(horror) in Bio-4 is "al dente"!!

Famitsu: Hahahahaha!

Mikami-Shinji: Funny how my conversation changed from gaming to Ramen, this is not a normal dialouge.

*Bio-4 producer Kobayashi*: Mikami, please keep the topic in mind.

Mikami-Shinji: Yes. Right, the boss is here!

Kobayashi: Talk about whatever, its ok. I will edit/correct you later, so...

*Public Relations checks the manuscript!*

Mikami-Shinji: You guys are the supervisors right? Cut out whatever im saying because you run the camp. hahahaha

Famitsu: Hahahaha

-The reason for the contents of the change-

Famitsu: Gamesystems also are changing too, right? Lets compare it to the former games in the series. You have changed the whole model, huh?

Mikami-Shinji: Yes

Famitsu: Also, the fundamentals where changed from the beggining right?

Mikami-Shinji: With Bio-4 we have recovered some freshness, because we changed so much. But, the important element of Biohazard (the series) has been carried along I think, dont you agree?

Famitsu: What would you say is the word(s) that describes the core component?

Mikami-Shinji: The core component is fear and destruction. This is a component of games from very long ago, tension and release/nervousness and calmness. Striking this balance... right? This time, we took the essense of the Biohazard serious and broke it completely apart. Then reconstructed it.

Famitsu: I see... Biohazard-4 plays like a completely different game, but the feeling Biohazard's origins are still done. From playing the very first Biohazard I felt something near a new type of excitement [heart beating]

Mikami-Shinji: Yes, because you felt that I am very happy. Now from the change of the base state of the game, I want you to enjoy playing the series again.

- The reason behind the change to WideScreen Mode-

Mikami: In Bio-4 the camera changes to a WideScreen view when the action gets intense. Some of my inside staff complained about this. They even went so far as to call me "Stingy!"

Famitsu: Why was that?

Mikami: "The camera cuts off the gaming screen, you are being greedy" they said

Famitsu: hahaha. Your inside staff had that reaction.

Mikami: Yes they did. However, there was another affect to the view besides WideScreen cinematics. A normal TV has a view of 4:3, the action is centered in the middle. When the character takes up the middle of the screen the balance and view of the game is not so good. It makes you dizzy. When we tried it with the normal screen view we quickly realized this.

Famitsu: So you say...

Mikami: Yes. The placement of the player in Widescreen view to the side balances better this way.

Famitsu: Oh, it doesnt make you so dizzy this way?

Mikami: Less dizzy, a little bit but better than the normal screen option.

Famitsu: I...yes. I get dizzy easily. But, when I played your game I did not have this feeling.

[sasimirobot note: maybe this explains the japanese distaste for FPS? My friend says this is common for Japanese dizzyness while driving, etc...]

- Survival Horror Games-

Mikami: The tempo in Bio-4 is very fast. This is not the same system as the former Bios right?

Famitsu: You mean the jerky movements and gunfire right (of the former titles)?

Mikami: Yes. But now the tempo is moved up.

Famitsu: I also have that feeling. The standard Bio tactics dont work. The enemies AI is better so they avoid shots more easily. I was thinking when lookin at it, the the change in speed of the game throws me off. But, after actually playing I got used to it really quickly. The controls are good, I have to say.

Mikami: Maybe , (this control sceme) it is more enjoyable for Japanese than for foreigners, huh...This change of ways.

Famitsu: I also not sure...( if they will like it)

Mikami: The rules for finishing Japanese games has always been the same in the past... But as for the latest foreign games, this rule does not always apply.

Famitsu: Yes. Yes. There are alot of "Free roaming" game products coming out, right?

Mikami: Right. Gamers are requesting a change now.

Famitsu: From now on, we have to exploit this rapidly new pioneering force.

Mikami: That rule is also used in modern music. From the past to present , Japanese peoples rate of change has become a problem.

Famitsu: Yes, you are right.

Mikami: Foreign game creators are not trapped by our archaic gaming rules, and approach the user in a way that is more sensitive to their satisfaction.

Famitsu: Understood. Understood. But in Japan after you have decided on the genre, game work begins immediately for most games.

Mikami: That is a bad way to go about it. We didnt think about the genre deeply when we made Bio-1.

Famitsu: ic...

Mikami: But, if we didnt place that game in a specific genre "survival horror" right away it would not have sold. Wonder what would have happened if we didnt "fit" in...

Famitsu: This is going in one ear and out the other. After all, Weekly Famitsu will have to call this genre "Action Adventure".

Mikami: If gamers dont buy and then play it thent they wont understand. Its essential that we have a genre they can fit it into , when we make new games because of this (unfortunately). "Sangokumusou" falls into the action game genre but its rythm is one of a RPG.

" The rhythm and tempo when playing, rather than a genre, are important for a game."

Famitsu: Yes. Yes. that is right.

Mikami: That PRG has an exhilarating feel, so playing for 3 hours or 5 hours doesnt make tired. It really is pleasurable, dont you agree? When Bio-1 was out, it wasnt an action game, more like a simulation. Now viewing it from the production side I think we need to match the tempo and rhythm of the game more closely to the users feelings.

Well, interesting interview I'm sure you'll agree. Aside from the talk of dizzy noodles it is rather informative. Will us westerners not appreciate the controls? Only time will tell, right?