When we spoke to Takayuki Isobe, Director of Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, we talked about the game’s long (really long!) development cycle and connections to Tail Concerto. Isobe also answered two questions that have major spoilers in them. Finished playing Solatorobo? Then click on to find out more about Isobe’s design decisions.

These two questions have spoilers so I’ll post this after release and warn my readers before they see this, but Solatorobo is split into two games. You even roll the credits after act 1! Why did you surprise readers with credits and were you thinking about releasing Solatorobo as two separate games?

Takayuki Isobe, Director: The two act format was decided on early in the development stage. We wanted to differentiate the story and overall feeling between act 1 and act 2 like season 1 and season 2 in a TV cartoon series.

It was also to surprise the players. (^~^)/

If they think “it’s over already?” and/or “oh, there’s more?” then we win!

Red is a dog-person, but he can also transform into a human. Since this is central to the story, what inspired this idea?

How was this world created? And what will happen to it?

When we were discussing the roots of this world, we came up with the existence of a “hybrid” and wanted the main character, Red, to have the power which is the key to move the world, within him.