Countless video games have strongly influenced my life over years of being engrossed in this hobby, but few have done this more than Danganronpa. When these dark story-based games first appeared on the PlayStation Vita in 2014 I was immediately hooked, and even got a tattoo of the series mascot and ever entertaining character Monokuma on my arm. Any game even tangentially related to Danganronpa therefore immediately has my attention, and that includes SHUTEN ORDER as it features a lot of the same creative talent.
SHUTEN ORDER is an incredibly intriguing game in its own right, for a number of reasons. It features a protagonist that is the reborn leader of a cult, a whodunit to solve your own murder, and five unique ways to play through the game. Each of the five options you pick early in SHUTEN ORDER will lead to an entirely different genre experience, from romance story to survival horror escape.
We were lucky enough to be offered an interview with three important people on the SHUTEN ORDER team: Game designer and Director Takumi Nakazawa, Composer and Sound Designer Masafumi Takada, and Creator Kazutaka Kodaka. We spoke about working together as a team across many titles, the dark themes of SHUTEN ORDER, and about creating the music for the new title, and this is one interview you won’t want to miss.
Creator Kazutaka Kodaka
The idea of a cult that becomes its own country and wants to end the world is particularly scary. Where did this idea come from?
Kodaka: Originally, I wanted an indie game idea, tackling an edgy theme that wouldn’t be possible with a big budget, so I chose to focus on cults and dismemberment murder.
From there, I incorporated the unsettling desire for the world to end. After that, I came up with a trick that was unique to the theme, so I knew I had to make it. I wanted to create a mystery that unfolds within a unique set of customs and values, and I’m happy that I was able to make that vision a reality.
The story of SHUTEN ORDER sounds particularly dark, were you always intending to make a very adult video game?
Kodaka: My aim was to take dark, occult themes and present them in a vibrant, almost colourful style.
The characters that interest me most in SHUTEN ORDER are the two angel advisors the protagonist has, how do these play off each other?
Kodaka: I paired the meticulous Mikotoru with the boisterous Himeru, because other works hadn’t featured a pair of guides. Writing their back-and-forth was a lot of fun.
Composer and Sound Designer Masafumi Takada
Is composing music for a game different to regular song writing? Do you need context from the game and its story before you start?
Takada: In game music, each piece plays an important role in expressing the scene’s tempo and underlying meaning. In dialogue scenes in particular, I pay close attention to adjusting the “density” of the music so that it balances well with the visual presentation of the game. For example, a high-end photorealistic game and a 2D cel-look title demand very different levels of musical density and balance, and it is essential to fine-tune those differences carefully.
Of course, before composing, it is important to understand the story’s context. But what matters most is when the visuals are actually complete. At that stage, I focus on using music to convey the tempo, density, and meaning that the imagery itself carries.
Are there any unusual instruments used?
Takada: I didn’t use any particularly unusual instruments, but I did make use of some analog synthesizers I personally own, such as the Prophet, Oberheim, and Moog, at key moments.
Do you have a piece of music from the game that’s a favourite to you?
Takada: When I play the game, my favourite track tends to change depending on the day. Right now, though, I especially enjoy the high-energy track that plays during Noa’s streaming scene.
Did having five unique scenarios change how the sound design and soundtrack creation process took shape?
Takada: The creative process this time was quite different from usual. To evoke the culture of Shuten Order, I first created several thematic motifs shared across the entire game, and then arranged them to match each route, thereby shaping the soundtrack’s sense of world.
In other words, if the motifs are like “words,” the arrangements can be seen as the “rhythm and harmony” of each genre’s language. By doing so, the soundtrack transforms with each route, yet throughout the game the world of SHUTEN ORDER lingers like a scent, leaving a lasting impression in the player’s memory.
Game designer and director Takumi Nakazawa
SHUTEN ORDER has such a unique concept, how did you come up with the idea of featuring all of these different gameplay styles?
Nakazawa: I’ve heard that the idea began with Kodaka, the original planner, wanting to “make a straightforward adventure,” and that it grew from the idea that it would be more interesting if each route was based on a different genre (each route would be different so you wouldn’t get bored even after multiple playthroughs).
How important was it to make each of the five paths feel different?
Nakazawa: This is very important. Each of the five routes is based on a different adventure genre, but we didn’t want it to be just a collection of mini-games. We wanted to properly express the five genres so that each one could stand on its own as an independent adventure. To do this, we needed to create a different look that suited each genre.
We also wanted to make it so that every replay would feel fresh and exciting.
Which of the different gameplay styles did you enjoy working on most personally?
Nakazawa: Each genre required a lot of trial and error, and it was a joy to watch all of it gradually take shape, so I think it’s really hard to pick a favorite. However, if I had to choose, I’ve always loved mysteries, so the Ministry of Justice route might have been the most enjoyable.
Is there an order you’d recommend players go into these different paths?
Nakazawa: We don’t suggest a recommended order. We’ve designed the game so that it can be enjoyed no matter which route you start with or in what order you play. One of the game’s features is that players can play in any order they like.
In fact, the “secrets” in the game’s story are revealed little by little over the course of the five routes. The order in which each person plays each route will vary, so the order in which the “secrets” are revealed will be different. This will be a unique experience that each player can only have once in their lifetime (unless they lose their memory like the protagonist).
Part of the enjoyment of SHUTEN ORDER is deciding the order of routes in a playthrough. We value this one-of-a-kind experience, so we have purposefully avoided mentioning a recommended order.
Thanks to Kazutaka Kodaka, Takumi Nakazawa, and Masafumi Takada for their time.
SHUTEN ORDER is out now for PC and Nintendo Switch.
