Interview Transcript: Kazuyuki Yamai, April 2025
In February, 2025, I re-played one of my favorite games on the Nintendo Wii, Trauma Center: Second Opinion. A remake of the original Nintendo DS game, Second Opinion improves on the original in every way, and as I rolled credits, I felt the familiar urge to share my love for the game in the pages of Retro Gamer Magazine. I pitched an article to the editors, and though they were interested, they said that the piece would not be possible unless I was able to secure an interview with one of its creators.
I reached out to SEGA and Atlus in hope that we could arrange something. That very day, the company announced a new remaster of another of my favorite games; the PlayStation 2 Shin Megami Tensei spin-off Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs the Soulless Army. This shifted my entire tact. Instead of seeking an interview around the classic Trauma Center, I asked to chat with someone about Devil Summoner, which was suddenly a timely topic.
With the help of the incredible people at Sega Europe, we were able to quickly arrange an interview with Kazuyuki Yamai, the director of both the original Raidou and the new remastered game. My comprehensive article on the original PlayStation 2 game appears in Retro Gamer Magazine issue 273, with a supplementary box-out on the new game. In that piece, I have included portions of my interview with Yamai-san, however, due to space and scope of focus, much of the original interview was not included.
Here, then, is the full transcript of my Q&A with Kazuyuki Yamai, game director at Atlus.
James: With RAIDOU Remastered set to launch in just a few weeks, how is the team feeling at this moment? Is there a sense of excitement, anticipation, or perhaps some nerves as the release day approaches?
Yamai-san: The entire team is deeply moved by the enthusiastic reception that far exceeded our expectations when the title was announced. Our greatest challenge now is whether we can maintain that level of excitement until the release date, and that date can’t come fast enough (laughs). We have kept a keen eye on social media and have enjoyed the fun posts everyone has shared about our game.
Myself included, it feels as though everyone on the team is developing the game not just to complete it, but because we are eagerly looking forward to the moment the game reaches users’ hands. We have created this game because we want to bring joy to everyone and because we truly want to hear your feedback.
James: Given ATLUS' growing global reputation through popularity of titles like Persona and Metaphor, how would you introduce Raidou to newer fans who may be more accustomed to your recent releases?
Yamai-san：One of the key features of RAIDOU Remastered is that it is a mystery drama where the player takes on the role of a named character, Raidou Kuzunoha, and aims to solve supernatural cases. I believe this aspect will feel especially fresh and enjoyable for those who have played other ATLUS games.
James: Having previously directed SMT Nocturne HD Remaster, how has the experience of reimagining and remastering a game you helped create nearly two decades ago influenced you both personally and technically?
Yamai-san: With remasters, unlike with new titles, we cannot simply change the content to suit the developers’ circumstances—such as plans, technology, or development timelines—because the original version already exists.
There are also fans already of the original, who carry with them many good memories of the game and eagerly await the remaster.
When remastering a title that I developed myself, I first try to recall the ideal vision I had for the game—what I wanted it to be like—back when I developed the original. I then carefully compare that vision with the fans’ memories as I make decisions about the game’s specifications and before I move forward with development.
Because of this, I feel that developing the remaster has helped the staff not only to improve their technical skills as developers, but also to cultivate a more user-oriented perspective. In other words, we have become more conscious of balancing creativity and service.
That’s why, compared to “SMT Nocturne HD Remaster,” we made even more changes to RAIDOU Remastered from a service-oriented perspective this time.
James: When modernizing classic titles like Raidou, how do you strike the balance between introducing fresh gameplay mechanics and preserving the original spirit? Could you share an example of a challenging decision you faced during this process?
Yamai-san: First, we began by exploring the true essence of what made the original version so appealing, and we discussed this thoroughly with the team. We decided to firmly preserve those core elements, but also change anything else that no longer fit with the times. For example, since Raidou as a character has a cool and mysterious charm, we felt it was acceptable to add new combat actions and mechanics—even if it meant deviating from the original—as long as we didn’t stray from that core appeal. On the other hand, we were careful to avoid making him overly talkative or chatty, as that would fundamentally change his personality.
The team members continued to brainstorm and discuss ideas without giving up until the very end. I am very proud of what the team achieved. We hope everyone enjoys the game when we launch!
James: RAIDOU Remastered introduces several gameplay improvements, such as a reworked demon capture system that moves away from the rapid button-mashing of the original (my thumb thanks you!!). Which updates do you believe will be most significant for longtime fans who played the game in the 2000s?
Yamai-san: Some of the major changes include the large-scale update to the battle system, the fact that you no longer encounter enemies everywhere—even in town—and the increased number of demons, which has made demon fusion more interesting.
Thanks to these updates, I believe players can now fully enjoy the world of Taisho Year 20 and its fascinating characters without being hindered by the frustrations that existed in the original version.
James: With the new inclusion of voice acting in RAIDOU Remastered, what unique challenges and opportunities did you encounter when integrating this feature into a game that originally didn’t have it?
Yamai-san: Well, there was the issue of deciding on the proper accent for each word, and also, since Japanese uses kanji, it’s interesting in that— even if you can’t read the character out loud—Japanese people often feel like they understand the meaning just from its shape. However, we were shocked to discover that in the original version, the readings for certain kanji weren’t always clearly decided. This happened quite a few times.
Of course, we were always concerned that adding voice acting might detract from the memories fans have of the original version that they cherish so much. In reality, the English and Japanese voice actors were extremely talented, so we were fortunate to have achieved both a naturalness that feels as if the game had voice acting from the beginning, and an increased sense of drama brought by the addition of voices.
James: Raidou’s unique setting in 1930s Japan and its blend of modernity versus tradition, combined with a detective protagonist, made it stand out when I first played it. Are you personally drawn to mystery and detective narratives? Who is your favorite fictional detective, and what draws you to their story?
Yamai-san: Personally, I enjoy autobiographies, biographies, and documentaries. Of course, I also love mystery novels. For those who love reading, there’s no greater joy than knowingly falling into an author’s narrative traps and being toyed with by the story.
My favorite detective is Kosuke Kindaichi, who appears in the works of the Japanese author Seishi Yokomizo.
Yokomizo often sets his mysteries not in big cities, but in closed, rural village societies where bizarre crimes unfold. At a glance, stories with these settings can easily become simple, gloomy or distasteful tales, but the introduction of Kindaichi—a charming character with both a goofy, human side and keen powers of observation—makes the world of those stories truly captivating.
By giving proper depth to the characters, even a dark story can become something that lingers in the audience’s hearts without simply being dreary. Yokomizo’s approach to world-building in this way has been a great inspiration to me.
James: What was your favorite video game of 2024, and what elements of it resonated with you?
Yamai-san: Since development of RAIDOU Remastered was in its final stages in 2024, I honestly don't remember much from that year...
I remember coming home late at night and often playing my Nintendo Switch. I’m not sure if it’s available overseas, but I played "Blaster Master Zero Trilogy Meta Fight Chronicle" and "Retro Game Challenge 1+2 Replay" all the way to the end.
As for today’s flashy visuals and effects, we can fully rely on the talented designers at ATLUS, as I personally tend to play retro games and more fundamental titles to keep myself from losing sight of the essence of gaming.
Although it’s not a retro game, "Stellar Blade"—which inevitably draws attention for its character designs—actually struck me as an action game that doesn’t lose sight of what’s essential.
James: Outside of the studio, how do you relax and recharge? What hobbies or activities help you unwind during the long game development process?
Yamai-san: As you pointed out, game development takes place over a long period of time. From my experience, I’ve learned that what’s essential is “not losing an objective perspective.” When you spend a long time working on the same game, it becomes difficult to judge whether it’s good or bad. That’s why developers need to deliberately find ways to keep an objective view of what they’re creating. To maintain this objectivity, it’s important to recharge and take breaks.
In my case, I repeat cycles of deeply immersing myself in thinking about my title—fully engaging with the project—and then deliberately distancing myself, entrusting things to other staff members for a period of time, in order to preserve my objectivity. This period of leaving things to others acts as my time to recharge, during which I immerse myself in my hobbies, such as making music or reading books.
I also go sightseeing and travel with my family. And I make it a point to engage in discussions and exchange ideas with people from other companies and industries over drinks, so I can be exposed to new perspectives.
James: Like many of ATLUS’ games, Raidou features an amazing blend of work from a number of iconic talents (I’m thinking of the character designs of Kazuma Kaneko and the music of Shoji Meguro). How do you ensure that the unique artistic and musical sensibilities they contributed are maintained during the remastering process?
Yamai-san: This may overlap with what I mentioned earlier about the "essence of appeal," but if the original version already fully displayed its artistic qualities to the users, I try not to make unnecessary changes.
On the other hand, if I feel that those qualities weren’t sufficiently expressed, I intentionally make improvements to establish the artistic vision that should have been realized. I have great respect for Mr. Kaneko and Mr. Meguro, and I am always mindful of respecting not only their work but also the memories and feelings of the fans who supported the original version.
James: With the global game industry facing layoffs and studio closures, many Japanese studios—including ATLUS—pride themselves on long-term talent retention. How do you think this stability has contributed to Atlus' success, and what are your thoughts on the benefits of retaining veteran creators for decades?
Yamai-san: As someone in the same industry, it’s never easy to hear news about layoffs. I think many dev teams in Japan have been fortunate in this regard. That’s because, rather than simply pursuing larger development scales as hardware specs improved, we had both an environment and a customer base that allowed us to continue focusing on the fundamental essence of gameplay.
At ATLUS I believe the presence of a veteran staff has allowed that approach—striving for the essence of gameplay, aiming for unique game content, the so-called “ATLUS spirit”—lives on within the company. And since we constantly bring in new developers as well, that spirit is always being updated to fit the modern age.
James: I once interviewed a legendary game creator at Nintendo, and was stunned when they told me their favorite snack for powering through late night game development. Now I ask all of my interviewees this question: What is your favorite food or drink for working at the office?
Yamai-san: That’s an interesting question! I’m really curious to know who that creator is (laughs). And of course, I also can’t do without snacks while I work.
I have a big sweet tooth, and I especially love "Meiji Essel Super Cup" ice cream. Drizzling some strong coffee over the vanilla flavor in the cup makes it incredibly delicious. I also regularly eat "Doramocchi Anko & Whip," which is sold at Lawson (a convenience store chain in Japan), to enjoy a touch of elegance while working after lunch.
James: In 2013, ATLUS became a subsidiary of SEGA, and while I know that ATLUS has total autonomy, and their own catalogue of amazing games, it is fun for fans of both SEGA and ATLUS to dream about the studios working together. With this hypothetical scenario in mind, are there any SEGA series or games that you would like to work on with your team at Atlus? As a fan myself, I have daydreamed about ATLUS creating a new Skies of Arcadia or Phantasy Star.
Yamai-san: As you said, if we’re talking about “ATLUS, the RPG company,” then games like “Eternal Arcadia” (Skies of Arcadia) or “Phantasy Star” might be easier for us to develop. However, in reality, SEGA probably feels a deeper attachment to those IPs, so in my opinion, I’m not sure if ATLUS would be the right choice.
Personally (even if it’s not particularly wanted...), I would love to see a complete consumer ports of “SEGA Rally 2.” Since SEGA Rally 2 was a launch title for the Dreamcast, I remember that it experienced a lot of slowdown, perhaps because the team wasn’t used to the hardware yet. Incidentally, back then I was involved in developing “Maken X” at ATLUS.
James: I love all of the SMT games and their spin-offs, so I have a personal request that whatever game you work on next, can you somehow include a port of the Atlus game “Jack Bros.” from the Virtual Boy? What about Maken X? Can’t you imagine Raidou sitting in the Narumi Detective Agency playing these on a magical game console?
Yamai-san: You mean, like including it as an in-game game, similar to SEGA’s "Like a Dragon"? I think that would be very interesting! I do have some concerns about how much of "Hee-Ho in the Maze (“Jack Bros.”)" (Virtual Boy)'s fun could be recreated on current hardware without stereoscopic 3D support… (I can’t help but feel sorrow that Nintendo 3DS is no longer active.)
"Maken X" is also a title I have fond memories of being involved in (and I also worked on its spinoff, the PS2 version "Maken Shao"), and since it’s also an action game like "RAIDOU Remastered," if "RAIDOU" becomes a hit and a sequel is made, having an in-game game is a fun idea to pursue as well (laughs).
In any case, I’m truly grateful that you continue to support our old games even now!
James: Finally, with this interview appearing in Retro Gamer Magazine, what are some of your all-time favorite retro games, and what about them continues to inspire you?
Yamai-san: "Super Mario Bros." has been my textbook for game design ever since I was in elementary school.
"Metroid" is a showcase of ideas to keep gameplay from ever becoming boring.
"Ridge Racer," with its soundtrack representing a genre that hadn’t existed in the game industry until then, was my senior mentor that taught me it’s okay to draw inspiration from other entertainment fields.
The "MSX version of The Goonies" was a cautionary example that taught me how trying to pursue a port that’s just not meant to be can only lead to disappointing players (laughs).