The Mind Behind the Masterpieces Has Something to Say
If you’ve played a truly great action game in the last two decades, chances are you’ve experienced the work of Hideki Kamiya. As the visionary director behind genre-defining titles like the original Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, and the beautiful Okami, his name is synonymous with groundbreaking game design. Recently, Kamiya shared his candid thoughts on the state of modern action games, and his perspective is a refreshing reality check for an industry often obsessed with visual flair.
In a recent discussion, Kamiya made it clear that he isn’t swayed by pretty graphics alone. For him, the heart of a good game isn’t how it looks, but how it plays-and more specifically, whether it offers an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
Gameplay First: The Core of Kamiya’s Philosophy
According to Kamiya, his goal when creating a new game is to invent a unique mechanic that defines the entire experience. “In Bayonetta it was the Witch Time system where dodging an enemy attack slows down time,” he explained. “In Okami, it was the Celestial Brush, which lets you directly affect the game world by drawing.” These aren’t just cool features; they are the central pillars around which the entire game is built.
He expressed that as a player, he’s not drawn to titles that merely offer a graphical upgrade over what came before. He wants to be excited by new ideas and mechanics. While he’s happy to see the recent boom in stylish, combo-heavy action games, he’s most impressed by studios-especially smaller, independent ones-that can seemingly appear out of nowhere with a high-quality, innovative title. For him, that’s a sign of a healthy, creative industry.
The Weight of a Legacy: Sequels and Fan Expectations
Creating something entirely new is one challenge, but following up on a beloved classic is another beast entirely. Kamiya opened up about his experience overseeing the sequels to Bayonetta, describing the fan response to Bayonetta 3 as a “perplexing experience.” He noted that as a series grows, so does the fans’ idea of what it should be.
This can create a gap between what the developers want to create and what the audience expects. This honest reflection shows a side of game development we don’t often hear about-the struggle to innovate within a framework that fans have grown to love. Kamiya says this experience has made him think more deeply about how he’s approaching his current project: a sequel to the cult classic, Okami.
East vs. West: A Tale of Two Publishing Cultures
Kamiya also shed light on the differences he’s observed between working with Japanese and Western publishers. In his view, Japanese publishers tend to be more patient and understanding when a creator is trying to invent something new. “They understand the struggle of trying to give birth to something new, and they watch over the process with patience,” he said.
In contrast, he feels Western companies often prefer the “sense of safety following an established format,” putting pressure on developers to show a more polished, familiar product early on. This cultural difference helps explain why so many unique and sometimes quirky ideas flourish in the Japanese market, and it reinforces Kamiya’s commitment to protecting the creative process at his new studio, CLOVERS.
The Next Chapter at CLOVERS
After a long and storied career at Capcom and PlatinumGames, Kamiya has founded his own studio, CLOVERS, where he is now hard at work directing the sequel to Okami. As a studio head, he feels a “very strong responsibility” to protect his employees from the trend of layoffs that has shaken the Western games industry. It’s clear that he’s building a company that not only prioritizes creative freedom but also the people who make it happen. With his decades of experience and a renewed focus, all eyes are on what he and CLOVERS will deliver with Okami 2.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Hideki Kamiya?
Hideki Kamiya is a legendary Japanese game director known for creating iconic action games like Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, Viewtiful Joe, and Okami.
What is his main philosophy on game design?
Kamiya believes that a great game is defined by a unique, core gameplay mechanic that can’t be found anywhere else. He prioritizes innovative gameplay over purely graphical improvements.
What did he say about the Bayonetta sequels?
He found the fan response to Bayonetta 3 “perplexing” and noted that a gap can form between what developers want to create and what fans expect from an established series. This has influenced how he approaches his next project.
What is Hideki Kamiya’s new studio?
He founded a new studio named CLOVERS after leaving PlatinumGames. He is now the head of the studio and feels a strong responsibility to protect his employees.
What is he working on now?
He is currently directing the long-awaited sequel to his 2006 classic, Okami, in partnership with Capcom.
Why does he think pretty graphics aren’t enough?
For Kamiya, graphics are secondary to the experience of playing the game. He wants to be excited by what a game lets him do, not just by what it looks like.
Conclusion
In an industry chasing photorealism, Hideki Kamiya’s perspective is a powerful reminder of what makes video games a unique art form: interactivity. His focus on creating singular, unforgettable mechanics has given us some of the most beloved action games of all time. As he channels his wealth of experience-including the hard lessons learned from sequels-into the new Okami, it’s safe to say the result will be anything but ordinary. It will be a game built not just to be looked at, but to be played and remembered.