“Will these days’s players quiet expertise a game from 30 years within the past?”: JRPG icon Kei Shigema says he become once extremely contented to peep Lunar getting a remaster even finally this time
By Kei Shigema is an author and game designer who has tackled numerous projects over the years, including titles like Asura’s Wrath and Scarlet Nexus. Nevertheless, he is primarily recognized for Lunar: Silver Star Story and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue, two Sega Saturn and PS1 classics that are finally receiving a long-awaited remaster. Shigema expresses his genuine enthusiasm for these recent JRPGs getting another opportunity, although he also harbors some concern about how contemporary players might respond.
“When I first saw Grandia being remastered,” Shigema shared with GamesRadar+ in an email interview, “I thought, ‘That’s amazing. I’m so envious!'” Grandia was, of course, developed by the same studio as Lunar, Game Arts, and Shigema himself contributed to the sequel—yet it is Lunar that he truly considers his own creation.
“I had been wishing for a Lunar remaster as well,” Shigema continued, “so I was elated when it was announced. Still, I can’t help but ponder—will today’s gamers still appreciate a title from 30 years ago?” Shigema only offered consultation for the production of the new Lunar Remastered Series, which debuts next month, but he remains aware of its importance in helping a new audience discover these classic games. (As a lighthearted note, he also requested that a particular scene from the CD version be retained in the remaster.)
“Films, literature, and manga can be appreciated in their original formats, but games require the specific hardware they were initially launched on, which makes them significantly less accessible. While viewing old playthrough videos can provide a glimpse of what a game is like, ultimately, games are a form of media that must be ‘experienced,'” he adds.
“Nothing can compare to picking up a controller and playing firsthand. That’s why this remaster is so thrilling—it restores that experience for a new generation. I hope that after enjoying Lunar, players will gaze up at the moon and think, ‘Ah… that’s where my adventure unfolded.’
Shigema reflects on his time working on Lunar as “the happiest and most fulfilling period of my life,” and notes, “one of the greatest lessons I acquired was that games cannot be created by a single person. It takes a team of skilled developers collaborating to create.”