Hakoniwa Company Works Explained

Developer:Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher:Nippon Ichi Software
Director:Masayuki Furuya
Artist:Masayuki Furuya
Composer:Hajime Sugie
ZIZZ Studio
Engine:Unreal Engine 4
Platforms:PlayStation 4
Genre:Tactical role-playing, sandbox
Modes:Single-player

is a tactical role-playing game with elements of a sandbox game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software. The game was released in Japan on July 13, 2017, for PlayStation 4. The theme song of the game is called "Hakoniwa Ambition" and is performed by Kaoru Hayano.[1]

Setting

Hakoniwa Company Works takes place in Cloud's End, a world where countless islands float in the sky. The protagonist becomes the leader of a company that connects the islands and takes on requests. The protagonist is supported by Meme Kazamidori, a cheerful girl who used to work for a famous company.[2]

Gameplay

In battle, players can use the destructible environment to their advantage with strategic positioning. Destroyed blocks can also give the player materials. By gathering materials, players can craft buildings, decorations and objects. Some of these objects, such as a furnace, can be used to create even more items. Players are able to power-up their characters by crafting and placing objects in the house the specific character lives in. Each single object can increase and decrease certain stats.[3] [4] Like in some other tactical role-playing games, characters employ five Jobs. The Boss job is for all-rounders. The Attacker class specializes in combat. The Rounder job focuses on supporting allies. The Bowler job specializes in map damage. The Carry job focuses on gathering materials. Skills can give players small advantages, for example by breaking blocks on the map or providing buffs.[5] The game also features an “Drawing” system that allows players to create things as they want them to appear.[6]

Development

Originally teased on March 26, 2017, through a 50-second [//www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKgXRMCfsnA?title=video video] on Nippon Ichi Software's YouTube channel, the game was fully revealed as Hakoniwa Company Works in the following issue of Dengeki PlayStation. Upon reveal, many fans made the comparison with Minecraft because of the voxel-based art style and the crafting gameplay shown in the teaser video. The game is the first game by Nippon Ichi Software known to be built in Unreal Engine. This was revealed through a splash screen at the beginning of a trailer for the game released by the publisher on June 23, 2017.[4] According to Media Create, 4,586 copies of the game were sold in the week of its release, making it the eleventh best-selling game of the week.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: システム|ハコニワカンパニワークス|日本一ソフトウェア.
  2. Web site: NIS announces Hakoniwa Company Works for PS4. Sal. Romano. Gematsu. March 28, 2017. March 30, 2017.
  3. Web site: Hakoniwa Company Works' New Screenshots Show Us More Of Its Block-Make Strategy RPG. Sato. Siliconera. March 30, 2017. March 30, 2017.
  4. Web site: Hakoniwa Company Works Trailer Shows Off Its Strategic Break-And-Make Gameplay. Sato. Siliconera. June 23, 2017. June 23, 2017.
  5. Web site: Hakoniwa Company Works' System Trailer Details Its Worlds, Classes, And Skills. Sato. Siliconera. July 6, 2017. July 6, 2017.
  6. Web site: Hakoniwa Company Works first screenshots, Japanese box art. Sal. Romano. Gematsu. March 29, 2017. March 30, 2017.
  7. Web site: Media Create Sales: 7/10/17 – 7/16/17. Sal. Romano. Gematsu. July 19, 2017. August 29, 2017.