Director Motohide Eshiro mentions, “With the game’s distinctive visual flair, we’ve taken it to the next level by enhancing the resolution to HD and boosting the performance to 60FPS. This really adds a new layer of responsiveness to the swordplay. Plus, as most people have switched to widescreen TVs, we’ve adjusted the game’s display to fit these screens. The result is a zoomed-in image that amps up the intensity of the battle scenes, making them feel even more gripping and thrilling.”
I completely agree with Eshiro’s observation. The swordplay feels incredibly responsive, allowing for precise strikes and blocks. The battles, especially those in the close confines of temple corridors, have an up-close and personal feel. There’s something exhilarating about hacking away at a horde of demons, mastering the art of the issen hit, which is a powerful counterattack, and collecting enemy souls to boost my XP.
Eshiro further comments, “Whether you’re picking up this remaster in 2025 or you experienced the original back in 2002, the feeling should be the same rush of adrenaline. To achieve this, we focused on preserving the game’s core features and charm while updating some elements to meet today’s gaming standards. We had the original assets to work with, and honestly, even back in 2002, the team set a high bar for quality. It was more the limitations of the CRT screens back then that prevented these assets from truly shining. Using the latest upscaling techniques, we’ve managed to reveal every detail on modern HD displays, really bringing to life aspects like the animated backgrounds and flowing rivers better than ever.”
