Summoner 2 Q&A

The original Summoner had the dubious honor of being one of the only RPGs to launch alongside the PlayStation 2. Though it was relatively well received by critics, many gamers didn't appreciate many of its game conventions. It more closely resembled, in truth, a PC RPG than what we've come to expect from a console. However deep it was, and however well conceived its world and narrative were, many of the play mechanics just seemed alien to the audience it was targeting.

Maia is "the summoner" this time around, and she's a far cry from Joseph...

With that in mind, Summoner 2 is nearing completion at Volition, and we've been very curious about how it's coming along. We've learned thus far that the game's structure will differ widely from what we saw in the original and that its story will involve all new players--and a new continent in the world to boot. We had a chance to steal some of producer Anoop Shekar's valuable time, and we're sharing the results with you.

GameSpot: How does the plot of Summoner 2 tie in to the original's story? Will there be any common threads?

Anoop Shekar: Summoner 2 takes place about 20 years after the first game. At the end of Summoner 1, Joseph, the main character, chose to reform with the other eight parts of the god Urath and ascended to godhood. At that exact moment, a girl named Maia was born halfway around the world. It was prophesied that Maia was the human incarnation of the goddess Laharah and would someday fulfill a great destiny.

Eventually, Maia became the queen of Halassar and is now looking for more information about her destiny. However, the priests of Urath, who consider the followers of Laharah their enemy, have begun a war against Halassar. Their leader, Krobelus, seeks to destroy Maia and her people. This is the point at which Summoner 2 begins.

...though the realms she travels to are no less fantastical.

GS: How does the new protagonist compare with the previous game's Joseph? Are her powers any different from his?

AS: Joseph begins [the original] Summoner as a poor farmer on the run from an army, and he is totally unaware of his destiny as a Summoner. Maia, on the other hand, is the ruler of a powerful kingdom and is actively seeking out her destiny. Also, Joseph was able to summon creatures to help him in battle, which was his power. When Maia uses her summoning power, she actually turns into the creatures. Those are the major differences between the two main characters.

GS: Will the game's structure be any different from the previous game's? What about its overall length?

AS: The structure of Summoner 2 is similar to that of Summoner 1's. The game progresses through levels, which are quite varied. You will be able to return to some places to complete quests and talk to NPCs, but some places you will go to only once and not be able to return. I don't want to spoil too much, so I won't go into any more detail.

We expect that Summoner 2 will take about as long as Summoner (25 to 30 hours).