No. Personally, I feel there’s much more going on with Retro Helix. I wasn’t trying to peg Retro Helix with my earlier question. It was again, a generalization on most of today’s "mature" titles. When we say "mature" videogames, you don’t think about a serious drama or complex relationships. It usually means blood and guts or lots of jiggling female body parts. Do you agree? What do you think?

Well, it is most unfortunate, but I would have to agree with you a 100 percent in that sense. I think in many ways, game developers in general are to be blamed for that. It is hard not to think of "mature" games that way because so far, they are all about "blood and guts or lots of jiggling female body parts." However, I do believe that once someone sets the new standard of what "mature" games should be, the rest will usually follow. So hopefully, with the new machines and new medium, more developers will cease the opportunity and take a chance to creating a different kind of mature gaming experience.

At GameCritics.com, we all feel that both Fear Effect games are of incredible craftsmanship and are easily comparable to some of the industry’s most popular franchises. Yet neither Stan Liu or Kronos Digital have achieved the same kind of notoriety as some of today’s top developers like Shinji Mikami with Resident Evil and Hideo Kojima with Metal Gear Solid. Why isn’t anyone at Kronos Digital connected similarly with the Fear Effect series? Do you guys feel like the Rodney Dangerfields of the business?

Man, now that you’ve put it that way, I feel like I need to dig a hole in the ground and stick my head in it! I liked the awesome comment in the beginning of this question about how Fear Effect rocks and all. Can we just focus on that and omit the no respect part? (Laughs)

All joking aside, I am just glad that people and our publisher were willing to give the original Fear Effect a chance! After all, it was a strange and unusual concept. I still clearly remember the initial pitch of Fear Effect to then Eidos’ CEO Charles Cornwall. After what I thought was a flawless presentation, Charles turned to me, looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Just exactly how much of this is only cool in your head, Stan?" To actually have the players like the Fear Effect series and get all these great reviews at the same time is truly more recognition than I ever hoped for. Both Fear Effect and Retro Helix were not released in Japan. So we are missing a huge portion of market saturation.

WHAT? Fear Effect was never released in Japan. Why?

There were many reasons, and I would rather not get into it.

Kronos is also a small developer compared to the big guys. We don’t have the luxury of a marketing department to push our products and our staff to the public. On top of that, we are still living up to the "Trilogy of Terror" wrap. As far as we have grown as a game developer, Retro Helix still has its faults and is far from being that perfect game. Until that grand moment, I guess I’ll just have to find that hole that I dug and hide my head in it. (Smiles) Meanwhile, can you please do me a huge personal favor and ask Brad not to bring up the "T.O.T." in his next review of our upcoming game? Tell him I’m willing to pay for his silence. (Laughs)

Similarly on the whole "getting no respect" issue, "cel-shading" techniques in games are now all the rage. Was Fear Effect one of the first, if not THE first console game to use the style? Who should get credit for coming up with it?

Somehow, my self-esteem is dwindling will each new question. (Laughs) I really don’t think Fear Effect is the first console game to use cel shading. Many classic 2-D games had cel-shaded characters. However, the two people most directly responsible for creating the cel-shaded characters for our game would be John Platten, the director for the original Fear Effect. He came up with the concept. Then Joan Igawa, the lead character artist, came up with the final look for all the characters in the game.

When all is said and done, how would you like the history of videogames to remember Fear Effect and Kronos Digital?

I know how we would like not to be remembered – "The Trilogy of Terror!" (Sorry Brad, I’ll get over it someday) Seriously, I would like history to remember the Fear Effect series as the first true "interactive movie" that didn’t suck and Kronos to be the one developer dumb and naive enough to even take on the attempt in the first place.

What’s next on the agenda for Kronos Digital? Do you plan to continue the Fear Effect series? Any projects slated for release on any of the next-generation systems like Xbox, PS2, or GameCube?

We are currently working on two titles for the next-generation systems. I don’t know. Do people really want to endure another one of our Fear Effect games with all the sex and violence?

I for one would certainly love to play more. As I indicated in my review for Retro Helix, there’s nothing wrong with sex and violence if its done right. Hopefully Kronos and Retro Helix will prove to be guiding light for genuinely "mature" videogames of the future. Can you give us any more details about the two next-generation titles in-development? Is Kronos planning anything special for this year’s E3?

Contractually, I’m not allowed to elaborate on the projects we are currently working on. However, you know what they say about being careful what you wish for, you just might get another one of these mature games. Personally, I would also like to explore the online multiplayer experience for the console market. I think it would be a fun project to do because it is the kind of game I like to play myself.

E3 is going to be pretty quiet for us this year. It is too early for us to show our progress with the games we are working on. However, there are some other exciting things going on. We may have an announcement by E3 if all goes well.

Are there any closing thoughts you would like to share with our readers regarding Fear Effect 2?

First of all, I would like to thank GameCritics.com for this enjoyable interview. Retro Helix is our second attempt at creating a fun and unique experience for adult gamers. I felt that we have managed to improve upon the original experience; yet, there are still plenty of issues left to be resolved in regards to gameplay and content. My personal goal is to create the ultimate, perfect mature game for all the grown up gamers out there regardless of genders. The only way that I can achieve this goal is to get constant direct feedback from the intended audience. We have set up a "Feedback" link on our Web page at www.kronosdigital.com for just this occasion. I welcome any constructive criticism and look forward to any response from all you mature gamers out there. Your voices will be heard. Finally, I would like to thank all the fans of Fear Effect out there for their support.

Special thanks to Stan Liu, Kronos Digital and Eidos Interactive.

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