You can’t escape the real world forever. It isn’t possible; it isn’t healthy. But, now more than ever, seeking solace in a safe virtual space is a welcome retreat for those needing to grieve or heal. Japan has excelled in providing us these simple spaces where we can feel heard, accepted, loved and in control. With games like Tomodachi Life, Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, Princess Maker 2 and Animal Crossing, we can find a moment of peace.
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Tim Trzepacz has been involved in the video games industry since MicroProse’s Sega Genesis version of Pirates! Gold was released in 1993. He’s worked on games like Ratchet and Clank, James Bond 007: From Russia with Love, Magic Knight Rayearth, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, Silent Hill: Origins and Silhouette Mirage. We talked to him about Princess Maker 2, which his company SoftEgg attempted to release outside of Japan between 1995 and 2002.
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He never thought he’d be a father. To be honest, he never thought he’d live long enough to retire. Such is the fate of a man who spends his entire life trying to be a hero. He does his best, works his hardest, to take on any opponent in his path. He tries to do the right thing, hopefully to leave a better world behind him.
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The Princess Maker series helped kick off a genre. When Gainax gave people the opportunity to raise an orphaned girl, determining her schedule and helping her find the right path through life, they were setting us up for a challenge that could be harrowing, heartwarming and hilarious. Princess Maker 2 ended up being the most famous entry in the series and now, 23 years after its debut, it has finally received an English release.
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You want the best for your children, even if they’re virtual. You want these kids to have every opportunity and take on the world. Well, Princess Maker 2 Refine isn’t going to make that easy. This is an occasionally brutal game. Even though you’re a hero who helped save the world, you’re barely scraping by from month-to-month on the allowance the kingdom gives you. That means you have to make your darling daughter, the young princess-in-the-making, work.
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Princess Maker 2 is a 23-year-old game. Yet it’s only now, on the Princess Maker series’ 25th anniversary, that we’re finally seeing an official English release. A series taking that long to leave Japan isn’t that remarkable a feat. There are plenty of worthwhile titles trapped in a single region. It’s unusual in this instance due to the number of ports that exist.
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