With the two students seated and one female teacher in a white lab coat, the game began under their gazes.
Whoosh—
In the darkness, a gentle wind blew, and the screen gradually brightened.
A weathered male voice sounded.
"The late Sengoku period…"
"Raging flames of war swept across the land..."
Hurried, panicked footsteps approached from afar. In a blood-red maple forest, a ragged, blood-covered deserter limped along like a stray dog, fleeing desperately into the woods.
The exquisite game graphics immediately caught all three of their eyes. Even Yukino, who didn't usually play games, was drawn in by the refined and well-optimized visuals.
This hardly looked like a game—it felt more like the opening of an anime movie.
And since the story was set in the Sengoku era, a setting like this instantly captured the interest of tomboyish Hiratsuka and big-kid Hikigaya.
"Even the ashina domain, hidden deep in the mountains, has been engulfed in the flames of war."
Rustle!
The deserter finally stumbled out of the maple forest, only to be greeted by a hellish ukiyo-e scene.
Cries of battle echoed from all directions.
Ahead, a local soldier pressed the blade of his sword against another soldier's neck.
Then, with a violent pull—
Splurt!
Bright red blood sprayed out instantly, staining the brown grass.
The deserter collapsed to the ground in terror, watching as the local soldier stood up and trudged toward him, raising the blood-stained blade.
But in the next moment, something unexpected happened.
Whoosh—crack!
A sharp arrow pierced straight through the local soldier's throat.
With a dull thud, the stiffened corpse fell in front of the deserter.
In the distance, thick smoke rolled across the land. The setting sun dyed everything a heavy crimson, like a sea of blood connecting hell and earth.
"Damn, Raize, just the opening cinematic alone is enough to hook a ton of players!"
Hiratsuka couldn't help but praise the visuals of the game Sekiro.
The sunset, the maple forest, the blood-stained grass, even the reflections on the water—all of it had been refined by Raize to the point that it felt incredibly immersive.
"The visuals are really something. You can tell a lot of care went into this."
Hikigaya also praised it sincerely. Though he was interested in the game, he didn't forget his task as a tester. His dead-fish eyes carefully observed every detail.
Yukino did the same, but she frowned slightly and turned to Raize.
"The opening is impressive—I agree with Hiratsuka-sensei on that. But isn't this game a bit too bloody?"
Indeed, the game Raize had optimized was almost too realistic. The earlier scenes of soldiers killing each other, the throat-slitting and blood spray, felt extremely vivid.
"Sengoku-era games need this kind of atmosphere. Only then will they attract players. You were drawn in by the opening too, weren't you?"
Raize shrugged at Yukino's comment, explaining that if an action game set in the Sengoku period wasn't realistic enough, players might not even buy it.
Yukino didn't respond, turning back to watch the screen.
The scene shifted again, revealing two mighty generals clashing on a field of golden, withered grass.
One of them wore a demonic mask, with a massive, ferocious build. Tall and imposing, he wielded a great halberd.
Each swing of the halberd swept through the dry grass with explosive force, dust and debris flying everywhere.
Opposite him stood a blood-covered man with a cold, sharp expression and a slightly gaunt build.
The masked warrior attacked with wide, powerful strikes, his halberd arcing down toward his opponent's vital points.
Whoosh!
The halberd, wrapped in dust, thrust straight toward the enemy's face.
Clang!
Metal rang against metal. As the swirling dust settled, it revealed the resolute, iron-willed face of the gaunt general.
This man was none other than the Isshin, the Sword Saint—Ashina Isshin.
Isshin smoothly sidestepped, deflecting the halberd. In a flash of movement, a blade gleamed.
Blood sprayed everywhere. The masked warrior staggered in pain, his balance broken.
Seizing the opening, Isshin leapt onto the warrior's body with lightning speed and drove his blade brutally into the man's neck.
Then he yanked it upward—
Splurt—
Blood gushed out like a burst dam, and the masked warrior's strength and life drained away in an instant.
The sight left Hiratsuka utterly thrilled and shocked, and she exclaimed aloud:
"This general is so cool! This kind of realistic combat feels incredible!!"
Hikigaya nodded in agreement. Not just Hiratsuka—even he, as a guy, felt his blood boiling.
Raize was right. The flying blood, the brutal slaughter, the heavy atmosphere—this was exactly how a Sengoku game should feel.
Otherwise, how could it be called the Sengoku period?
Yukino also watched intently. For this kind of ancient, heavy atmosphere, she found she wasn't entirely unable to accept it.
After cutting down the enemy general, Isshin flicked his blade, shaking off the blood in a clean blood-flick motion. The dim light of the sunset stretched his figure into something awe-inspiring.
He roared toward the vast army behind him:
"The enemy general, Tamura, has been slain by my blade!!"
As his words fell, grand yet desolate music swelled, leaving Hiratsuka thoroughly satisfied.
This shockingly powerful opening cinematic made the hair on her arms stand on end.
After that, the story shifted to the childhood of Wolf, the protagonist of the game, and his bond with his adoptive father, Wolf.
Under Owl's training, the child he had picked up from the battlefield gradually grew into a formidable shinobi.
The scene shifted slightly. Light filtered through the crack of the door, illuminating half of the wolf's face.
This was the first time he had seen the master he was meant to serve—a delicate-looking young boy, the Divine Heir, Kuro.
Within those resolute, steady eyes lay the teachings of his adoptive father, Owl.
"From today on, he is your master."
"You must protect him with your life. If he is taken, you must retrieve him at all costs!"
"Do you understand, Wolf…?"
After the opening cutscene ended, the three of them could only smack their lips in amazement. At the very least, there was nothing to criticize about this opening animation.
---
"Raize, you really should be making animated movies!"
The flawless opening animation and background introduction left Yukino, who had been ready to nitpick the game's flaws, completely speechless. She ended up praising the game's opening in a roundabout way.
"Thanks for the compliment. A game isn't considered great with just story cutscenes—it also needs interesting gameplay."
Raize was also very satisfied with the opening animation. As expected of an optimized story cutscene, it felt just like watching a movie.
After the opening finished, the protagonist controlled by the three—'Wolf'—awoke in an underground cave.
They couldn't wait to officially jump into the game.
With Raize's explanations and the on-screen prompts, Hiratsuka and the others guided Wolf around, quickly getting familiar with the controls through repeated button presses and movement.
After receiving the main quest, the three of them picked up their katanas and began their monster-slaying journey.
As soon as they exited, they saw a small guard enemy patrolling at the entrance, dressed in rough linen clothing.
Having played games before, Hikigaya and Hiratsuka knew that early enemies were usually meant to help players get used to the controls, so they charged forward without hesitation.
"Take this!"
Hiratsuka shouted in a low voice, expecting to kill the enemy in one slash. Instead, the enemy precisely raised his blade and blocked her attack.
When the two blades collided, a crisp clang rang out, followed by sparks bursting into the air.
The failed opening strike didn't discourage Hiratsuka. On the contrary, the enemy's parry and the clear sound of clashing steel made her blood boil, giving her the feeling of standing face-to-face with an enemy in real combat.
"This actually has some challenge to it!"
She licked her lips, excitement surging as she controlled Wolf to strike fiercely at the enemy.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Clear sword clashes rang out from all three laptops as blades collided again and again, sending intense sparks flying. Even watching was exhilarating.
Meanwhile, as Hikigaya controlled his Wolf, he noticed a red dot suddenly light up on the enemy. Acting on instinct, he pressed the attack button.
Bang!
Wolf suddenly grabbed the soldier by the back of the neck, spun around, and brought the blade down in one swift motion.
Splurt—
The blade stabbed deeply into the soldier's neck, blood spraying everywhere.
"That's insane—these effects and combat system are incredible!!"
Hikigaya's eyes widened, his heart pounding with excitement at what he'd just seen.
Soon after, Hiratsuka and Yukino also triggered finishing moves, brutally ending their enemies.
"It's exactly the same as the animation!"
Yukino and Hiratsuka widened their eyes slightly.
In many games, what you see in cutscenes doesn't match actual gameplay.
Cutscenes prioritize visual impact, while gameplay focuses on control and mechanics.
Take Raize's previous-life game Drakengard, for example. Its beautifully crafted opening animation captivated countless players, but the actual gameplay differed greatly—and even the graphics didn't live up to the opening.
But Raize's optimized Sekiro was different. As long as the timing was right, the effects shown in the animations would appear in gameplay as well.
Not only that—they were executed perfectly.
The Shinobi Execution finishing moves flowed smoothly, clean and decisive, leaving players feeling thoroughly satisfied.
Hiratsuka especially loved these execution moves. She pushed forward with Wolf, landing a vertical slash followed by a horizontal cut, driving the enemy back step by step.
Then a red indicator appeared. She seized the opportunity immediately, advancing with Wolf and thrusting the blade straight into the enemy's chest.
A flash of blood—Wolf flung the corpse aside.
"So cool!!!"
Hiratsuka couldn't help shouting. She was completely hooked on Sekiro—the controls were just that good.
Beside her, Yukino didn't feel quite the same. Having little gaming experience, she only managed to pull off one execution before getting surrounded by five enemy soldiers and beaten to death.
Under Yukino's stunned gaze, Wolf slowly knelt to the ground as the screen faded to gray.
A large, blood-red "Death" appeared on the screen, dripping ominously.
She glanced at the other two, still alive and skillfully controlling their characters, then back at the glaring "Death" on her own screen.
It felt like she was clearly the weakest of the three.
"Hesitation leads to defeat. Retreat when you should, attack when you should. Don't be afraid, and don't get greedy with attacks."
Raize stood behind Yukino and kindly reminded her of the game's core principles.
Though she rarely played games, Yukino was extremely smart. After hearing Raize's advice, she quickly began adapting to the game's mechanics.
As the difficulty of regular enemies and mini-bosses increased, and with save points spaced farther apart, the game became even more challenging.
The three of them gradually mastered the game's rhythm. This was a high-risk, high-reward game.
You could never underestimate even a single minor enemy—they were just as deadly.
You might kill them in a few hits, but they could kill you in three or four.
As the difficulty ramped up, they increasingly felt both the challenge and the frustration the game deliberately evoked.
Corner ambushes, small traps, enemies that could call for reinforcements.
It was full of malice, yet it never felt disgusting.
Because every time, it was their own momentary carelessness that allowed the enemies to ambush them.
There was no one else to blame.
Hikigaya carefully observed enemy attack patterns with his keen perception, consistently parrying attacks and maintaining perfect spacing.
Yukino did much the same. After Raize's reminders, she became more cautious, responding move for move—watching enemy animations and reacting instantly.
If she misjudged or reacted incorrectly, the following deadly blow was impossible to avoid.
Buzz—
The mini-boss's long blade swept horizontally, sending the already low-health Hiratsuka flying before she collapsed to the ground and died.
"This mini-boss is way too tough, isn't it?!"
Seeing her character die, Hiratsuka cried out in shock.
"This damage is completely ridiculous!"
She looked over at the other two, who were also fighting the mini-boss, yet relying on sharp observation to continuously parry its attacks.
They attacked when appropriate, dodged when necessary, never getting greedy.
Yukino favored steady, methodical play, gradually wearing the enemy down with precise controls. Hikigaya, on the other hand, preferred decisive kills—his bolder style focused on triggering executions.
Soon after, both of them defeated the mini-boss.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
The general's body crashed heavily to the ground.
Having defeated such a troublesome mini-boss through their own skill, both Hikigaya and Yukino smiled faintly, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment.
An hour later, the three of them ended the session, their faces still showing lingering excitement. The game could be frustrating at times, but it was genuinely fun.
For Yukino aside, both Hikigaya and Hiratsuka were eager to see what came next. Though brutally difficult, the sense of achievement after overcoming tough enemies was unmatched.
After that, Raize opened Devil May Cry for them to test.
Though its difficulty didn't match Sekiro's, the gun-and-sword combat style of Dante immediately won over Hiratsuka and Hikigaya.
Yukino, meanwhile, was more drawn to Devil May Cry's story cutscenes.
After finishing both games, all three gave Raize's work exceptionally high praise.
"When is your game going on sale? I'll definitely buy it!"
Hikigaya asked Raize. He was completely sold on both Sekiro and Devil May Cry—their coolness and intensity perfectly struck his inner chuunibyou.
Hiratsuka, who loved hot-blooded manga, didn't need to say more. She could already imagine Raize's games selling like crazy.
"Your game is great, but the difficulty feels a bit too high—especially Sekiro."
Yukino brought it up with visible frustration, recalling those relentless enemies and deadly ambushes.
"Yotsuki-kun, at least make the game environment a bit more player-friendly. No map, very few checkpoints after revival… that's really—"
She didn't finish her sentence, but Hiratsuka, having experienced it firsthand, nodded deeply in agreement.
Hikigaya, however, had already grasped where the game's true appeal lay, so his opinion differed from theirs.
In response to the two women's comments, Raize merely chuckled indifferently.
When it came time for Hikigaya to speak, his words made Raize's eyes light up.
"Putting Devil May Cry aside, Sekiro should feel exactly like this. Yotsuki, what you're aiming for is a benchmark for action games. This isn't just a good game—it's meant to select the strongest among good games."
Hearing this evaluation, the smile on Raize's face grew wider, while Hiratsuka and Yukino looked slightly stunned.
A benchmark for action games? Selecting the strongest game?
What did that even mean?
Facing their puzzled looks, Hikigaya explained his thoughts.
"This game is like the Olympics. You all know how tough the Olympics are—each event's champion is the strongest in the world at that discipline!"
"Yotsuki-kun's game is indeed very difficult. Players with poor mentality or skills might quit halfway, but that doesn't mean it's unreasonable. Sekiro should be difficult—like the Olympics, it has to be much harder."
"Because Sekiro is a comprehensive test of a player's willpower, reaction speed, judgment, and intelligence. Anyone who can clear this game is definitely stronger than others!"
"The advice I want to give Yotsuki-kun is this: grasp the difficulty balance properly. That's the most important part, because in every other aspect, the game is already top-tier."
When Hikigaya finished speaking, he looked at Raize with admiration in his eyes, then turned to the two girls who had finally snapped back to reality, their eyes wide, and added:
"There's competition everywhere, and humans naturally compare themselves to others. Just like the three of us unconsciously comparing our gameplay skills and progress earlier. Now you understand what I mean, right?"
Hiratsuka and Yukino were not stupid. After Hikigaya's explanation, they naturally understood the deeper meaning behind this game.
It could be said that Raize's game was making use of players' competitive and comparative psychology.
You're so bad you can't even clear Sekiro, and you still dare call yourself a hardcore gamer?
I can clear Sekiro without taking damage—aren't I stronger than a noob like you?
Competition and comparison exist everywhere. The two girls understood this well. This game was deliberately designed to leverage that mindset.