Quintet (game developer)
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Quintet Co. Ltd. | |
Type | Public |
---|---|
Founded | April 1989 |
Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
Key people | Tomoyoshi Miyazaki, Masaya Hashimoto |
Industry | Computer and video game industry |
Products | Actraiser Illusion of Gaia Terranigma (See release history for full listing.) |
Slogan | N/A |
Website | www.quintet.co.jp |
Quintet (クインテット Kuintetto, properly Quintet Co. Ltd) is a video game developer, founded in 1989. The company name is derived from musical terminology, as well as 5 elements of game design - planning, graphics, sound, programmers, and producers. Quintet was most active in the 1990's, when it had a strong relationship with Enix (now incorporated into Square Enix); the company was also a member of GD-NET group of Sega Saturn developers. The current status of Quintet is unclear.
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[edit] Company background
The director and president of Quintet is Tomoyoshi Miyazaki, the scenario writer for the first two entries for Nihon Falcom's classic Ys series. Masaya Hashimoto, the main programmer for the same titles, is also a member. Thanks to that connection, composer Yuzo Koshiro (also an Ys veteran) lent his talents to the score of the company's inaugural title, Actraiser, a soundtrack which has since been adapted for orchestra. Koshiro's sister, Ayano Koshiro, drew the character designs.
One unique feature of Quintet games is the strong, sometimes dark themes addressed in the storylines of their titles, particularly the theme of duality, most often exemplified by 'creation vs. destruction'. The world has two aspects which both oppose and compliment each other, and everything in existence is built upon that relationship. Many of Quintet's games concern a conflict between a being that brings destruction and a being that controls creation. Humans are often victims in this conflict, but they are also depicted as being capable of shaping their own destinies. Unflinching portrayals of the suffering and sacrifices that are a part of life set Quintet games apart.
[edit] Mysterious silence
As of 2006, Quintet's official website has not been updated in 4 years, and the company has been silent. There was an active bulletin board on the official site until March 29, 2002 (the release date of the Game Boy Advance Action RPG Magical Houshin, or Mystic Heroes in North America), but in response to an overflow of angry comments from fans made impatient by the lack of news, Quintet staff posted, "As we cannot currently release any information, we will close this bulletin board". Afterward, the bulletin board was shut down.
Since 2002, games have been released that credit Quintet staff members, but make no mention of Quintet as a company, including Super Robot Taisen A (GBA), produced by Banpresto and Mystic Heroes (GBA) from Koei.Recently Tomoyoshi Miyazaki has been credited in 2004 for Inuyasha :The secret of the cursed mask(playstation 2)
[edit] Works developed
- Actraiser
- Soul Blazer
- ActRaiser 2
- Illusion of Gaia
- Robotrek
- Terranigma
- Solo Crisis
- Code R
- Planet Laika (codeveloped with Zeque)
- Granstream Saga
- Simple 1500 Series vol.78 The Zeroyon
- Godzilla Generations
[edit] References
- Much of the content of this article comes from the equivalent Japanese-language wikipedia article.
- Quintet Primer at Nantoka An