From ultra-talented Japanese-American indie game developer, composer, singer, and songwriter Laura Shigihara… here we have Mr. Saitou!
This is a new entry in her series, which began with the excellent Rakuen (2017) RPG that’s famous for making even the most macho manosphere bro gamer weep pathetic snowflake tears. Such was its emotive heft.
Mr. Saitou is also great. Although a shorter game it’s very funny and also poses an excellent satirical take on capitalism. What’s not to love?!
Heart-warming Happiness (and funny stuff) in Mr. Saitou
The game begins with Mr. Saitou (a Japanese salaryman) living in a major city. He’s burned out and suffering depression due to his inane job.
After being hospitalised following a collapse, he speaks to a young boy on his ward called Duncan. Thereafter (this is where it gets quirky), Mr. Saitou is spirited away to a fantasy world where giant llama worm hybrids operate in an alternate reality version of capitalism.
As a llamaworm Mr. Saitou must work helping Bosstou (his boss) GET HIS METRICS and discuss PROFIT MARGINS whilst colleagues, such as Annoyingtou and Shytou, idle about the place.
What unfolds is the alternate reality version of Duncan whisking Mr. Saitou (you) off on an adventure that seeks to end a sense of drudgery and isolation.
Here’s the first 20 minutes of the game. You can skip to the eight minute mark for the quirky concept to kick in (WARNING: This video game features NO explosions, guns, or graphic depictions of turf wars).
Yes, it’s a surreal game all right. It’s also a short one, which we’ve seen various critics and gamers complaining about.
Unlike Rakuen (which packs in about 20 hours of gameplay), here we have a slight experience of about 90 minutes. There are also pimple puzzles for an emphasis on casual, relaxing playing time.
If that’s not your thing, go elsewhere.
But if you want a heart-warming, consistently funny, cute, enjoyable, and charming little adventure then this definitely is for you.
We loved Mr. Saitou and will revisit it regularly for a chillaxing kick.
The cute aesthetic and concept are backed up by clever, timely lampooning of corporate capitalist bollocks. The dialogue is hilarious and witty, with many clever twists and turns, and it’s just a lovingly created little marvel.
You can get this one on Steam, macOS, Linux, or Nintendo Switch. Do so!
Mr. Saitou’s Fantabulous Soundtrack
Laura Shigihara is not only a fantastic game designer, she’s a brilliant composer and musician. All the work in Mr. Saitou is by her.
For non-gamers reading this, the industry is now populated by lots of female talent. Although it’s still more common to see men occupying the roles of indie studio owners or lead composers.
Shigihara just does all of it. From the ground up. Video game development is tough and requires much commitment, but then to go off and just compose the entire soundtrack by yourself is highly impressive indeed.
The music has nods to Japanese kawaii (cuteness) culture and manga styled twee stuff, although never in an overbearing way.
That’s because, behind the cute aesthetic, Mr. Saitou deals with adult themes of existential dread, depression, and burnout.
As a result, Shigihara lends a melancholic air to much of the work.
It’s a great little soundtrack packed with pathos, a sense of fun, adventure, and it’ll warm the cockles of your bleak, remorseless, individualistic, work obsessed heart.
A Bit About Laura Shigihara
Shigara launched her video game career as a composer, working on the sound and music for the tower defence mobile game Plants vs. Zombies (2009).
It’s really Rakuen that made her famous, the critically-acclaimed RPG is free from all combat (as is Mr. Saitou) but is a punch to the face of emotions.
Now an active Twitch streamer, she often composes music with improvisation (as you can hear above).
She’s usually on Twitch weekly composing new music live.
Her biography is very interesting as she has a Japanese father and French American mother. This led her to grow up simultaneously between the US and Japan. Classically trained as a pianist from the age of 11, she’s also a drummer and guitarist.
Whilst at university she began experimenting with digital audio workstations and rearranged old video game soundtracks and created her own work.
Her friend sent samples to record studios and she was offered jobs as a singer/songwriter, but she instead pursued a career in video games. Huzzah to her! We can’t wait for her next project.
