I'm not sure how many times it's happened now. Too many to count, certainly. A promising new title appears on the horizon, word begins to spread that it's going to be the next big thing. As new details and images appear, you realise you'd really like to play this game. It's released across the sea to rapturous critical acclaim. People play the game, they tell their friends how good it is, those friends go out and buy the game. And pretty soon everyone's talking about it.
And then you find out it's not going to be released in your territory.
Well, bugger.
The most recent kick to the teeth was Katamari Damacy, a quirky little game from Namco that quickly made a lot fans on both sides of the Pacific. The momentum gathered on the internet by pretty much every US-based gaming site has led to surprisingly strong sales. And yet we'll probably never know how good it really is. Namco have been reported as citing "techical problems" to be the reasons behind the lack of a European launch - although I'm inclined that there is a far simpler reason - money.
Because there's more than one language to translate the game to, it makes it that bit more expensive to localise. Instead of releasing it in one country, you release it in a dozen. Each country needs its own marketing and promotion - the numbers all add up. And because Katamari's success was never garunteed, released at a competitively low price in the US, Namco's European division probably decided that they didnt want to take the risk with it - never mind the fact the game all but sold out a week after its US launch.
Well, we'll get the sequel at least, but only because the first performed so well stateside. I can't help but wonder if it's little more than an attempt at a peace offering... But Namco will have to do better than that to get back into my good books - we're still missing Xenosaga, to name but one, and it's a fair bet we'll never see upcoming crossover RPG Namco X Capcom or Gundam: the One Year War (which would be huge missed opportunity, as the movie trilogy it's based on is set to be released in the UK later this year). All the while we're subjected to the same substandard sequels - which nobody buys. So Namco end up with less money, which means they're afraid to take risks, which means no Katamari. A vicious cycle that shows no sign of stopping any time soon.
Namco are not the only ones guilty of this, however. Too many times have the European branches of Japanese companies decided not to release titles in this territory, despite relative success in others. Capcom haven't yet brought over the Megaman Anniversary Collection, although we've had the majority of Megaman games to date (thirty and counting).
In my eyes the worst offenders have to be Square. It took them until the seventh game in the series to release a Final Fantasy over here (excluding Mystic Quest, which doesn't count), and while we did get Secret of Mana, we have missed out on many others now considered classics. Legend of Mana, Chrono Cross, Xenogears and Einhander, to name but a few. And even when they did take the hint and begin releasing the classic Final Fantasy games on the PS1 (or were desperate to make some quick bucks after the whole Spirits Within mess), they still
managed to botch it. So while we did get FF1&2 and FFIV&V in double packs, VI was released on its own - and what is probably my favorite game ever, Chrono Trigger, was completely ignored It's especially unforgiveabe when t it was released as a double pack with FFIV in the States, with V&VI going together... They didn't even follow other companies leads and rerelease their old games on a system better suited for them - the GBA. Capcom revamped the first two Breath of Fires and released them for the GBA, and they sold pretty well. While the first two FF games are available for the GBA - and they have sold very strongly, as anything called Final Fantasy will - I can't help but feel it's another attempt at quick money - these games have been rehashed already on the Wonderswan Color and the PS1. Come on, Square, is it really that difficult to convert a couple more old games that are guarunteed suceesses, especially considering the huge fan following they have gained already?
It's not that I can't understand their reasoning. The market in Europe for the RPGs Square are famous is smaller than in other territories. Recent numbers for the sales of the new Star Ocean game indicate sales in Europe are just under a third of those in the US. But however much of a minorty such fans may be, they are no less fanatical for it. Those that we do get are usually snapped up very quickly, and become some of the most sought-after titles for any system. Just you try finding a copy of Paper Mario for the N64 - or worse, Panzer Dragoon Saga for the Saturn - without playing an arm and a leg.
Okay, so I've gone off track a bit, but my point still stands. Europe is usually last to get anything, although it's not all bad news, and sometimes this can even work to our advantage. The wait for Metal Gear Solid 3 resulted in a number of new features that the US and Japanese gamers have to wait for an updated version - and the Japanese will get their "special edition" or "director's cut", and happily devour it, as they always have. We also occasionally get the odd surprise that the US doesnt - Sony released Vib Ribbon here (no sign of the sequel as yet, but here's hopin).
Sega have had the right idea for a while. They have the nerve - or the financial power - to release titles that may be a little bit niche. We did see Space Channel 5 released here, we got Sega Bass Fishing, with the rod accessory, we got Bangai-O. Hell, we even got Samba de Amigo, complete with maracas - you don't get much more niche than that . The fact that we got Shenmue II while the US had to wait until the X-box release still brings a smile to my face (yes, I'm a bitter, resentful person), as does the fact that we got Rez (they had to wait for the PS2 version to see what all the fuss was all about). Minor victories, to be sure, but they do exist.
Nintendo have also been getting better in recent years. There was a time I was convinced we'd never see a PAL version of Donkey Konga, and yet there it is, one of the surprise hits of last year. And despite delays of well over a year, we've now got The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords and Animal Crossing. We even got Zelda: The Minish Cap months before it ever surfaced stateside. Is this simply due to the fact that they need all the titles they can get for their system, though? The Gamecube has never been the most popular console in Europe - almost criminal when you consider the sheer number of quality titles in its arsenal.
Katamari is but the most recent of a long line of disappointments. I can't count the number of times a game has failed to materialise on this side of the ocean, which has then gone on to become one of the most talked-about titles stateside. It all gets a bit frustrating after a while. In the end, there are few options for European games gettin to play such games. Importing them is an expensive and often difficult practice, with few shops carrying them. And even if you do get the games, there's still the matter of getting to play them. Importing the console can be expensive, but is perfectly legitimate way of doing it. The cheaper option is to have your console mod-chipped - although doing so can have all sorts of implications, ethical and legal. Having a console chipped will usually mean not only the region locking is disabled, enabling play of imported titles, but also the copy protection. So, with the right equipment and a little know-how, anyone can download or copy console games. Sometimes though, this can be the only way to play such games, particularly for those with limited funds.
The other option is emulation, if the system is old enough. There's a whole wealth of gems for older systems that are undiscovered by most gamers, either because they didn't get a domestic release, didn't get enough publicity, or the gamer was too young to appreciate it (I know this was the case for me, and I let a good many games pass me by in my early years). This is how games like Chrono Trigger are often discovered - if you know how to find them. There are even groups dedicated to translating games that would otherwise never have been heard of - Seiken Densetsu 3 and Front Mission are but two examples of excellent games never released outside of Japan, but through the efforts of enthusiasts, they have found a whole new lease of life. But the moral and legal implications of such practices are another article in itself.
In the end, it doesn't look like such practices are going to stop any time soon. As long as companies see money over creativity, we're going to keep seeing more sequels to the same tired old games. If we're honest, they wouldnt be much of a company if they didn't put profit first, would they? But what I'm saying is that there should be room for both. As Europe is usually last to get everything of Japanese origin, they could at least use America as a testing ground. See which games sell and which don't. There can't be that much of a difference in market tastes (I sometimes wonder if the UK is little more than a mini-America). Even if they wanted to cut costs and release an english-only version for the whole of Europe, there are enough English speakers on the continent to warrant such a release, and all the work would have been done already by the US team. Just an idea..
As it stands, though, Europe will continue to be last to get all the good stuff. It's just the way it always has been, frustrating as it may be. So what do I see in store for the next year? Sega and Ninty will continue to release as many of their titles as possible in every territory, because frankly, they can't afford not to. The biggest release from Squenix this year is likely to be the Fullmetal Alchemist media onslaught, and possibly a Dragon Quest, if they feel nice enough. Capcom will continue more or less the way they have done, by rehashing the same old characters time and time again. Namco.. well, Soul Calibur 3 had better be good, to make up for recent transgressions.
I want my Katamai...
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Friday, March 11, 2005
Post-Mortem: Zone Of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone Of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
PS2, 2003
The first Zone Of the Enders game was one of the first titles available for the shiny new PS2. Directed by Hideo Kojima, the legend behind the Metal Gear Solid games, it was a solid enough mech action game, with fast-paced action, great visuals and spot-on controls. It also did pretty well commerically, although it's likely that the limited software library available for the PS2 at the time - and the fact that it came bundled with a demo of Metal Gear Solid 2 - had more to do with it's success than the game itself. In many respects, it was Kojima-san's "other" project, and suffered as a result - the ending was abrupt, the game short and borderline repetitive, and had little in the way of replay value. While I am a huge fan of anime and mecha, I must admit the game did leave me, in all honesty, feeling a little bit cheated.
So it's no bad thing The 2nd Runner is probably the epitome of the term "sequel". It takes the original and improves on pretty much everything. The story is more complete, the action is tighter, there is more variety. This is the game the first one should have been.
Set a few years after the first game, the story this time follows Dingo Egret, a war veteran now living as a miner on Callisto. He discovers a mysterious container abandoned on the surface. Inside is the Orbital Frame (giant robot) Jehuty, from the first game, which he promptly comandeers to protect his friends from the evil Bahram forces. From there the plot takes several twists and turns through a combination of anime cutscenes and conversations from the cockpit, which flesh out the various characters and make them that bit more human. Dingo, the soldier who's seen it all before, is seen to become attatched to those he would call "allies" through a series of loose bonds formed more through nessecity than anything else. Ken, the woman who "hires" Dingo, is not at all what she initially appears to be, and her motivations and feelings become clear as the game progresses. An older and marginally less whiny Leo makes a comeback from the first game, as does another - whos return is both a suprising and, thankfully, an reasonably explained one. Jehuty's AI, ADA, even becomes something of a thematic centrepiece to the story as it searches to define what "life" is, and whether or not ADA is in fact "alive". It's pretty engaging, and all the characters are well voiced - even if they do have to read some of the most laughable dialogue since Megaman started talking.
The actual gameplay is thick and fast, often with dozens of enemies to face at the same time. Jehuty is capable of a surprising number of maneuvers, all of which are easy to pull off thanks to an incredibly intuitive control system. You can fire single or multiple shots, launch a huge ball of energy or use one of a number of subweapons you gain access to as you progress through the game. Or you can close in and slash at the enemy with the sword attatched to it's arm. You can even pick up objects or grab enemies, and either use them as a weapon or shield, or throw them against other enemies or a nearby wall. The lock-on system is well implemented, and you can target and fire on dozens of enemies at the same time, while the camera follows the main target. Sometimes, though you can't seem to target the thing you want, or the camera can get a bit too close to Jehuty, especially in enclosed areas. On the whole though, it works well enough to only be a slight nusiance, and even then only an occasional one.
One of the problems with the first game was that it was all set on the same colony, and as a result the majority of areas were a variation on the urban theme, which began to blend together and feel a bit samey after a while. This, too, has been addressed. ZOE2 has a much broader set of locales, ranging from the ice-covered canyons of Callisto to the rocky red surface of Mars, while making stops inside massive battleships, in high in the sky, as well as the familiar cities. It all looks great though, with a vibrant graphical style that borders on cell-shading and a diverse pallete of colours. The animation is also top-notch, with fluid movement and surprisingly human characteristics to the orbital frames.
Acompanying the action is a soundtrack that always perfectly complements what's happening on screen. Although leaning towards a techno beat, there are a suprisingly diverese selection of other styles used. Frenzied melodies accompany boss fights, quiet piano pieces are played during emotional exchanges between characters, the J-pop theme song is redone as a bombastic arrangement during a mission to shoot down several massive battleships. There are even a few themes remixed from the original, as well as a theme from Gradius when you encounter the Vic Viper, the ship from that game. During battle, Dingo may pass the odd comment - and someone may even respond - but there are enough samples that they don't get repetitive or feel overused. It all works extremely well, and helps to solidify the feeling that you are in fact playing through a giant robot anime.
It's not without its faults, however. Somewhere along the line the idea of being able to choose which area to go to next was ditched in favour of a more linear approach. While this may suit the story a little better, I did miss feeling like I was the one controlling events, deciding whether or not to try and save some civlilians. The main campain is still rather short, with only around seven hours worth of play. Having said that, the fact that there are a ton of extra missions that can be unlocked by collecting items in the main campaign means there is ample reason to keep coming back.
When all is said and done, this is a fine action title that perfectly captures the feel of mecha anime. It has been announced that Kojima-san will not be working on the new MGS game, so I can't help finding myself hopeful that his new project will be a new ZOE game (wishful thinking, I know, but leave me alone). Now, if only Bandai could make a Gundam game like this...
PS2, 2003
The first Zone Of the Enders game was one of the first titles available for the shiny new PS2. Directed by Hideo Kojima, the legend behind the Metal Gear Solid games, it was a solid enough mech action game, with fast-paced action, great visuals and spot-on controls. It also did pretty well commerically, although it's likely that the limited software library available for the PS2 at the time - and the fact that it came bundled with a demo of Metal Gear Solid 2 - had more to do with it's success than the game itself. In many respects, it was Kojima-san's "other" project, and suffered as a result - the ending was abrupt, the game short and borderline repetitive, and had little in the way of replay value. While I am a huge fan of anime and mecha, I must admit the game did leave me, in all honesty, feeling a little bit cheated.
So it's no bad thing The 2nd Runner is probably the epitome of the term "sequel". It takes the original and improves on pretty much everything. The story is more complete, the action is tighter, there is more variety. This is the game the first one should have been.
Set a few years after the first game, the story this time follows Dingo Egret, a war veteran now living as a miner on Callisto. He discovers a mysterious container abandoned on the surface. Inside is the Orbital Frame (giant robot) Jehuty, from the first game, which he promptly comandeers to protect his friends from the evil Bahram forces. From there the plot takes several twists and turns through a combination of anime cutscenes and conversations from the cockpit, which flesh out the various characters and make them that bit more human. Dingo, the soldier who's seen it all before, is seen to become attatched to those he would call "allies" through a series of loose bonds formed more through nessecity than anything else. Ken, the woman who "hires" Dingo, is not at all what she initially appears to be, and her motivations and feelings become clear as the game progresses. An older and marginally less whiny Leo makes a comeback from the first game, as does another - whos return is both a suprising and, thankfully, an reasonably explained one. Jehuty's AI, ADA, even becomes something of a thematic centrepiece to the story as it searches to define what "life" is, and whether or not ADA is in fact "alive". It's pretty engaging, and all the characters are well voiced - even if they do have to read some of the most laughable dialogue since Megaman started talking.
The actual gameplay is thick and fast, often with dozens of enemies to face at the same time. Jehuty is capable of a surprising number of maneuvers, all of which are easy to pull off thanks to an incredibly intuitive control system. You can fire single or multiple shots, launch a huge ball of energy or use one of a number of subweapons you gain access to as you progress through the game. Or you can close in and slash at the enemy with the sword attatched to it's arm. You can even pick up objects or grab enemies, and either use them as a weapon or shield, or throw them against other enemies or a nearby wall. The lock-on system is well implemented, and you can target and fire on dozens of enemies at the same time, while the camera follows the main target. Sometimes, though you can't seem to target the thing you want, or the camera can get a bit too close to Jehuty, especially in enclosed areas. On the whole though, it works well enough to only be a slight nusiance, and even then only an occasional one.
One of the problems with the first game was that it was all set on the same colony, and as a result the majority of areas were a variation on the urban theme, which began to blend together and feel a bit samey after a while. This, too, has been addressed. ZOE2 has a much broader set of locales, ranging from the ice-covered canyons of Callisto to the rocky red surface of Mars, while making stops inside massive battleships, in high in the sky, as well as the familiar cities. It all looks great though, with a vibrant graphical style that borders on cell-shading and a diverse pallete of colours. The animation is also top-notch, with fluid movement and surprisingly human characteristics to the orbital frames.
Acompanying the action is a soundtrack that always perfectly complements what's happening on screen. Although leaning towards a techno beat, there are a suprisingly diverese selection of other styles used. Frenzied melodies accompany boss fights, quiet piano pieces are played during emotional exchanges between characters, the J-pop theme song is redone as a bombastic arrangement during a mission to shoot down several massive battleships. There are even a few themes remixed from the original, as well as a theme from Gradius when you encounter the Vic Viper, the ship from that game. During battle, Dingo may pass the odd comment - and someone may even respond - but there are enough samples that they don't get repetitive or feel overused. It all works extremely well, and helps to solidify the feeling that you are in fact playing through a giant robot anime.
It's not without its faults, however. Somewhere along the line the idea of being able to choose which area to go to next was ditched in favour of a more linear approach. While this may suit the story a little better, I did miss feeling like I was the one controlling events, deciding whether or not to try and save some civlilians. The main campain is still rather short, with only around seven hours worth of play. Having said that, the fact that there are a ton of extra missions that can be unlocked by collecting items in the main campaign means there is ample reason to keep coming back.
When all is said and done, this is a fine action title that perfectly captures the feel of mecha anime. It has been announced that Kojima-san will not be working on the new MGS game, so I can't help finding myself hopeful that his new project will be a new ZOE game (wishful thinking, I know, but leave me alone). Now, if only Bandai could make a Gundam game like this...
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Games You've Never Played: Rez
In the first of what may or may not be a long running feature, I take a look at some of the best games that you may never have heard of, let alone played. Which is a great shame, as these are some of the most revered and sought-after games out there. Although by no means a complete list, each of the games here is worth playing. Some defy convention and classification, others break down an established formula to its purest level, and some build on something familiar and put so much love and care into it that the end result is
So, without any further ado, here is todays pick of the most undeservedly ignored games..
Rez
Dreamcast, 2001
PS2, 2002
The first impression of Rez is usually something along the lines of "trippy". To say Rez is abstract would be like saying Monet did a couple of paintings. Perfectly true, but missing the point entirely and a huge understatement. It is usually categorised as a shooter, and sometimes as a music game, but it strips away many of the conventions you may be used to and creates a game based around pure sensation.
Anyone who's played the Panzer Dragoon games will be familiar with the basic setup - your character flies along a predetermined path, you hold down a button while targeting enemies, release to fire. There is some semblance of a story to the game, something about you being a hacker and going around a computer system to free some naked chick, but it's all secondary to the experience. The aim of the game is the good old-fashioned high score, something that has been sadly forgotten in many recent titles. Also worthy of mention are the boss fights, where the player is pitched against massive entities in prolonged battles of endurance.
Graphically the game is unlike anything else, using a palette of bright and vibrant colours instead of fancy textures, and with simple, blocky models for enemies and wireframes for backgrounds. This overly simplistic approach is hugely effective, however, as it causes the player to focus less on what they're looking at and more on what's going on.
Holding the package together is a great dance-style soundtrack that adapts to what's happening on screen, and gets increasingly intense as the player progresses through the level. Sounds play whenever the player fires at enemies, and whenever something is destroyed, but they come over in such a way as they are not truly noticed, again to help absorb the player into the whole experience.
Rez really is one of those things you have to see for yourself. One of those games that was developed to explore the possibilities of the medium, instead of to simply turn a profit. The director, Testuya Mizaguchi, has worked on a number of classic Sega titles, including Sega Rally and Space Channel 5. Citing his inspiration for Rez as Kandinsky, Mizaguchi-san's aim was snyaesthesia - a unifcation of the senses. As such, Rez interacts with as many senses as possible - you see it, you hear it and you feel it - and becomes almost hypnotic. It all comes together in a magnificent fusion of sight, sound and feeling.
Sadly, Rez did not do well commercially, as is often the case with such games that break the mould in such a manner. This undoubtably is because the game was just too "weird" for the average consumer (or because it wasn't based on a movie, wasn't a sports title and didnt have a famous face on the box - but that's entirely another rant for another time). It is also, in part, down to the fact that the Dreamcast version was released in only Japan and Europe, . The PS2 release did not fare much better, despite also being released in the US. Proof, if ever it were needed, that the truly innovative titles will always slip under the radar of most buyers.
It has now developed something of a cult status, and earned the title "sleeper hit". Those that did pick it up were impressed enough to keep a hold of it, making it quite hard to find. Even rarer is the PS2 version released in Japan with the trance vibrator included, a device that plugs into the USB port and vibrates to the music, which can have some unusal applications. If you do happen to see a copy, snap it up. You're not gonna see another game like this for a while.
So, without any further ado, here is todays pick of the most undeservedly ignored games..
Rez
Dreamcast, 2001
PS2, 2002
The first impression of Rez is usually something along the lines of "trippy". To say Rez is abstract would be like saying Monet did a couple of paintings. Perfectly true, but missing the point entirely and a huge understatement. It is usually categorised as a shooter, and sometimes as a music game, but it strips away many of the conventions you may be used to and creates a game based around pure sensation.
Anyone who's played the Panzer Dragoon games will be familiar with the basic setup - your character flies along a predetermined path, you hold down a button while targeting enemies, release to fire. There is some semblance of a story to the game, something about you being a hacker and going around a computer system to free some naked chick, but it's all secondary to the experience. The aim of the game is the good old-fashioned high score, something that has been sadly forgotten in many recent titles. Also worthy of mention are the boss fights, where the player is pitched against massive entities in prolonged battles of endurance.
Graphically the game is unlike anything else, using a palette of bright and vibrant colours instead of fancy textures, and with simple, blocky models for enemies and wireframes for backgrounds. This overly simplistic approach is hugely effective, however, as it causes the player to focus less on what they're looking at and more on what's going on.
Holding the package together is a great dance-style soundtrack that adapts to what's happening on screen, and gets increasingly intense as the player progresses through the level. Sounds play whenever the player fires at enemies, and whenever something is destroyed, but they come over in such a way as they are not truly noticed, again to help absorb the player into the whole experience.
Rez really is one of those things you have to see for yourself. One of those games that was developed to explore the possibilities of the medium, instead of to simply turn a profit. The director, Testuya Mizaguchi, has worked on a number of classic Sega titles, including Sega Rally and Space Channel 5. Citing his inspiration for Rez as Kandinsky, Mizaguchi-san's aim was snyaesthesia - a unifcation of the senses. As such, Rez interacts with as many senses as possible - you see it, you hear it and you feel it - and becomes almost hypnotic. It all comes together in a magnificent fusion of sight, sound and feeling.
Sadly, Rez did not do well commercially, as is often the case with such games that break the mould in such a manner. This undoubtably is because the game was just too "weird" for the average consumer (or because it wasn't based on a movie, wasn't a sports title and didnt have a famous face on the box - but that's entirely another rant for another time). It is also, in part, down to the fact that the Dreamcast version was released in only Japan and Europe, . The PS2 release did not fare much better, despite also being released in the US. Proof, if ever it were needed, that the truly innovative titles will always slip under the radar of most buyers.
It has now developed something of a cult status, and earned the title "sleeper hit". Those that did pick it up were impressed enough to keep a hold of it, making it quite hard to find. Even rarer is the PS2 version released in Japan with the trance vibrator included, a device that plugs into the USB port and vibrates to the music, which can have some unusal applications. If you do happen to see a copy, snap it up. You're not gonna see another game like this for a while.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
1st Post! W00t!!!1
Erm... hi there. Just thought I'd try out this whole blog thingy, seems to be quite popular with the kids these days. So, I'm gonna try to update this thing at least once a week, get into some sort of routine or somethin. I dunno, we'll see how we go. It's always been said that I have a short attention span and, well, it's true. There's always something to distract me... ah to hell with it. Next time, eh?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
