CASE FILE B-853, "A MATTER OF NO LAUGHING"I get hired to track down a lot of things. Money. Criminals. Dames. Sometimes it's all three rolled into one. The important thing is that these things are ... things. Things you can hold on to. Things you can rough up a little. Things you can press your lips up against in passionate embrace, only to have your heart shattered like a stack of porcelain plates frolicking on the train tracks.
And that's just the money.
What if the thing you're looking for is no thing at all? What if it's an idea or a feeling or a state of mind? How the hell was I gonna find missing humor? How the hell was I gonna crack this case?
ATTACHED EVIDENCE: SALES CHARTS FOR FEB. 19 - FEB. 25.
- DS Lite: 136,128
718 (0.52%)- PSP: 100,210
65,705 (190.42%)- Wii: 78,506
14,888 (23.40%)- PS3: 19,315
1,361 (6.58%)- PS2: 15,054
1,138 (7.03%) - Xbox 360: 4,183
1,027 (19.71%)- GBA SP: 1,035
192 (22.78%)- Game Boy Micro: 907
46 (4.83%)- Gamecube: 323
24 (6.92%)- DS Phat: 132
21 (13.73%)- GBA: 59
19 (47.50%)[Informant: GamesAreFun]
For reference: Previous Japanese hardware sales charts
The time. 11:54AM. The place. Grink's. A seedy sort of establishment, where the oxygen was alcoholic and the language was nothing but a series of belches and grunts. In the corner, a busted jukebox screeched like a cat going through a printing press. It wasn't the sort of place you'd take your children to, not unless you wanted them to become little psychopaths that hide scorpions in the cookie jar. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long.
"I'm SUPER glad you came!!"
They say the eyes are the windows into a man's soul. I could see plenty of this guy's soul. Hell, a wrecking ball had gone through the house around it. I could see everything inside. The chairs, the plants, the glossy wooden flooring, the chandeliers ...
"Umm, I said I'm glad you came!"
... the grand piano, the marble kitchen countertops, the dusty bookcases ...
"Hello? Are you ... with us?"
... the priceless Ming vases, the stuffed yak ...
"Excuse me? Hello?"
"Why do you have a stuffed yak?"
"I'm sorry, a what?"
"Why is there a stuffed yak in your soul?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course you wouldn't. You have a stuffed yak in your soul."
"Okay, uh, I'm going to ... I'm going to remind you not to inhale so deeply. They smoke a lot of weird stuff in here."
He was right. I had a distinct feeling that there was something strange in the air, like when you see a walrus flying by on a Sunday afternoon. I tried to remain calm, slowly gather my thoughts like lambs going to the slaughter.
"So, I need you to find something for me."
"Ah, isn't that always the case?"
"Well, you are a detective, are you not?"
"I am today."
"Were you a detective yesterday?"
"Yes."
"How about the day before that?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's three days of experience at least! I'm satisfied. How about you?"
"What is this 'something' you need me to find? Some things can't be found, you know."
"No, this is something that can be found, I'm sure. Especially by you!"
"Meaning what, exactly?"
"You cracked the Xbox case right? The one with the Japanese hardware sales?"
"This is related?"
"It is! You see, last week's sales charts ... they just weren't funny."
"What's your point? These things aren't meant to be funny."
"That's just it, they usually are... or at least, they desperately try to be and are amusing simply for being such pathetic attempts. But last week, the humor just vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Gone! Not even a hint of comedy."
"And you want me to find this missing ... humor?"
"Yes! I know you can do it! I just know it!"
You just don't turn down a man with a stuffed yak in his soul. I took the case. To be honest, I felt a personal connection. The missing humor was upsetting. And it certainly wasn't funny, registering about as many laughs as a plane full of puppies crashing into a burning orphanage. I figured I'd begin with Joystiq, the same video game blog that played a role in my last case. I still didn't have time for the French, but I had to start somewhere.
Like a step on an escalator, one name kept coming up over and over again. My quest to find something without form had just become easier. All I had to do was find this guy, rough him up a little, and find out why he screwed up. First, I hit the streets.
Damn shoelaces coming untied all the time.
I then tried my old contacts. The blurred vision that resulted didn't help me at all.
Finally, I looked his name up in the phonebook. Phone, address, easy. I barely knocked on the door before it swung open.
"Hello, can I help you?"
I'm not sure what it was, but I was unable to describe this fellow. The usual narration in my mind had come to a grinding halt, like someone had thrown a bucket of...
"...wrenches into the cogs of your mind."
"Now hold on there mister. How did you --"
"Know what you were thinking?"
"And how do you --"
"Finish your sentences?"
A long pause wedged itself into the conversation.
"What are you waiting for?"
"You're just gonna keep interrupting me."
"No, I stopped that. I was just making a point."
"A what?"
"Don't you get it?"
"Well, I'm looking for --"
"A thing. Yes. That running joke is done. It's been round the block three times and now it's exhausted."
This guy was more confounding than a basket full of singing marzipan question marks.
"Oh, I haven't explained it to you yet?"
"Explained what?"
"Oh. I'm the writer, you see."
"The ... writer?"
"Yes. The writer of this story. The writer of you. The whole thing."
"I don't understand."
"You're just something I made up to prove a point. See, I have to explain why last week's sales chart was all boring and straightforward. So, I used you."
"So, this case ..."
"Yeah. The humor hasn't gone anywhere. It's not missing at all. I just took a break or something."
"I'm just a tool?"
"Yeah, you're a tool. And now I'm blackballing you. Goodbye."
Oh, it wasn't over. Not yet.
(Page 1) Reader Comments
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OUR TIME HAS COME!
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65k PSPs, that makes up for about 5 PS3s that haven't sold yet and are still sitting on the shelves, but still can't be found in stores, right SONY?
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Sony needs to thank Capcom for closing the gap (if only for the week) between the PSP and the DS. This is the closest it's been in weekly hardware units since the DS Lite launched.
And it looks like some day in the not so distant future the PS2 will outsell the PS3 for the week. Not saying it's a good or bad thing since a PS2 sales spike will probably happen when God of War 2 (or the like) is released. But I'm sure it won't please Sony and will get the fan boys all up in arms.
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It should be interesting to see next weeks sales numbers given that Mobile Suit Gundam just came out.
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And I guess some people thought that MHP2 was also on the Wii or the GBA.
Anyway, if this sales trend continues at this rate we'll have nothing left but the Wii and single-screen handhelds! DOOM PLUS GLOOM!
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DS Units sold > PSP Units sold
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I suspect the wii will sell a LOT, maybe more than either - but it will get the mamas and kids and miss out on the hardcore. And by hardcore I mean not just the million pros but 50 million people like me who are quite interested in gaming.
And the "graphics doesnt matter" line is BS, you dont want bloated system specs that raise the cost but a balance is needed. They got that with my favourite console ever the GC, which had great graphics at a low price, but IMO not with wii.Which is a bit sad, becasue Ninty seem like the only "decent" gaming company, both Sony and MS are crooks, if only they had pushed the hardware a bit, they could have blown out PS360.
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Let's look at Resistance... How much has that done for the PS3? Doesn't look like much of a Halo. The Gameplay is average but hasn't been pushing systems.
So just keep telling yourselves that these games actually mean anything to the average consumer. Just like how the xbox fanboys use to have disillusioned thoughts that Blinx was going to dethrone Mario. HA 4-D! LOL @ THAT!@
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""the grahpics dont matter line is BS""
yeah your right, content is for pussys
heres a question for everyone, if gears of war and rfom werent HD with amazing graphics, would you still like/play the game??
if it came out on PS2 and the original xbox with the same gamplay, would you still think its such an awsome game
if not, than that game blows and its pretty sad that your amused by shiny graphics and not gameplay
good graphics rock, but there not everything
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Easy answer, No, because not only would the graphics be hampered but also other gameplay elements. One does not simply reduce graphical output and expect a game to run on a 200mhz processor.
These attempts to trivialize the power of a machine never work because you really can't just reduce the graphical power of a game and expect it to work on a system so much slower.
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I love it when people say: "Nintendo only gets next versions from their franchise..." and then they go on to quote new games coming out for the ps3/360 like: "the new Final Fantasy, the new Metal Gear Solid, the new Grand Theft Auto.." etc.
So Metroid Prime 3 is a next version for Metroid Prime 2. And Grand Theft Auto 4 isn't the next version for Grand Theft Auto 3?
I know he said "PLUS" and added games that are hyped up, but may fail. But it's not saying that the Wii won't come out with sleeper hits.
I mean, who woulda thought that Eternal Darkness for the GCN would have been such a great game? No one, and it hit us pretty hard when it came out.
So stop acting like the Wii is "doomed" when the PS3 finally picks up pace. Because it's not. People will own the Wii, and will enjoy it. Like Nintendo said a while back (and I'm paraphrasing, because it's 4am): "If we're the 2nd console everyone purchases, then we'll be ahead of everyone else."
Yeah it was something like that. I just can't seem to remember.
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Just to play devil's advocate how many new IPs has a Nintendo system's had recently? I can name a few for Xbox and PS, Crackdown, Viva Pinata, Gears of War, Lost Planet, Dead Rising, God of War, Shadow of the Collossus, Okami, and those were all in the past year or so. Then there are also new IPs comming out soon such as Mass Effect, Bioshock, Lair, and Heavenly Sword. Not to say that any of these games are good or not, but they are definately not gaining fame by reusuing franchises (Well maybe bioshock).
I think that is why Nintendo gets so much heat for reusing franchise characters, because it seems that is all they do lately.
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It's a little unbalanced when you are considering Wii as a console rather than Nintendo's own list of titles vs. a list of titles that a group of individual companies released. Besides, Nintendo's had a couple on GC as well as a few on their portables.
But to start (these range all the way back to GC's early life):
-Golden Sun
-WarioWare
-Battallion Wars
-Pikmin
-Drill Dozer
-Brain Age
-Nintendogs
-Band Bros. (in Japan)
-Geist
-Eternal Darkness
-Trace Memory
-Animal Crossing
Not to mention A LOT of others.
Nintendo's CONSOLE offering may suffer from not having enough new IPs for Wii, but Nintendo as a developer has lots of IPs coming out, as well as ones that Miyamoto is working on and others for Wii that have yet to come out. So to get the most of Nintendo you'll probably want a DS.
$380 for WiiDS (250+130) may not be a bad deal, but that's up to you guys. :P
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Spending money on gaming is a Luxary, a Luxary I can afford, so I usually end up with more than my fair share of gaming devices :) Plus, I already have a DS, tho I don't plan on buying a Wii.
I was just trying to show the reason why people are quick to flame Nintendo for just reusing the franchise characters instead of comming up with new ones. If you look at the Wii's lineup, the most wanted games either have Mario, Metroid or Zelda in them.
I was playing devil's advocate. I don't care if they reuse the same characters over and over again and come up with nothing new. I'd rather them give me more of what I like, (2d Metroids, 2d Zeldas), than come up with a bunch of mediocre new games :)
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...I think that is why Nintendo gets so much heat for reusing franchise characters, because it seems that is all they do lately."
The argument has an understandable point. You can even see that in a few DS games. Though if the subject was about original IPs, Nintendo wouldn't be that bad of a slouch either.
Yes, I understand that you were playing Devil's Advocate which provides good reason to get better answers rather than sit on what works. ;)
"Plus, wouldn't you rather have someone that can give something closer along the lines of a proper argument rather than someone that spouts fanboy drivel and goes "ZOMG NINTENDO SUXORS" :)"
I think we could all enjoy that. But I consider myself a fanboy. I think it's just if you're more well-spoken or not. :P
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In any case, turns out this is the most amusing Japanese sales chart I've read since the advent of systemic lupus erythematosus. And that sounds bad, but it's actually not.
Anyway, I'll assist you in any way I can in your search and recovery effort. Keep high the times!
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"The wii may sell well now, but what happens after RE5, Assassin, GTA4, etc and even in exclusives PS3 and 360 are hammering the wii over 2007."
First off, you could've picked better games. Second, exclusives don't mean squat if hardly anyone owns the actual console (in this case, PS3). You don't just shake off a 59,191 units-sold difference. As for the 360, the Wii is still on-pace to at least reach it in units-sold before 2008 comes around. That's a year-long lead completely squandered.
That comment about the Wii being ahead if it's everyone's second console is quite true. However, it's currently better than that. So far, the Wii has been a lot of people's FIRST console.
@22 (Aex)
I have to agree with #24. That was quite unbalanced how you listed games, most of which are NOT being developed by Sony or Microsoft, and then compare that to Nintendo's first-party works. This isn't the GameCube. There's actually strong third-party support. During "The Loop" segment on AOTS (I believe a few weeks ago), they discussed third-party support for the Wii. One guy said it best by pointing out that most developers got caught with their pants down (with the huge launch success of the Wii), and now they're clamoring to get games out onto the console.
Can I list specific, third-party, potential killer-apps that can match that of the PS3 and 360 in 2007? Probably not, but when everyone (excited for or own the Wii) looks at almost every game for the console as good-to-great, the term "killer-app" means very little. Also, what happens after GTAIV, MGS4, and Halo 3? I know there's already quite a few developers signing-on to make Wii games for 2008.
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Well, I was placing it up against the successful library throughout the entire console. Unfortunately, on Nintendo systems, they seem to have the majority of successful games in their library, and have been doing so for a very long time.
Also, I didn't research that list, I was just spouting games off the top of my head that have dropped within the past year or so. I would have put Nintendo games on the list had I been able to think of any, but I couldn't recall of anything notible from Nintendo in the past year or so. Had I actually gone thru a list of releases for all of the consoles, I'm sure the list would have been much longer with a couple of Nintendo entries.
I also didn't bring in the handheld world because what happens in the handheld world does not directly relate to what goes on in the console world. Which is another reason for the Wii's criticism as well, as the criticism for the PSP.
Also, Since you brought up the topic, You said that the developer support for the Wii was strong, but with no proof to upcoming promising games, we could very much possibly end up with a bunch of developers looking to make a quick buck rather than provide a good gaming experience. I know if I was a developer I'd be working on something simple to get it out the door as fast as possible. In fact, here is a sample of the developer support the Wii is getting due to it's popularity.
http://kotaku.com/gaming/wii/metro-3d-floods-wii-with-crap-240588.php
Of course this could just be the negative side of me, crushing what I think to be, the overly positive side of you.
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We often blame Sony and Microsoft, for banking on sequels, when Nintendo does it more than the two combined. But more importantly, this shows sony, that nintendo's sequel strategy works when the game is right for the market.
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Ok Aex, new franchises on Nintendo systems? Since you added things like Shadow of the colossus I assume I can add in gamecube games. Since you said systems I can include portables.
Wii sports, Nintendogs, Brain training, Baten kaitos, elebits,jump superstars, battalion wars, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, donkey konga, super monkey ball, eternal darkness, Chibi robo, Geist, Killer 7, pikmin, viewtiful joe, feel the magic, super smash bros.
Then theres upcoming things like Orb, Sadness, ASH, Project hammer, No more heroes, Disaster day of crisis.
I can't be bothered thinking of anymore but I tried to only include games that got good reviews, so I could add stuff like Red steel in (2nd best selling title on wii). I think Nintendo are trying a lot harder than before to come up with original IPs. Not only that but they are bringing a lot of franchises that haven't seen games for a while like Metroid Prime, Fire emblem.
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Ok, so what I'm saying is obvious. But this week's chart simply proves it.
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I just dont buy the argument that good graphics = poor content. My fave game last-gen? RE4, and I sold the PS2 version, becuase I found the GC controller better but also because the graphics being so much better added to gameplay.
Besides that wasnt my point. Probably the wii would still end up leading. But as a big Ninty fan, with a N64 and GC, I just wished that they had made the hardware a bit better, and made some new franchises, because then they could have absolutely killed PS3 AND 360.
The wii 1st party games are rocking; but I feel extremely disapponted that Ninty not trying to create some new franchises with 3rd party. Sony for example has some 5-6 good new franchises coming out like Lair, Motorstorm, and at least some of them should come good. After all Ninty are the guys supposed to be wickedly creative, they reinvented not one, but TWO franchises last time: Metroid and Resident Evil.
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You think that the DS's library is going to remain stagnant?
What do you think will happen when Dragon Quest comes out?
PSP doesn't have the games to match up to the DS
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Nintendo has taken many chances over the last few years with original IPs. Look at Pikmen. Sure many reviewers and gamers ripped it for it's laid back, cutesy nature. But if you take the exact same design of Pikmen and replace the plantlife with tanks, bombers, jeeps and the usual machines of war and doom, we would have had possibly the best console RTS game ever made for a console.
Look at Custom Robo. Not exactly a new IP but getting past the retarded character designs and the toned down graphics of the overworld and characters and you have a hybrid Armored Core/Virtua ON title that has great gameplay with some to spare, especially when the illegal parts come into play in four player deathmatch.
Chibi Robo, another quirky original IP that just happens to be too strange for it's own good but is something that can be built on and polished further in the future.
Then there are other Nintendo franchises that haven't been in the spotlight before but are getting recognition now....Fire Emblem, Mother, Advanced Wars. Nintendo isn't just about Mario and Zelda even though those games sell like hotcakes. You still have F-Zero, Excitetruck/ExciteBike series, 1080 snowboarding (64 version), WaveRace, Starfox, Mario Kart, Kid Icarus (as we hope for a Wii sequel) Metroid, Kirby, Wario. When you look at Nintendo's portfolio, it's actually pretty diverse and the overall quality can't be denied.
Personally, I don't care for some of Nintendo's games and wouldn't mind seeing the people responsible for certain titles fired (like the team that made 1080 for GC) but the games I do care about are stellar and I would be hard pressed to find similar games that are as good, not to mention better, than Nintendo's own.
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"Lair, Motorstorm" do you realize that it isnt first party right?
same goes to Resident Evil.
so i might add Sadness, No more Heroes, Dewy's to my nintendo first party just to make me feel better.
oh and look here at the first party lineup for the wii, this year:
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Disaster: Day of Crisis
DK Bongo Blast
Animal Crossing
Forever Blue
Kirby Adventure
Mario Party 8
Mario Strikers Charged
Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Super Mario Galaxy
Battalion Wars II
Wii Health Pack
Wii Music
i can see at least 5 brand new franchise, and 1st party only ok?
and what the hell with all you ppl saying nintendo milk mario?
since the snes the main serie only got ONE game per generation, snes got smw, n64 got mario64, gamecube got sms, and wii will get smg. THATS 4 GAMES FOR 4 GENERATIONS
now look at RE, DMC, FF, MGS, you cant say the same.
please use another example when talking about milked franchises, mario just isnt.
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First, while a Monster Hunter 3 has not been confirmed for PS3, it has been heavily hinted towards. At this point, it's all but confirmed but there could be a suprise announcement. Having said that, AWAY WE GO!
I love how people love to bash the PSP. Especially people claiming to be gamers. Remember this arguement from not so long ago? The difference between PS2 and Gamecube is that gamecube caters to hardcore gamers (this was also said about Xbox). I love this arguement because it was, back then, bullshit. The ultimate goal of a console is to cater to both hardcore gamers and casual gamers. Nintendo and Microsoft both failed to do this last gen. Then again, unlike Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft were both focused on an East vs. West mentality, effectively slamming the door shut for global acceptance.
Now, having said that, here's my issue. Nintendo DS focuses on casual gamers. Occasionally they will drop something for the hardcore but the focus has been on the casual to nongamers. When a hardcore gamer style game comes out, it's often disappointing (see: RPGs) and many companies are developing games just because it's Nintendo DS and they feel they have to get something out there. Which is the wrong mentality to take since it leads to complete shit like Deep Labyrinth where the purpose of that game was simply "a dungeon crawler with DS controlls... go!" But, because Nintendo DS focuses so heavily on the nongamers, it has reached iPod status. Many people buying it just for software you normally would NOT see on a console (see: Brain Training and Yoga... and 1000 recipes). DS at this point is 100% untouchable. And while I wish I could say I'm happy about this direction and where the console is going from here, you have two RPGs with established histories of being for the hardcore gamer. Dragon Quest IX is coming to DS but leaving it's turn based roots in favor of multiplayer party systems and touch screen attacks. FFXII is coming but as the director has already stated, they are aiming for people who do not normally play RPG games, an FFXII:Mystic Quest, if you will. And as much as it pains me to say this, this is what we are seeing from Nintendo DS. A console that caters to the non gamers but occassionally drops a bone here and there for the hardcores (last Nintendo DS game I bought was FFIII).
PSP, however, seems to be the exact polar opposite. Aside from console ports, PSP seems almost perfectly aligned with the hardcore gamer mentality. I mean, hell, they even brought the tactical war RPGs over from Japan, a step we haven't seen since PSX days. You have Sony catering to the hardest of the hardcore gamers, practically saying "fuck you if you're not hardcore" with drops like Killzone: Liberation, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Field Commander, and yes, even established series like Legend Of Heroes (seriously, who aside from hardcore JRPG fans could possibly love this game series). You have a console focusing almost entirely on the hardcore gamer genres and hell, even providing some fun pick up and play titles (Like DJ Max Portable). But that's not the focus of the machine and the consumer base knows that. Sony, while pursuing the category of gamers that never decides the outcome of the war, has managed to completely alienate their bread and butter. Hell, they've even managed to do everything in their power to ignore all these new gamers Nintendo has brought into the fold (and one can easily argue this same shortcoming exists in the PS3s focus). This is where PSP fails. Not as a console, but as not recognizing and adapting to current market trends. While I appreciate the Sony that focuses on hardcore gamers, I also miss the Sony that dropped EyeToy. They need to get back in touch with both styles of gamers if they hope to pull themselves from this slump. PSP is not a failure, but it's impossible to catch up with Nintendo now. All they can do is hedge the bets, establish a brand, and take notes for the next assault.
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Motorstorm is first party.
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and the casuals say the same to sony.
im a lapsed player, i got lapsed cos of sony generation, i had a ps1 but no desire to own a ps2, since its the same old games but prettier...
and i know there are a lot ppl like me out there, more ppl like me then are "hardcore" players..
and we are greeting nintendo cos of what they are doing
and if sony think they can get away with just suppporting hardcore, thats what they get, low sales. :)
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The Kirby games could be said for the hardcore.
Wario Master of Disquise.
Star Fox Command.
Mario Hoops.
Elite Beat Agents is a hardcore rhythm game that the casuals can get into since the stylus opens up the way for them.
Did you try Lost Magic? That one is hard.
Izuna is a rougelike game that will kick your butt nine ways from sunday.
Hotel Dusk is the old school adventure game.
Gunpey for the DS is considered superior to the psp version. You can even use the buttons if you want.
"Dragon Quest IX is coming to DS but leaving it's turn based roots in favor of multiplayer party systems and touch screen attacks."
That could be considered a good thing. The series needs a fresh perspective if only to clean the palate.
Also why would bringing new gamers into it be bad? It would mean drastically increased sales for the next installment. Also the older games could be bought from used game shops or if the older ones are still being sold they will be bought in higher numbers then they would have been ordinarly.
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I think the main thing that shows, in general, is that the market is starting to shift to gaming as a convenience rather than a chore. The 100 hour epics are no longer the defining trends and the pick up and playability of the thing becomes it's selling point. I consider myself a hardcore gamer and there are points where even I get annoyed when a games controls cannot be explained by a simple diagram.
I mean hell, for an example, I still haven't beaten FFXII. This has never happened before. Taking me this long to beat an FF game. And yet, here I am, on the rare occassions I get a chance to game, I'm either booting up Beatmania IIXD Happy Sky, or jumping into Lumines or Tetris DS. It's not to show I hate other games, it's just showing I no longer have 2+ hour intervals to invest in games nowadays (actually, because I'm not only deep in dev with two games of my own, but also taking on freelance art jobs and even maintaining a full time job. Hell, I work about 60-80 hours a week).
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I say no. Here's what IGN said about R:FoM: "Take a few steps away from your television with squinted eyes and you could mistake it for Call of Duty or Medal of Honor."
@Aex "Easy answer, No, because not only would the graphics be hampered but also other gameplay elements. One does not simply reduce graphical output and expect a game to run on a 200mhz processor."
What precisely does R:FoM do that couldn't be done on a PS2? Resistance has some new weapons, but Insomniac created equally impressive weapons in their PS2 Ratchet and Clank series. The A.I. is very good, but it's nothing we haven't seen before. The only things I can think of are 1) R:FoM calculates the collisions of each piece of shrapnel, while a PS2 version would just calculate the blast radius, and 2) you shake the controller to escape when grabbed by an enemy, while a PS2 version would just mash the buttons. Those are hardly make-or-break gameplay elements.
Most of the improvements in gameplay in PS3 and 360 games are merely the evolution of techniques learned in previous games, and we've seen similar improvements in gameplay in recent PS2 games like God of War II! PS3 and 360 hardware should be capable of so much more, but developers are still using the same tools and techniques they used in their PS2 games.
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On the DS, I can play Castlevania Portrait of Ruin, New Super Mario Bros., Advance Wars: Dual Strike, Final Fantasy III, Ouendan, Phoenix Wright, etc etc etc. To say these games can't appeal to a hardcore gamer is absurd.
And just because Dragon Quest will end turn-based gameplay for that series doesn't mean it won't appeal to hardcore gamers. Don't judge it until you've seen it.
On my PSP (when I had it), I had Daxter (I know this was rated highly but I hated it), SSX On Tour (much worse than PS2 version, which itself was much worse than SSX3), Hot Shots Golf (which was good, although I already have it on PS2), Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins (fantastic graphics but the gameplay is sorely dated), Lumines (was fun for a while but it got boring), and Taiko no Tatsujin (fun but not as fun as the PS2 version and definitely not as fun as Ouendan).
My point is that the PSP, much like the Gamecube, has a very limited library and is only good for people to buy if they have very specific games they want to play.
The DS, on the other hand, has a vast library with many games in many different genres. Hardcore gamers, non-gamers, lapsed gamers, and yes, even Okaasan who wants to store her recipes, they can all find something they need on the DS. Hell, two of my friends just bought DSes so they could use them as Japanese-English dictionaries.
While I admire you trying to argue your point, it's a stupid one, because I play "hardcore" games on my DS every day. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go back to playing Yoshi's Island on my DS.
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Remember, the Xbox 360 and PS3 aren't going to give us a breathtaking new AI. They have those pesky in-order processors that keep that from happening. Both of them are just the previous version on steroids. Xbox 1.5 AND PS2.5. As it stands, Sony and Microsoft have failed to demonstrate how their systems can do something so radically different from the previous generation that it makes the average gamer want to jump onto the bandwagon. The graphical wow wears out in about 15 minutes.
A new console should bring an experience that can't be quantified. The inner qualities should be new. Physics and graphics can be quantified. When the key pre-launch hype revolves around system specs, we can assume the system won't do well.
NES brought semi-realistic representations of characters over the 2600 era of blocks. SNES expanded the world to allow large games and enhanced audio. N64/PS1 gave us the taste of a 3D world. PS2/Xbox/Gamecube brought that 3D world into a reality. What is the PS3/Xbox 360 offering? The worlds are already huge, getting much bigger means players losing out on content (Daggerfall was as large as the British Isles, but players never saw more than 1% of it). Gameplay mechanics aren't going to fundamentally change like they did going from 2D to 3D or from tiny, limited 3D worlds to fully-spanned 3D worlds.
The only new experiences we are getting can be had without buying a new console. Those are a bald guy making a fool of himself in the press by saying something that is sitting on shelves doesn't exist or hearing audio clips of pre-pubescent overweight boys scream obscenities over Gears of War. All other advancements are immaterially incremental. As stated above, individual shrapnel vectors vs a broader radius. That doesn't fundamentally change a game.
The Xbox 360 and PS3 are being treated as a video card upgrade. The high-end PC gaming market is tiny for a reason. Expense and lack of anything new; these new consoles have that in common. Expense and nothing new.
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