Just c-blogged about it...literally just did it.

This sort of thing is maddening. Why bother playing the game? Just grab yourself a bunch of Microsoft Points, level yourself up to 99, and burn through the enemies.

I'm hoping the "(1)" means it's a one-time purchase. While it's still dumb, it's better than letting someone just ruin the game experience.

Gah! It's like developer-approved Action Replay codes.

To each his own I guess... I can't see myself ever paying for things like this.

Meh, it's hardly a scam. It's pretty clear exactly what they are selling and since the game is single player only, it's not really hurting anyone. Sure it's kind of a dumb idea, but these things are just extra little things for the rich and time constrainted gamer. As long as it doesn't effect the rest of the game and it's not stuff that was taken out just to become DLC it's fine by me. Why get upset over stupid things that don't really effect anyone?

Dhampirs?

The more I think about this, though, the more I see that it really isn't that bad of an idea, really. Like a couple people here have said already, at least they didn't lock content on the disc and make you pay for it like they did with Katamari and Soul Calibur.

I don't see any problem with this.

This is commonplace on Korean MMORPGs (and other MMORPGs). They can't help it if whiny Americans and Europeans won't get on board with microtransactions.

It's a little ridiculous but it doesn't surprise me at all. Especially with an RPG, some people don't have time to grind levels and thus lose interest in the game before they can even beat it, so this could help that. I'm not saying that I'll buy it, which I wont, I'm just saying I'm not completely shocked at it.

wait... so i pay them extra... to play the game for me? in an MMO i can almost understand it since the games are simply designed to take too long to play/ to eat up your time/ maintain your subscription fee (you can tell i'm a big fan.) But in a normal game the length -theoretically- should be dictated by the story/gameplay content. oh brave new world...

This is worse than paying a dude to go to the military when you're drafted.

In case you want to get the plot of the game without having to grind. I'm for it from a storytelling point of view. Also, agree with people saying its dumb to complain if you wont use it.

...That's actually the first use I've seen of Scamco Bandai.

(Please tell me it was coined around the time Beautiful Katamari came out.)

If enough people are willing to buy it, they'll be willing to sell it too..

And by enough people, I mean, 10 people is sufficient for the development cost of levelling up through dlc, should take a few hours of their programmer... It is not like they are putting any effort in the DLC at all, it has a near 100% profit margin.

so i pay namco and microsoft so i can play the game.

then i turn around and pay namco and microsoft so i don't have to play the game?

huh?

Ok, so why complain about it if it doesn't even affect you? Don't want the DLC? Don't buy it then and stfu up about it...this will only become more common as DLC spreads. And be happy this isn't an MMO, a crap ton of MMOs do this shit, and reward people who have a retarded amount of money to spend on a game.

I could see the pissing and moaning being appropriate if this shit was required to finish the game, but from what I can tell, they're just charging money so that sucky gamers can suck less.

I'm not a member of the video-game police force over here, so what do I care if somebody buys this stuff? Not that I'd be inclined to care even if I were a member of this imaginary squad. While it might be ballsy of Namco to sell level-ups, it doesn't effect me at all. I'll just keep my wallet closed, and that will be that.

Do you think that this game is going to be big enough that you'll find anyone outside your circle of friends who has also played it? And do you think that when you chance upon one of these people that their first inclination upon finding out that you played the game will be to question your integrity, just because Namco is offering sucky gamers the chance to get further in the game than they arguably have any right to get, for a fee? Probably not. And if they do, then who the shit cares? Just stab them in the eye with a spork, then stand over them as they they lie in the fetal position clutching at the wound, and laugh at their pain like a mad-man as they cry. They're obviously assholes that don't think too highly of their fellow man, and deserve to be re-educated.

If you're worried about what your friends are going to say, well consider this. Your friends are dicks. Moreover, who gives a shit whether or not they believe you when you say that you spent countless hours to beat a videogame legitimately? The only scenario in which it would matter whether or not anyone believes you, would be if your family was being held hostage, and that you had to beat the game without paying to level up as a condition of their release.

All kidding aside, there is no badge of honor to be won or lost here. Not really. I guess the closest you get to one is if you take your hobby to the professional level, but then all you really get is a line of crappy computers with your gamer-tag spray-painted on them by retarded children working for slave-wages, and I don't know that it's worth it.
Don't get me wrong, the dedication you show to the hobby is impressive, but it also has little real-world value. And more to the point, that some dip-shit can cheat doesn't really get in the way of you choosing not to do the same. If some fuck-stick doesn't believe that you beat the game, well, what do you care?

So yeah, I think you're reaching a little too hard to legitimize what is essentially pointless complaining. I mean, if you play games solely to brag about your achievments to other people, then it's arguable that you've already ruined games for yourself long before Namco came to town. And if that's not the case, then this doesn't keep youf rom being able to enjoy the game, wholly independent of whether or not your friends believe you beat it legitimately.

I'm the one who is going to "buy" it, well not literally .Justify time: some gamers who aren't hardcore gamers(lots of my acuantences sadly) don't have time to spend 30 hours to level up and beat some of the bosses in the game. for a measly $3 you save 30 hours($1 per hour). I get stuck on some bosses so I get tired of the game if I fail to many times and put them back on the shelves(*cough* Kingdom Hearts 1, Ninja Gaiden *cough*). Its nice to know if I want to get pass those irritating parts in the game I can cough up a few bucks to deal with that. Oh, and of course this is OPTIONAL! if you thinks the company whats to scam you well...of course they do!!! companies always want your money. If you want to cheat your way thru the whole game(or parts of them) Namco has provided a solution for both them and you( you get your way and they get your cash). Its not like they are asking you to buy the actual ending to the game that should have been there in the 1st place...yet.

Quiotu,

That Cyber guy summed up what would have been my response to you pretty well but I have to add one thing.

You said, "DinnertimeNinja, you just pointed out why this is bullshit. 'Offering DLC that's already on the disc that you can't get through playing is BS.' Well, that's exactly what they did."

How is this not already on the disc for free? It's called GRINDING. You can still do it whether or not you pay for this stuff and OBVIOUSLY you can still go up 10 levels with a little time and effort.

Also, this is an RPG, meaning you can choose to play it in a manor that requires no skill at all. Can't beat a boss? Grind for an hour. Hell, Grind for 10 HOURS. Suddenly, the game is a cakewalk.

I don't know what magical fairly land you live in where your friends are questioning your integrity on beating games but seriously, put on some grown up pants and move on.

I liken this DLC to purchasing a strategy guide. This magical book alows you to find rare and powerful weapons and armor that you wouldn't have found otherwise making the game easier, but OH NOES IT COST MONEYZ?!? I have to get out my bitch stick and hit pots and pans until someone listens to me and validates my WOES. *tear*

chaos591, either you don't know how to present yourself clearly or you missed DinnertimeNinja's point entirely.

I just wish that Namco-Bandai had implemented cheat codes instead. Remember those, game developers? Cheat codes? Good times.

If you preordered Vesperia at GAME you got one of all those codes for 'free'.