Level 5 president Akihiro Hino has confirmed that RPG White Knight Chronicles will be coming to North America in a recent interview with Famitsu, and while I am normally always psyched to hear that a JRPG is coming my way, I feel unsure about this one. It definitely didn't help to hear that the game only got a lukewarm reception in Japan, but also watching the trailers I get that dreaded feeling that I could be looking at something that has that canned RPG feel, which is never a good sign.
On the other hand, I do trust Level 5, and I do like the ideas that the online elements present. When asked if the online capabilities would include cross play between American and Japanese gamers, Hino did not give any details, saying it "hadn't been decided yet".
This would make things pretty interesting if so, and while I am hoping to see voice chat capabilities for the game in the future, the two things in tandem could make for some very awkward interactions. I'm sure they'll hammer out all the bump before the game's release here in the states.
I actually became slightly less interested in the game when I heard it would be online, but I'm interested to see how it does. I don't exactly trust the opinions of Japanese publications that strongly when the most highly regarded magazine is the notorious Famitsu.
Man this generation has been very bad for jrpg fans.
With no major console taking the RPG helm from the ps2, I've been feeling pretty lost.
I love my 360 (i own ps3 too), but i'm mostly using it to play FPS or whatever action game that peaks my interest.
I understand JP developers predicament. Wii would be the money making choice, but Nintendo has never been very rpg friendly since the days of the n64, but for some reason their portables have attracted tons of rpg developers. The 360 sells like shit in japan, and the ps3's user base is still pretty damn small to make up for the development costs of making an rpg on the system. What is a rpg developer to do?
So far in the Japanese front, the DS and PSP have started getting more and more rpgs (most of them being ports though), but 2009 is looking to be a great year for japanese rpg fans if they own a DS. There are tons of original IP rpgs being planned to release in 2009 on the DS.
However, what about the major consoles? Star Ocean 4 and FFXIII, and thats it. What is a japanese rpg fan to do? Unless your own one of million of casual gaming japanese housewives buying wii fit or stupid shovelware for your grade school kid, the japanese rpg gamer has nothing.
What does this mean for us American JRPG fans? Are we going to depend on portable rpgs till the next generation of consoles?
One friend of mind (a huge rpg fan) hasn't even bought a new system yet. He can't justify the cost for one good rpg on a system. He only plays rpgs, so whats the point if he can only expect one decent game to play ayear on a 300-400 dollar system. He asks me what he should do, and I honestly have no fucking answer.
2008 was pretty damn shitty for us jrpg fans. It was filled by ports and half-assed shitty 360 rpgs by square.
The only rpgs worth mentioning in 2008 was World Ends With you (an awesome rpg, should be rpg of the year, but its a portable game), Persona 4 (its great, but its a ps2 game so it doesn't count), Lost Odyssey (a medicore rpg), and Tales of Vesperia (another mediocre rpg, does the job and its pretty, but ain't as good as Tales of the Abyss).
So there you have it, only 2 main console rpgs worth mentioning, and both of them are on the mediocre side of things. The other 2 are unbelievably awesome, but one is on a portable system, and the other is on a system that will no longer have games.
Yeah it has been a rough 2 years for us rpg fans, and 2009 doesn't seem be looking any better. God help us American JRPG fans if Star Ocean 4 is a flop, and FFXIII gets pushed for 2010 US release.
WKC's reception in Japan is anything but lukewarm. It was number 1 selling game last week, above Final Fantasy Dissidia. That article you linked to was only a rumour.
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Contest:
2:20 PM on 01.07.2009
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With no major console taking the RPG helm from the ps2, I've been feeling pretty lost.
I love my 360 (i own ps3 too), but i'm mostly using it to play FPS or whatever action game that peaks my interest.
I understand JP developers predicament. Wii would be the money making choice, but Nintendo has never been very rpg friendly since the days of the n64, but for some reason their portables have attracted tons of rpg developers. The 360 sells like shit in japan, and the ps3's user base is still pretty damn small to make up for the development costs of making an rpg on the system. What is a rpg developer to do?
So far in the Japanese front, the DS and PSP have started getting more and more rpgs (most of them being ports though), but 2009 is looking to be a great year for japanese rpg fans if they own a DS. There are tons of original IP rpgs being planned to release in 2009 on the DS.
However, what about the major consoles? Star Ocean 4 and FFXIII, and thats it. What is a japanese rpg fan to do? Unless your own one of million of casual gaming japanese housewives buying wii fit or stupid shovelware for your grade school kid, the japanese rpg gamer has nothing.
What does this mean for us American JRPG fans? Are we going to depend on portable rpgs till the next generation of consoles?
One friend of mind (a huge rpg fan) hasn't even bought a new system yet. He can't justify the cost for one good rpg on a system. He only plays rpgs, so whats the point if he can only expect one decent game to play ayear on a 300-400 dollar system. He asks me what he should do, and I honestly have no fucking answer.
2008 was pretty damn shitty for us jrpg fans. It was filled by ports and half-assed shitty 360 rpgs by square.
The only rpgs worth mentioning in 2008 was World Ends With you (an awesome rpg, should be rpg of the year, but its a portable game), Persona 4 (its great, but its a ps2 game so it doesn't count), Lost Odyssey (a medicore rpg), and Tales of Vesperia (another mediocre rpg, does the job and its pretty, but ain't as good as Tales of the Abyss).
So there you have it, only 2 main console rpgs worth mentioning, and both of them are on the mediocre side of things. The other 2 are unbelievably awesome, but one is on a portable system, and the other is on a system that will no longer have games.
Yeah it has been a rough 2 years for us rpg fans, and 2009 doesn't seem be looking any better. God help us American JRPG fans if Star Ocean 4 is a flop, and FFXIII gets pushed for 2010 US release.
However
Lost Odyssey has it faults, but is not mediocre.
Star Ocean 4 looks fucking retarded. Almost embarrassing.
This game looks pretty cash. Both offline and on.
Anyways still good to know now to confirm a european release please....
P.S. Anyone with a Rogue Galaxy save around Chapter 8 on their PS3 and willing to email the file please PM me.
I can't wait!
Hopefully they'll keep the theme song intact when it crosses the big pond.
I think you're confusing the reception for this particular game, with the reception of this particular generation of hardware.