I'm not sure if the news of the change to less "anime" faces in Star Ocean 4 turned any of you off enough to keep you from buying the game when it comes out, but if that type of thing doesn't bother you, you may want to get a gander at the new scans that Gamekyo has posted today. There's more pretty images to ogle, not to mention a gigantic pink rabbit that looks a bit like Cait Sith in bunny form.
I want to complain about the changing of the anime-styled faces, but then I think about the brilliant Valkyria Chronicles, which featured breathtaking anime-inspired characters and topped "best of" lists, yet sold about as well as the Apple Pippin (okay, maybe just a little better than that, but still). Let's face it, a lot of us may like anime stylings in our gaming experiences, but it's not where the money's at.
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Contest:
5:20 PM on 02.10.2009
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What about you fools? Is there someone out there that has decided they aren't going to get this game anymore for this reason?
Atlus and NIS America are perfect examples of publishers that know how to address the right-size audience. They've consistently exercised good judgment and perception when it comes to finding their niche, and marketing heavily towards the people that will care, buy, and spread the word. There's a reason the Atlus newsletter is pretty much the only publisher newsletter worth reading.
Valkyria's failure had nothing to do with the art, it was all horrible marketing and the fact the average jrpg "fanboy" despises Strategy RPGS not named Final fantasy tactics and doesnt even consider them part of the genre.
I don't know, I've always been surprised be the sheer volume of irrational comments video game players make about the most superficial aspects. Heck, take a look at the "controversies" that flared up when Diablo III or Street Fighter IV screenshots first started appearing.
Now realize that Japanese fans have a tendency to be EVEN MORE fickle and suddenly things begin to make sense and make you want to curl up into a little ball and cry.
Anywho: I'm disappointed they felt it necessary to change around the battle portraits and the status page character portraits, etc. to CG rather than Anime, but it's not exactly a huge deal. I do think they should have kept it the way it is in the Japanese version, though.
I mean, I played the Tactics Advance games, and those characters look ridiculous.
...trust me, leaving the anime portraits will save you time...
There's just a certain perception about anime from non-fans that is hard to avoid. I consider it to be a very niche kind of thing, and I know it's not just me! I have nothing against it, but I just know that it's viewed in much the same way as say, D&D or Magic: The Gathering.
Also, when looking around for VC info, I found a lot (A LOT!) of people who said they wouldn't buy the game because it lacked trophies. Between stuff like that, the art style, the game being on one platform, the poor release date and having little to no publicity behind it, it just had no chance.
Valkria never had a chance because it's a turn-based strategy game (and the Sega marketing, etc etc). Go find me ONE TBS that has ever done well in the US that wasn't branded with FF. And the few people that do buy those games are an Atlus/NIS type of crowd, many of which probably don't have a PS3 (since most of those kind of games are on portable systems these days).
Now it would be interesting to redo all the graphics and repackage it as "Call of Duty: Gallian War" just to see how many people you could trick into buying it since it technically has "realtime" combat sequences.
And besides, we all know the real reason is because it had "Chronicles" in the name.
And I'd wish square had payed attention to that because there about to make the same mistake. This game is launching right in the middle of 4 hyped up games( Killzone 2, Street fighter 4, Halo wars, and resident evil 5.). Add to the fact the there isn't even a PS3 version as of now ( the system that is still considered to have most of the rpg fanbase) and you have Valkyria Chronicles all over again.
I'm thankful sega is deciding to launch another campaign for Valkyria Chronicles in the spring ( were we are light on games and stuff like Valkyria Chronicles can get some attention, cause if White Knight Chronicles get those kind of sales there was no reason this game should have floped the way it did)and I wish square would have payed attention, it may not be the holidays but there walking into a similar situation.
mmmmm should have worded that a little better
I not trying to say the 360 does'nt have a rpg base, but with such rabid sales ( demon souls sold out)ignoring the ps3 would be stupid especially considering rpg's as a whole have kinda fallen from grace.They say they need sellers but seem to do everything in there power to make sure that doesn't happen.
The rpg market as a whole is in need of a boost, it just isn't what it used to be. And if square intends to propell rpg's back into the mainstram like they used to be then ignoring that many fans destroys the chance of that happenning.
there tying to restore the rpg market but ignoring at least one half of it.Thinking like that is doomed to failure, And the longer they take to correct it the worse its gonna get.The 360 does have an rpg base but its nowhere near the number they need. neither is the ps3 side. There gonna need both halves to pull this off, so letting the other half wait ( and lose interest )is not a good idea.
And as I pointed out launching a game in between four really hyped games isn't a good idea unless you have a really hyped game yourself.
A ton of video game people like anime but I doubt they would not buy the game due to a lack of it.
birthday wishes