My envy over the ocean: a tribute to the games I never saw released!

There have been more than enough times now in which the gaming companies we support have made questionable decisions that we really can’t quite agree with. Large businesses have their big corporate strategies at making the most piles of money possible, and sometimes, the things I want get lost in this translation. I cannot comprehend why this happens, for I’m not a big business with a penchant for making enough cash to comfortably sleep on every day. And since I don’t understand the process, do I have any right to complain when I don’t get what I want?

Yeah, course I do. I’m a consumer; its in my nature to want, expect, and attack when things happen to not go my way. For every Fatal Frame 4 that stays at home I die a little inside, for every Final Fantasy VII I see elsewhere that I cant play on my PSP or have to put a disc in every time like a sucker, my envy of other superior territories rises just that little bit more. Sure it wont hinder my enjoyment of other aspects of this gaming world I inhabit: my third play of Super Mario Galaxy will be just as amazing as the first two, and listening to the PR garbage that spews from my favourite industry executive, Mr Reggie “What!? You got Animal Crossing!” Fils-Amie will be just as hilarious and entertaining as what the man has pulled off in the past. I love this industry! Its ups and downs keep me entertained every time I look into its glass bubble, even if those downs can be quite crushing sometimes.

So, to commemorate the non-release of Fatal Frame 4 at the end of this year, I would like to pay tribute to the many other “Screw You” moments I’ve been witness to over the years. As a British gamer, I’ve seen a lot of titles I’ve wanted simply not granted a release over here: even the ones that were translated into English. And others that were granted release over here, having sequels never make it out of Japan. Lets take a look at a few of them shall we.


Do you want to be in this guy's club? Yes you do.

So, Disaster hasn’t come out in America yet, but I guess I can vouch with the fact that I haven’t bothered with it yet that its not that big a loss. But then again, I bet across the pond over there, you can tell me from experience that Baten Kaitos Origins, or Cubivore aren’t worth it. It doesn’t stop me wanting them though. It’s the principles that hurt the most.

Yes, these differences in regional releases are very annoying indeed. Every questionable decision made by these gaming companies makes me a bit jealous of what I can’t have: no Fatal Frame IV, no Muramasa until 2010 for us. I can look at the positives: Rhythm Tengoku has been localized, and to the date the only PSN game I’ve downloaded is Silent Hill, which isn’t out in America yet. (though if I looked on their store I’d probably find about three more games I’d get instead)

So what options do we have? Shrugs. Get a freeloader and pay a lot of money, hoping in the Wii’s case that it doesn’t block it anytime soon. Or there’s the obvious choice to just play the pile of games that you already have. Either way, in the end I know that I am just going to hop back on this gaming train and watch the frustration, hilarity and entertainment live as it unfolds, having a heck of a time on the journey.