Posts Tagged ‘GTA4’

It seems that the online gaming community in the West is suffering from a feeling of entitlement. A belief that Japanese developers should be striving for simultaneous worldwide releases of their top tier games (most recently Final Fantasy XIII). This desire is completely self motivated and while it’s a sentiment I understand but one I can no longer sympathise with.

Living out here very quickly you come to realise that the West does little to support the Japanese gamer. Numerous top titles take months before they get an Eastern release, if they ever come here. Grand Theft Auto IV had to wait six months before it got a Japanese release (by Capcom not Take 2,) Gears of War 2 is still waiting for a confirmed release date. Even downloadable titles suffer from the same delays with Pain (on PSN) finally coming out this month.

These are just a few examples to demonstrate that staggered releases go two ways. It can be easy to forget when you are eager to your hands on a big title that every region is guilty of prioritising releases of their titles. Indeed Japanese companies tend to do a far better job pushing their titles through to the West. Back in the PS2 days, Metal Gear Solid 3 and Tekken 4 were both released in the US before Japan because that is traditionally where the game sold best.

Final Fantasy XIII will sell well in other regions but it is in Japan that it will be a national phenomenon. Blizzard announced Star Craft 2 first in Korea because it was where it would have the most impact. It’s the same thing for the FF series in Japan. Square Enix loses nothing by releasing it in Japan first, it make more sense for them to spend their time and resources on getting a game out where it will be a cultural event. They will worry about the world market later, possibly when the exchange rate swings in their favor.

Until they decide they are ready to translate their game for an audience outside Japan, stop feeling so damn self entitled. It’s unbecoming.

Dead Space arrived late and I haven’t yet been able to finish it. So you have to endure another fifteen ten word reviews of old games.

Burnout Paradise (360, PS3) – ‘This is amazing! Faster, faster! Shit! Bollard!’ I said bollard.

Gears of War (PC, 360) – Shallow, visceral fun that integrates a good use of cover.

GTA4 (360, PS3) – It’s just GTA again but polished to a blinding shine.

Halo 3 (360) – All I wanted was a Warthog section to finish. Done.

Hotel Dusk: Room 213 (DS) – An interesting detective game but too undirected to be fun.

Lost Planet (PC, 360, PS3) – Aesthetic and game play compensate for story and last level.

Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops (PSP) – Happily hold a Naked Snake in your hands for hours.

Ninja Gaiden 2 (360) – Masochistic gamers rejoice. Ryu is back in his tight rubber.

No More Heroes (Wii) – Nut-job director Suda 51 makes another acquired taste gaming gem.

Okami (PS2, Wii) – Despite slow some patches, the best recent non-Zelda, Zelda game.

Resident Evil 4 (GC, PS2, Wii) –You kill zombies. It’s fun. Unfortunately it’s showing its age.

Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) – I love Nintendo but fuck this crappy, unashamed, fan-exploiting game.

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) – Sublime. Without a doubt the best game on the system.

Zack and Wiki (Wii) – Please ignore the game, a fantastic point and click adventure

Zelda and the Twilight Princess (Wii) – Far from the best Zelda, but that’s hardly a criticism.