I was browsing through magicbox, reading up on some past news, and was extremely happy to see that Sega will be releasing a new Sakura Taisen game for the US/Euro market.
Here is the link if anyone is interested. Its under "Game Forecast"
Well, they are raving about it on MegaTokyo too, but seeing that it was never released on the Dreamcast in the US, I wonder where this will end up, it could be XBox, GameCube or PS2 that’s anyone’s guess. Or it could end up on GameBoy Advance, not impossible. I will support it, but I wonder what kind of risk Sega is taking with this… Unless they are planning to make it somewhat of a clone of the popular game archetypes currently hot in US, like FPS or Turn-Based Strategy or maybe just the original nice RPG. Seeing I don’t have any of those consoles yet, it might also be difficult for me to support it.
I read that blurb again. It says it will target for overseas market, which most likely means Europe will see it before we do because they have the same NTSC format I believe. But, America has that whole Anime explosion thing going for it, and they probably will look to sales (speculation, don’t quote me on this at all) of the Sakura Taisen OVA from ADV Films, maybe. Also since Sega announced that the Sega Dreamcast will no longer have any games released for it in the US, but there are still a trickle coming out in Europe, who knows?
[This message has been edited by bokmeow (edited 05-21-2002).]
Of course it will not be for dreamcast. Its dead… I figure GBA could be a good posibility, or a ps2/xbox version. I don’t think we would see it on gamecube. Although they did have a PC release of the game in Japan. Thats another posibility since Hundred Swords was released over here on PC, and origionally started out as a Japanese Dreamcast title. Also, with the PC there wouldn’t be any royalties to pay.
I guess we can just hope for the best.
quote:
Originally posted by smog:
Of course it will not be for dreamcast. Its dead... I figure GBA could be a good posibility, or a ps2/xbox version. I don't think we would see it on gamecube. Although they did have a PC release of the game in Japan. Thats another posibility since Hundred Swords was released over here on PC, and origionally started out as a Japanese Dreamcast title. Also, with the PC there wouldn't be any royalties to pay.I guess we can just hope for the best.
The reason why I say it may be on the GameCube, and I consider that the greatest possibility, is precisely because there is a GBA. Remember the Sonic Advance/Sonic Adveture 2: Battle for the Gamecube? See how that sold through like crazy (1.7 million!) I would imagine they might pull something like that for Sakura Taisen as well. After all, they've had lots of experience on the Dreamcast with the NGPC, and they've done it for Sonic on the GameCube, they've released Sakura Taisen for the GBC before, it wouldn't surprise me that it's released for the GameCube at all.
I do know that Sakura Wars released to Saturn, Dreamcast, and Gameboy Color.
I wanna see Sakura Wars game will come out to Gamecube. Sega did announce Sakura Wars game will port to Playstation 2. Xbox? My answer is no, not Xbox. Let me check Gamespot link. OH well… it was not show up gamespot link by Gamefaqs website.
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Originally posted by RonXE:
I do know that Sakura Wars released to Saturn, Dreamcast, and Gameboy Color.I wanna see Sakura Wars game will come out to Gamecube. Sega did announce Sakura Wars game will port to Playstation 2. Xbox? My answer is no, not Xbox. Let me check Gamespot link. OH well... it was not show up gamespot link by Gamefaqs website.
Yeah, I see no reason why Sega would port Sakura Wars to XBox either. The whole selling point for Microsoft's XBox was that it boasted amazing graphics, and so all the launch titles in one way or another was designed to take advantage of its graphic processor. I think Microsoft would just consider Sakura Wars to be a step back in videogaming evolution, they think 'better graphics makes a better game'.
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Originally posted by bokmeow:
Yeah, I see no reason why Sega would port Sakura Wars to XBox either. The whole selling point for Microsoft's XBox was that it boasted amazing graphics, and so all the launch titles in one way or another was designed to take advantage of its graphic processor. I think Microsoft would just consider Sakura Wars to be a step back in videogaming evolution, they think 'better graphics makes a better game'.
Xbox was successful selling in only America. I noticed that Xbox was poorly selling in Europe and Japan. Like no more exclusive Xbox games: Wreckless (come to PS2), and Silent Hill 2 Restless Dream (come to PS2). Gungrave will come to PS2, too. Gungrave creator had known creating Trigun. Rave (I never heard before, I will read manga as I found Japanese bookstore) will come out to Gamecube.
I say xbox, because it is more likely to have an obsecure game like sakura tiasen tan gamecube. I just don’t think the audience for the people owning gamecubes would be there. In my opinion, you are more likely to see ps2, or xbox owners to try the gane out due to the players preference in games.
There was a PC version of sakura taisen 1, and probabaly 2. I almost picked up the SE edition of it the pc version. It came with a pen… And, as one of the people said, the game will continue onto the ps2.
quote:
Originally posted by smog:
I say xbox, because it is more likely to have an obsecure game like sakura tiasen tan gamecube. I just don't think the audience for the people owning gamecubes would be there. In my opinion, you are more likely to see ps2, or xbox owners to try the gane out due to the players preference in games.
There was a PC version of sakura taisen 1, and probabaly 2. I almost picked up the SE edition of it the pc version. It came with a pen... And, as one of the people said, the game will continue onto the ps2.
I dunno, if you play the GameCube I would think they would be more likely to embrace the RPG than Microsoft XBox players. Although I know those 'Oh our console is far more mature and adult than other consoles' is usually intended to be half-hearted and not entirely meant to deride 'kiddie' players. Most of the games I've seen on the XBox usually tout superior graphics of some sort, are action oriented in some way to demonstrate the XBox graphics capability, but quite a few had fallen flat that way, like I heard Shrek looked absolutely gorgeous but was just a terrible game. I knew a few websites that were making the pitch that 'King of Fighters Neo Ex Blood on the GBA is not like that cartoony look on the Neo Geo Pocket Color' but I've read a good number of reviews that said the controls were just terrible, especially with the direction pad; KOF on the NGPC was tight and responsive. My verdict is out on that still, I'll decide for sure when the GBA drops in price so that I can pick up a KOF: NEB for myself.
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Originally posted by bokmeow:
which most likely means Europe will see it before we do because they have the same NTSC format I believe.
Actually it is the other way around. We europeans have the (superior) PAL format while japan&U.S. have the NTSC format.
Back on track: I've seen some reviews of import ST games and it looks really nice. But those reviews weren't to clear on how it plays. Is it mecha rpg turnbased game or not? Btw they do have adventure elements like bishoujo games have. Atleast that's how it looked from the screenshots.
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Originally posted by GachiGachi:
Actually it is the other way around. We europeans have the (superior) PAL format while japan&U.S. have the NTSC format.
Back on track: I've seen some reviews of import ST games and it looks really nice. But those reviews weren't to clear on how it plays. Is it mecha rpg turnbased game or not? Btw they do have adventure elements like bishoujo games have. Atleast that's how it looked from the screenshots.
Oops, my bad. Although, I thought for sure Europe and Japan have the same video format, because the VHS in Japan won't play on US VHS players?
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Originally posted by bokmeow:
Oops, my bad. Although, I thought for sure Europe and Japan have the same video format, because the VHS in Japan won't play on US VHS players?
I don't know, I have two videos from Japan that seemed to play fine on my VCR. And I'm always getting things a bit confused since US and Japan both use NTSC but are different regions for DVD's.
quote:
Originally posted by GachiGachi:
Actually it is the other way around. We europeans have the (superior) PAL format while japan&U.S. have the NTSC format.
Back on track: I've seen some reviews of import ST games and it looks really nice. But those reviews weren't to clear on how it plays. Is it mecha rpg turnbased game or not? Btw they do have adventure elements like bishoujo games have. Atleast that's how it looked from the screenshots.
I'm not certain beyond Sakura Taisen 2, but Sakura Taisen 1 & 2 was played as a series of "Episodes". Kind of like that of a TV series.
What happens is that the first half is some kind of setup in which the main character (Ichiro Ogami) interacts with the many female leads and supporting characters. While talking with the females leads, he may gain certain points/hearts which are can help later. Then, the enemy attacks.
The second half is a turn-based strategic battle. Here, if you built up enough points/hearts with one of the ladies then you can make a special super attack in conjunction with her.
After a the battle, an epiloque for the episode occurs. Then, a preview of the next exciting episode!
quote:
Originally posted by Master Pivot:
I'm not certain beyond Sakura Taisen 2, but Sakura Taisen 1 & 2 was played as a series of "Episodes". Kind of like that of a TV series.What happens is that the first half is some kind of setup in which the main character (Ichiro Ogami) interacts with the many female leads and supporting characters. While talking with the females leads, he may gain certain points/hearts which are can help later. Then, the enemy attacks.
The second half is a turn-based strategic battle. Here, if you built up enough points/hearts with one of the ladies then you can make a special super attack in conjunction with her.
After a the battle, an epiloque for the episode occurs. Then, a preview of the next exciting episode!
Ah i see .Thnx for the info [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img].
quote:
Originally posted by Master Pivot:
I'm not certain beyond Sakura Taisen 2, but Sakura Taisen 1 & 2 was played as a series of "Episodes". Kind of like that of a TV series.
3 and 4 are the same, though in 4 they got rid of the episode previews I think, haven't had any time to play it yet.
[This message has been edited by Zorian (edited 05-23-2002).]
quote:ST4 can be seen as an "ending" to the current ST series. It's main purpose of existence is to bring everything to a close and because of that and the short amount of time given to developing the game, the gameplay time is rather short and a lot of corners cut like the ep previews. On the plus side, the replayability factor is high and the game supposedly gives a satisfactory ending for each of the 13 main heroines of the ST series.
Originally posted by Zorian:
3 and 4 are the same, though in 4 they got rid of the episode previews I think, haven't had any time to play it yet.
quote:
Originally posted by smog:
I say xbox, because it is more likely to have an obsecure game like sakura tiasen tan gamecube. I just don't think the audience for the people owning gamecubes would be there. In my opinion, you are more likely to see ps2, or xbox owners to try the gane out due to the players preference in games.
I will guarantee that you will not see this game on the XBox. The XBox was outsold in Japan by the *Dreamcast* for one of the weeks of April. (That's of _this year_!)
The XBox is selling like 1500 units a week there, and that's a scant 2 months after its release. I wouldn't count on very much Japanese support for the XBox at all, and that would extend to getting Japanese people to work on something like this.
If I had to take bets, I'd put my money on the PS2. It's the most popular by far, and the reason Sakura Taisen hasn't come over before is that the industry was worried about the size of the market for it. (I.e. they were worried there weren't enough hardcore gamers to support it in the US, given how expensive the rights would be.)
Well considering the game is goign to be a US/Euro release, not japanese, I don;t think teat the poor sells of xbox in Japan will cnotribute much to the decision considering the sells increased 50% after teh recent price drop in eurpe, and the strong support in the states. Of course the ps/2 has a huge lead voer all the other systems. There is always a slight posbility that teh game will be multy platform too…
One other thing iwht the st games, is that they usually have a few miny games throughout the course of the game involving specific characters. The game also features a decision system which has a name but I don’t know it off the top of my head. Anyways its a time based system where depending on how lnog you take to answer the question, your response choices change, and the reaction of the characters are also affected by how long you take to answer. For instance, you may let the time run out without answering at all to a question they asked you, which would definately give you a differen’t reaction.
quote:
Originally posted by smog:
Well considering the game is goign to be a US/Euro release, not japanese, I don;t think teat the poor sells of xbox in Japan will cnotribute much to the decision considering the sells increased 50% after teh recent price drop in eurpe, and the strong support in the states.
I think that the perception of Japan towards the X-Box does affect the final decision to port or not a game. They may say: "X-Box doesn't sell well here, so why push a game that will sell on that console?" (read the links below). And, in fact, the sales of X-Box has been below expectations in the US and Europe, as many sites has posted.
Notable articles:
I have heard that the price of a Japanese license is dependent more on the Japanese popularity of the license and not on its potential marketability overseas.
To my understanding, this is why things like End of Eva and the added scenes to Evangelion have taken so long to come out over here–Eva is huge in Japan, so it is expensive. This would also explain why bishoujo gaming hasn’t made it big here yet.
In particular, the Sakura Taisen series is HUGE in Japan. HUGE*–it’s so big that people in the states are clamoring for it, even those who don’t personally know much about it. Among other things, this means that Red Company (or whoever makes it) can charge an arm, a leg, and whatever else they feel like for the rights. And if the potential US market is viewed as small…well, it doesn’t take an MBA to do the math.