Unicorn, you have my utmost gratitude. I apologise completely for ruining your perfect post count. If anything, this would be a real eye opener for anyone who visits this site.
The following observations are assumptions based on the current ratings. They are, as such, bound to be fallacious, but I’m currently open to any theories in order to better udnerstand the market. If anything, I don’t mind beign corrected.
Assuming we go by the standard that any game that is of >70% is relatively good, than the number of localized games is very, very slim:
Crescendo (the localized version is a mix of both the original CD version and the DVD voices, so it’s kinda like a mix of both. Again, a bit surpsiing, noting the comment from an actual Japanese gamer, but, the ratings indicate otherwise. Crescendo, anyway, si good without a doubt)
Kana Little Sister (this one took me by surprise. Not a wonder they redid it in the form fo okaeri. It WAS popular)
Private Nurse (a bit of a surprise, but then again, there had to be a good reason why, like Kanon, PN was made into a non-H version for the PS2. Angelsmile’s only main break)
Brave Soul (lets see… if I was in Japan I had to choose between releasing Diablo 2, which is mainly Western in its image, lacked hot action scenes, and had very little artwork, with a game that had a relatively lacklustre RPG system but incredibly hawt artwork PLUS hentai scenes AND greater interactivity… this one has to be the given the benefit of culture doubt)
On the bright side, certain ‘dark’ games I know of don’t get away with it:
Virgin Roster (This is one game where I’d follow the generala dvice against it and not touch it. Anyone who plays it ahs to be willing to be play out the fantasy of being an actual evil person)
JKC - (the company Zerocool seems to be gone, and while I found its rating a bit too high, at least it wasn’t very popular)
Gibo - How interesting… both Hitomi and this game had similar ratings (I feel sorry for stepsisters). In the case of Gibo, as much as I liked the resolution fo Sheena’s path, a quick walkthrough will reveal that this game ahs far more hentai content than one would think. In fact, the point of the game was to get more hentai
There were those with a mediocre to low rating, but ones that I can understand:
Heart De Roommate - I like this game. Actually, it is popular. But, thing is, in its local market, its cliched. It offers the same thing you can find in another game of its sort. And when you put in the serious bits, it progresses no better than any other cliched series like it. I feel sorry for Angelsmile for this one… it could’ve been better, provided it was done in DVD format. Nevertheless, it was clsoe to the 70% mark, so, maybe, just maybe… Angelsmile may come back. If they may ever come back.
Hopefully, if they come back, Troika comes back, and Vice-versa.
Divi-dead: A relatively strong storyline in the way of Tsukihime kinda lost it towards the end. Was it the translation ? Was the origial agme like this ? What was it ?
Gimai Hitomi - This one is a bit understood. There are about only three paths with a meagre total of 8 endings, and where the choices only seem to matter at the end of the game. Granted, the flowchart WAS innovative, but Mercure didn’t actually explore it. Then again, this was Mercure’s first game, so I’d give them that as well. Hopefully, hopefully, Mercure, noticing they’re still around, should remake this game in DVD format, abd should play around with the options of the flowchart a bit more. And, if anything… Hitomi’s stories were strong, not that they weren’t. Perhaps soem Dan Kim intervention should be advised.
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Aside from this, the general consensus is that games that were released by Peach Princess and G-Collections were not so much ‘bad’ sexploitation games as they were average run-of-the-mill games that didn’t really impact the original gaming community. There were a few exceptions, from the rare Angelsmile games, to the gems that are Crescendo & KLS.
With this in mind, noticing the low score of Snowdrop to complement this, these games were, logically speaking, easier to localize, as, despite their lack of popularity, they were cheaper to license. Sometimes, the price of a license may outshine its popularity, and a huge popularity may not do well for a license 9esp. in the case of Kanon) The exception seems to be in the case of D.O.'s games, where its license and popularity were both just right, but this is a rarity.
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As such, I need to find out the ratings for the following. Part of it is to understand the fansub side of the market:
Majipuri (personal favourite after playing the fansub demo translation. I wodner if it’s EGS rating is low, it feels alotta like HDR, only longer)
Wind - A Breath of Heart - (we can but only hope for nnl1. And we need to understand its popualrity)
Pia Carrot (there’s some fansub work on this one, but one has to rummage round for it)
Bible Black - Hey… if Kitty Media is licensing it, perhaps we should know what reception for the original is like…
And, now, for something different:
KGNE - Funimation first announces that they’re licensing the anime udner the Japanese engrish title of ‘Rumbling Hearts’. Then, rumours spread that Funimation, or something connected to it, si going tor elease ALL three Sakura Taisen dating sims (no, not the anime… the actual games). Sega once said that theyw ere willing to release Sakura Taisen, the game, in America, but felt the amrket was too small. If the rumours are true, who knows ? And besides, a KGNE translation is way overdue.
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Perhaps the emphasis shouldn’t be too JUST localize/translate the doujin novels, or JUST the official ones, but rather, a conscious effort to see whats popular and translate those.
And lastly, assuming if my theory is correct, it thus remains to be seen if Yume Miru Kusuri can do what Crescendo and KLS did before it. Its local rating is high, and it just got licensed, and, if anything, it seems to be the only game that can. Well, there is Bible Black, but I’m not sure about that one, and YMK seems to be the far gentler game. Also, an amateur writer is currently working on the first proper OEL visual novel, and the work for the Type-Moon games is going strong, with Tsukihie being just released, and F/SN in the process.
To sum up, we can but only hope.
[ 11-21-2006, 12:15 AM: Message edited by: Phineas Lucis ]
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