Have people changed their minds about Satoru Iwata now?

[whicker]

I had respect for Iwata for a while. As a programmer that rose to the top of management, a person that could understand what the software programmers were doing, and one that learned how to run a business. As mentioned before, his Iwata Asks articles peeling back the curtain of the past. A key piece of the Kirby and Smash Bros series of games.

In my circle of IRL friends, the Wii does get kicked around a lot as being underpowered and collecting dust after the novelty wore off. But whatever, I had fun playing a few of its games (Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, No more heroes 1 and 2 especially). The biggest criticism of Nintendo from them is the lack of 3rd parties even having any interest in building games for the system (Because Nintendo builds hardware for Nintendo software, first and foremost). For these friends as well, although they won't admit it, the colorfulness and kid-friendliness turns them off. Me, I'm tired of the dark, black, moody gothic aesthetic or medieval fantasy environments.

It's like Nintendo admits they build addictive toys, and Sony/Microsoft have this aura of sports-car or glass-case Hi-Fi sound system. The games on the latter typically have traditionally been something to "man up to" or something like that. I guess that's what I see as the difference, and how people like Iwata could be mocked, but I think it has more to do with social cohesion to diss what is perceived as the outsiders.

My selfish reason to be saddened by Iwata's death for me, is to not be able to experience the future he was envisioning. Dying too young, his story wasn't complete. Could something better come along? Maybe, but usually in the turmoil of something like this, a company limps along the path of indecision for a while. I feel even a little bit of collective guilt as it were, even though I wasn't involved at all, that the overall tone around the week of his death (aftermath of E3) was so whiny and negative.

Anyways I'm late to the party, but wanted to put my thoughts down.

[Khaz]

For these friends as well, although they won't admit it, the colorfulness and kid-friendliness turns them off. [...] It's like Nintendo admits they build addictive toys, and Sony/Microsoft have this aura of sports-car or glass-case Hi-Fi sound system. The games on the latter typically have traditionally been something to "man up to" or something like that.

This is a big part of the reason why I lost interest in the modern console wars. Nintendo seems to be perpetually aiming to please children. Microsoft went through a serious "bro" phase where it seemed like everything was disgustingly "manly". Sony leaned more toward the latter, but in general just never seemed to live up to the impressive PS1/PS2 game libraries. (I can't think of a single PS3 or 4 exclusive that I care about.)

All of it is why I generally remained with the PC crowd. I don't WANT my console to pander to a particular demographic. I don't want to choose between colorful childishness and gritty realism, I want both equally as much. I want a badass computer machine that does everything it can, not a "brand" built for only certain types of games.

[psycopathicteen]

I always thought the PlayStation brand was overrated. It's mostly just liscensed movie games, sports games and first person shooters in black and white.

[tepples]

So it's mostly not games like Fat Princess and Journey.

[Shonumi]

I always thought the PlayStation brand was overrated. It's mostly just liscensed movie games, sports games and first person shooters in black and white.

I just want the PlayStation brand to be associated with quality JRPGs again. I always viewed them as the successor to the SNES in terms of the genre (right along with the GBA and DS). I mean the PS1/PS2 era was a great time to be alive. The PSP had it really good too. There are a few winners for the PS3 and now the PS4/Vita era, but the key word is "few".

[rainwarrior]

I just want the PlayStation brand to be associated with quality JRPGs again.

Aren't they still the leading platform for JRPGs? Who is doing it better? (Or is your complaint just that there aren't enough JRPGs that you like, in general?)

[Drew Sebastino]

I always thought the PlayStation brand was overrated. It's mostly just liscensed movie games, sports games and first person shooters in black and white.

Sounds like the Xbox brand.

The biggest criticism of Nintendo from them is the lack of 3rd parties even having any interest in building games for the system

To be honest, they aren't many 3rd party video game companies I like, and they're the ones who predominately make games for Sony's and especially Microsoft's consoles. Maybe this is a bit of a big claim to make, but aside for some instances, (like Rareware) I feel like Japanese video game companies are generally better than other ones.

For these friends as well, although they won't admit it, the colorfulness and kid-friendliness turns them off.

They like this


over this?


Personally, I like in between, but I don't know too many games that do it well. (Of course, I'd use this game as an example. )

Microsoft went through a serious "bro" phase where it seemed like everything was disgustingly "manly".

I don't think it's every really gone away... The best part is, most of the people I see who prefer "manly" games over non manly games to the point they won't play them at all are pre teens and not very mature men (The kind that yells out curse words over dying on Call of Duty).

Sony leaned more toward the latter, but in general just never seemed to live up to the impressive PS1/PS2 game libraries. (I can't think of a single PS3 or 4 exclusive that I care about.)

Unfortunately...

All of it is why I generally remained with the PC crowd. I don't WANT my console to pander to a particular demographic. I don't want to choose between colorful childishness and gritty realism, I want both equally as much. I want a badass computer machine that does everything it can, not a "brand" built for only certain types of games.

The problem is, how many quality "childish" games on the PC are there? I've mostly only seem mediocre indie games. I'm 100% for the PC and Nintendo console mentality: PC for "manly" games, and Nintendo for "childish" games. I really don't see the point in the Xbone or the PS4, particularly the Xbone, because to me, it might as well be a nerfed PC box.

I just want the PlayStation brand to be associated with quality JRPGs again. I always viewed them as the successor to the SNES in terms of the genre

Am I the only one who liked the SNES not for the RPG games on it? I think I've already shown my distaste for the genre. There are troves of other good games on the SNES.



Honestly I though it was bad with the last console "generation" but I think this has truly gotten to be the dark ages...

[nicklausw]

Am I the only one who liked the SNES not for the RPG games on it?

Of course not. It'd be ridiculously unfair to say "the SNES was only good for Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, bla bla bla".

[Drew Sebastino]

The SNES seems to have a reputation for having not enough "action games", but frankly, those are my favorite kinds of games, and I like the SNES just fine. If you count R-Type III as being an "action game", than that's (unsurprisingly) one of my favorites. I'm not super huge on platformers, but the DKC games are just so well made that that's a big exception for me.

[Sik]

This is the first time I hear about the SNES "not having enough action games", honestly.

[Drew Sebastino]

This is the first time I hear about the SNES "not having enough action games", honestly.

And no one heard about the Satoru Iwata hate either? Am I crazy?

[whicker]

This is the first time I hear about the SNES "not having enough action games", honestly.

And no one heard about the Satoru Iwata hate either? Am I crazy?

I don't think you're crazy. But the only complaints about the SNES was its bits and how fast the screens scrolled for its mascot characters, and that discussion has been done to death. I guess maybe it's how you and your general circle define action games?

Is Mega Man X an action game or a platformer?
Is something like Final Fight 2 or Turtles In Time an action game, or strictly beat-em-up?
Is Gradius / Parodius a side scrolling space shooter or an action game?
Is Soul Blazer an action game or action-JRPG?
Are F-zero or Mario Kart (especially at 150cc) racing games or action games?
Are Desert Strike / Jungle Strike / Super Strike Eagle / Pilotwings action games or flying games?

[Shonumi]

Aren't they still the leading platform for JRPGs? Who is doing it better? (Or is your complaint just that there aren't enough JRPGs that you like, in general?)

It's a mix of both. There aren't a lot of JRPGs out there that appeal to me, nor are there a lot of top-notch "You gotta buy this" games. I should hope it's not just nostalgia talking. Early on, I got myself a 360, thinking it would be the JRPG console for that generation (at the time, PS3 had no games, and the 360 already had Infinite Undiscovery, Tales of Vesperia, and Star Ocean 4 was on its way). Then I got a PS3 hoping others would pop up. There are a few gems (Valkryia Chronicles, Tales of Xillia & Graces F) but the rest feels like franchise rehash (FF13 times 3 anyone? More Disgaea? How about more Atelier games?). That's not to say they're bad, but it feels stale after a while. They've got the numbers, but they don't pack a punch like the PS1 and PS2 era.

Around that time, I'd still say the DS was king for JRPGs. Looking at my collection right now: Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Magical Starsign, Luminous Arc, Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Knights in the Nightmare, Dragon Quest IX, The World Ends With You, KH: 358/2 Days, KH: ReCoded, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Radiant Historia, Tales of the Tempest... I mean, that beats my choices on the PS3 by a mile. Some of that list is rough (ugh, Tales of the Tempest is something you suffer through, not play) but it's a better deal in my eyes than anything else.

I think I've been ranting about JRPGs since I first got here, but I guess I'm a bit of a maniac for the genre. Maybe I'm old and can't get over the fact that my "Golden Age" was yesteryear and is never coming back. But I'm always buying new stuff, hoping to get more experiences, more kicks, more thrills. I'm banking on the 3DS to feed my JRPG needs (Bravely Second: End Layer and the next "real" Paper Mario game are coming). But otherwise, it feels like a the stream has turned into a trickle. Eh, that's just me I guess.

[Khaz]

The problem is, how many quality "childish" games on the PC are there? I've mostly only seem mediocre indie games.

Eeh, I think that's the thing about PC: It has everything that isn't exclusive to a modern-generation console. You can easily emulate almost anything over a decade old at this point and I can only assume that trend will continue similarly in the future. I may not like Steam but you can't argue that they've got a massive selection to choose from, and they're not even a monopoly quite yet. What PC lacks in major must-have exclusive titles, it makes up for in a veritable ocean of alternatives.

I've played plenty of "indie" titles in recent years that put big-budget games to shame. I adore VVVVVV for example - simplistic graphics, a plot that doesn't take itself seriously, yet an amazing game simply because it has gameplay that's fun and doesn't waste your time. I hear people say mean things about the creator of Braid but doesn't change the fact that he made a great game too. I recently enjoyed Escape Goat. I don't think any count as "childish", but they're not gritty realism either. They've just got style and you can tell that the gameplay was the reason for their existence, not bragging about what your hardware can render.

Independent games are basically my only hope for the videogame industry. The bigger the team, the more diluted the vision becomes. The bigger the budget, the more focus gets put on showing off and selling enough to profit rather than being FUN. I'm not just developing for an ancient console because I'm bored, I'm doing it because I believe in it. Hardware limitations haven't been our main problem for over two decades. Our problem has been the death of human creativity in the industry, replaced by marketing research and desperate pandering.

Sorry for rambling.

[Drew Sebastino]

Maybe I'm old and can't get over the fact that my "Golden Age" was yesteryear and is never coming back.

Just like run and guns and shoot em ups...