It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)

[JG]

Also, SquareEnix is getting a flareup they didn't predict after yesterday's Direct. We all knew gender type was a choice in the old DQ3 game, and I was pleased to see they had four different poses or clothing types for the NPC so you wouldn't end up with two of the same gender and vocation looking like twins.

But then they went on to show hair color and voice changes, which are also great additions. However, they didn't think globally enough to realize that showing choices for body type, voice, and hair color without skin color is not racially sensitive to many western fans, and now they've got a PR problem on their hands. This is not something they can just overlook or claim to have forgotten, because they've had skin color choices before in games like DQ9 and Builders 2. They need to show a screenshot of skin color changes this week or drop everything else and get developers and graphic artists fixing it before the demo launches. They just can't launch this game in the west with several customization choices except skin color without significant backlash - something they can't afford with this 7 million unit sales moonshot they're aiming for.


But weren't they creating a new Atelier leading lady every year or two for a long time before doing the Ryza sequels? It just seems like developers have gone back to doing what they were before rather than suddenly changing directions without reason.

[Moge]

There hasn't been any controversy from what i've seen from the customization aspect. Would be nice to alter skin color, but i would think most DQ fans are already happy that this remake is above and beyond what they showed initially. If the game were fully 3D, then perhaps people would start raising their pitchforks and torches over the low customizability.

Awesome Direct. The Haunted Castle remake and Capcom Fighting Collection 2 announcements took me by surprise. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is really the one i've been waiting for as someone who has put a crazy amount of hours into Capcom vs SNK 2 in my youth. Also i'm very happy to see Capcom dropping most of their Dreamcast arcade library into the collection. Crazy amount of value in this collection of games that haven't revisited since the turn of the millenia.

Side note, it blows me away that we're getting not one but two retro remakes this week: Shadow of the Ninja and of course Haunted Castle.

[JG]

No Atelier Ryza.....  ._.

I LOVE Reisalin Stout....... and NOT seeing her as the main character breakes my heart so much.......Yumia DOSENT look bad but... Reisalin Stout had the SPUNK, energy, and so much of a growth (Also GIGA HOT) that I saw as the FACE of the games.

WILL give Yumia a chance but dont think she would match Reisalin at all.

By the way, Direct said "Early 2025", but earlier today Nintendo of Japan pegged it to March 21.

[JG]

Comparison of PS5 Pro prices, including disc drive add-on, at today's exchange rates. In Europe, its over twice the cost of regular American disc model.

[Moge]

That price is bonkers

Well, with that outta the way, i get more confused with each passing month at the direction Sony is taking its console business. These half-step consoles aren't what the majority of gamers want.

[JG]

Well, with that outta the way, i get more confused with each passing month at the direction Sony is taking its console business. These half-step consoles aren't what the majority of gamers want.

Especially when said half step is to do the things the console touted it would do in 2020 and failed to deliver on. For example, in the upper right corner of all PS5 boxes until recently, there are labels for "8K" and "4K 120". I think a handful of games do 4K 120, but most running 4K only get 30 or 60fps and those running 120fps are usually 1080p or 1440p. Even the brand new Astro Bot, touted as the most advanced game for PS5 yet doesn't do 4K 120: its dynamic resolution jumps between between 1440p and 4K at 60fps. And video I saw earlier said not a single 8K game exists yet though the boxes said 8K on the front until recently.

A lot of people are calling out Sony as frauds for misrepresenting original PS5 capabilities, then asking an additional $780 (USD) to get the performance promised four years ago.