Wait, Did I Just Win TGS?
Posted on Thursday, September 15 @ 09:57:06 Eastern by Heath_Hindman
Not long ago, I wrote a wish list describing what I wanted to see at Tokyo Game Show. Everyone makes these kinds of things and these days, they usually have a lot of dumb shit in them. Mine was no exception, but where mine differs from the norm is that I ended up getting a lot of what I asked for.
I asked for... an improved demo of Final Fantasy Type-0.
And I got it! I played Final Fantasy Rei-shiki (Type 0) in its new form and have to say it's looking great. The camera is a little more, shall we say, assertive in how fast it swings, but I didn't notice a major change. A big part of the new demo also showed off the explorable overworld, which seems to be a good size and fun to explore. The demo also came loaded with a bunch of chocobos to choose from. It felt like I was playing this one RPG series I used to love before it got all weird. Loved it.
I asked for... Nintendo. I didn't get it, but I knew I wouldn't. We all knew that a long time ago.
I asked for... something -- anything -- about Dragon Quest X. I kind of got it, sort of. OK, it didn't technically happen at TGS, but just recently (and after my article was written), Square Enix let out some news and media about Dragon Quest X, saying that it will be similar to Phantasy Star Online with its online-offline hybrid styles of play. It's like asking for a Christmas present and getting it on December 20th. Sure, it didn't happen on the exact day, but what do you care?
I asked for... Valkyria Chronicles 4. I didn't get this one. Sad, sad Heathface.
I asked for... PS2 Classics for PS3 and Vita. I feel like I kind of got this. There hasn't yet been an announcement of a PS2 Classics line similar to the one Sony has for PSOne, but take a look at all the HD collections of PS2 games coming out: Silent Hill, Metal Gear, Zone of the Enders, Ico/Shadow of the Colossus, Final Fantasy X, and more to come for sure. It's not exactly what was in my head, but for our purposes (playing the games), it's pretty much the same thing.
I asked for... Vita release dates. I got it. My exact words were even, "I fully expect a Japanese date to be announced, probably even before the actual show itself." It was revealed pre-TGS that the Vita will hit Japan on December 17, and later Sony said the rest of the world would get it in "early 2012". That's far from being exact, but at least it's a window for the rest of us in the West of us who celebrate Festivus.
I asked for... Final Fantasy Versus XIII goes multiplatform. But then it skipped the show entirely. Aw well. Can't win 'em all.
I asked for... more Level-5 awesomeness! And boy, did I ever get this! Ni no Kuni is the best RPG at the show for the second straight year. It was only 30% complete for last year's show but still rocked the ass of anyone who played it. This year it's even better. The demos let players roam a huge chunk of the world map, fight a variety of enemies, explore two very interesting towns, see gorgeous game-engine cinemas that blend seamlessly with Ghibli's signature anime sequences, and hear voice-acted dialogue from the game's loveable cast. Ni no Kuni is a game traditional RPG fans outside of Japan should be praying for. Level-5 ended up skipping the show in favor of its own huge party in October (so I guess I was right about those lads having a lot to show), but Sony thankfully brought the developer's biggest title to its own area.
I asked for... horribly kept secrets. I should have worded this differently. I love public social awkwardness of any kind. Last year, it was with Valkyria Chronicles 3, and this year, my favorite stage moment was Yoichi Wada giving his speech about the industrial revolution in gaming. While talking about the gradual transition game consoles have undergone, from machines that only played games to machines that "Only Do Everything", he said, "There was a paradigm shift in the game market." I laughed out loud even though no one else did. I think that he was hoping a lot more people would see his subtle self-reference, but rest assured, Ich, I saw what you did there. The first day is already in the books, but the Tokyo Game Show rolls on tomorrow through Sunday. I, however, seem to already have most of the things I wanted. I feel like a winner.
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Before Microsoft and Sony do something regarding their future in the video game business, I wanted to write, and I've wanted it for a long time now, but other things kept getting in my way, and fearing that tomorrow might be too late, today will have to do.
Months ago,...
xino
Joined: Nov 2005
You fail man:/
Nether
Joined: Jul 2007