411 Games Fact or Fiction 10.25.06: Final Fantasy XII, Nintendo's GameCube support, Clover Studios, More!
Posted by Tommy Coloma on 10.26.2006
Caleb Newby and Steve McHugh give us their opinions on Final Fantasy XII, Nintendo’s support for the GameCube, downloadable games on the PS3, the hype behind next-gen systems, the closure of Clover Studios, and Microsoft’s efforts in Japan in this week’s Fact or Fiction Games.
Welcome back to another fun-filled edition of Fact or Fiction. As luck would have it, Caleb Newby and Steve McHugh happened to be available this week. Caleb Newby, as many of you already know, is the Games Section's very own editor. He keeps us writers on track while also throwing in his own contributions from time to time. Caleb also writes The Tap-Out!, which recently made a return following a slight break, for the Sports Section. Interested in UFC and/or PRIDE? Why not check it out! Not to be outdone, Steve McHugh brings us the Games Section's own version of the 411 Top 5, 411 Retro Reviews, and reviews for current games. His recent reviews include one for 42 All-Time Classics for the DS and one for Doom for Xbox Live! Arcade. The most recent Top 5 highlights the worst games based on movies ever. Steve has recently opened up the 411 Top 5 to everyone so don't forget to check out the forums for your chance to participate. Now, lets get to it -
1. Screw the haters! You are looking forward to playing Final Fantasy XII when it comes out later this month.
Caleb Newby: FICTION
Sorry, but I'm not really looking forward to it, and thus haven't been following it that much. I stopped caring about Final Fantasy with FFX. I know people loved it, but I didn't care for it and in my eyes, 9 was the last good one (and very overlooked). So my Final Fantasy flame has sort of died and I haven't seen anything to make that change. Not to say that it'll be a bad game, I'm just not excited to play it.
That being said, if I hear great things about it, I'll give it a go. I'm nothing if not a follower of popular opinion.
Steve McHugh: FICTION
I agree with Caleb here. I loved FF9 and pretty much found FF10 to be soulless and boring. Because of that I've got little interest in playing the new game. I'm sure it'll be perfectly playable and everything but after FF7 everything seemed to revolve around falling in love with someone and unfortunately none of the games really got that aspect right. I don't see why FF12 would be any different.
However, if I ever get hold of a PS2 again I may pick it up cheap and play it then.
Score: 1 for 1
2. It has been known for a little while that Nintendo is only selling the GameCube version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess online in Japan. Recent news indicates that Nintendo of America will follow suite. If true, this is proof that Nintendo has already given up on the GameCube and will put most, if not all, of its energy behind the Wii and DS.
Caleb Newby: FACT
I think it was already obvious. Take a look at upcoming game releases and try to find a GameCube game. Go on... try. There aren't many. The GameCube is yesterday's news and Nintendo is focused only on the Wii and DS. Don't get me wrong, that's not a bad thing either. It's just the way it is and it should be.
Steve McHugh: FACT
This has been the case for a while now. All of Nintendo's energy is in the DS and Wii, which is probably where it should be. As much as I love the GameCube it didn't perform well. Now it's time for Nintendo to move on and concentrate on the future.
Score: 2 for 2
3. Sony only wanting higher quality downloadable games in the PS3's online service for the same price as games found on Xbox Live is actually positive news.
Caleb Newby: FACT
This was tough for me as I was thinking "what some people call lesser titles, others call their favorite game". But the general idea is knowing that the titles you'll find will be good and classic, with less crap to wade through. -If- this holds true, it will be nice to only browse through top notch content.
Steve McHugh: FACT
The only problem with Xbox Live is the fact that some of the ‘classic' games are in fact rubbish and are priced to highly. If Sony can get it so that everything is better priced and at a better quality then that forces Microsoft to do the same so as to stay in competition, which is always good.
Score: 3 for 3
4. Next-gen systems are being too over-hyped. Current-gen systems, the PS2 specifically, still offer games that are head and shoulders above most of what next-gen systems will be offering by the end of the year.
Steve McHugh: FICTION
I don't think they're being over-hyped at the moment, the 3 companies have to make enough publicity for their machine and so long as they live up to that hype it's not a problem. And as for the games, I think that whilst the PS2 has some genuinely great games still to come, to say that it's head and shoulder above next-gen titles is underestimating what those titles will be capable off. With Zelda and Red Steel on the Wii and Gears of War and Lost Planet on the 360, I think it's safe to say that the next-gen consoles have some genuine killer apps themselves.
Caleb Newby: FICTION
I agree with Steve here. From what we've been able to see and hear, Gears of War will knock our socks off for the 360 and Zelda will be a truly new experience on the Wii. I was recently scanning the upcoming months ahead for new titles for various systems and was surprised to see so few exclusives for the PS2 in the pre-PS3 days remaining. The tides are shifting towards the next generation of consoles becoming the "current gen," and with that, I'm finding fewer and fewer PS2/Xbox/Gamecube titles to get me as excited as the next-gen offerings. I mean, even Guitar Hero 2 is going to be on the Xbox 360.
Score: 4 for 4
5. The closure of Clover Studios deserved the amount of attention that it got in the media.
Steve McHugh: FACT
This is huge news as these guys have made some of Capcom's most loved games in recent years including Viewtiful Joe and Okami. From the news I've read I'm sure that most of the team will find new jobs easily as they're a talented bunch, which is good. The real story here though is that this is the 2nd studio to be closed by Capcom in a short amount of time and they've suffered losses too. Because of how big Capcom is in the industry this story deserved the attention it got.
Caleb Newby: FACT
This one was hard for me because I wasn't exactly sure how much attention it did get outside of the game industry. That being said, this is an important news story, partially because it was from Capcom and partially because of the studio in question, which was responsible for (as Steve said) Viewtiful Joe and Okami.
Now I never played Okami, and never really cared for Viewtiful Joe personally, but I know many did. As much as I tried, I couldn't escape all the rave reviews for Viewtiful Joe a few years back. On the plus side, both franchises should more than likely continue on under another studio owned by Capcom. But the closing of Clover does make you wonder what's happening under the hood at Capcom Corporate, doesn't it?
Score: 5 for 5
6. Although pre-orders for the special Blue Dragon bundle in Japan sold out quickly - indicating that Blue Dragon is a bona fide system seller - Microsoft will fail to take advantage of what may be their biggest opportunity to move systems in that region.
Steve McHugh: FICTION
I think Microsoft have learnt a lot of lessons and will throw everything they've got into moving the system in Japan. If they didn't think that way what was the point of getting Blue Dragon made in the first place? I think they see Blue Dragon as the first step in a long term plan. At least I hope they do.
Caleb Newby: FICTION
I feel like I am supposed to disagree with Steve at least once here... isn't that what Fact or Fiction is about? But I just don't see Microsoft sitting on their hands with the Japanese market. We all know how well the original Xbox did over in the land of the rising sun, but it seems obvious (to me at least) that Microsoft isn't content to let the same thing happen again this generation, and have taken steps that seem to prove it.
If Microsoft fails to take advantage of the Japanese market this time around, I doubt it will be due to a lack of effort on their end.
Score: 6 for 6
A perfect score! Don't forget to check us out next week or I'll sic Abobo on you!
