Nintendophiles 08.20.08

Posted by Theo Fraser on 08.20.2008

Nintendo isn’t present at this week’s Game Developer’s Conference in Leipzig, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t got some huge news for you! From SEGA’s all-new House of the Dead Wii title to the fruits of SUDA 51 & Shinji Mikami’s collaboration, plus Chrono Trigger’s US release date AND Silicon Knights’ new IP, Nintendophiles has got you covered.




We had some rather crappy weather here the other day, so I decided to console myself with a little retail therapy. Yes, yes, I'm a big girl, I need to grow a pair, etc, etc. So anyway, I was on the lookout for some cheap deals and came across a brilliant clearance sale, where I picked up Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow on PC for the grand total of £1. Now that's a bargain, and perfectly fine considering Pandora Tomorrow has been out for years. But I saw another offer that was utterly tragic; No More Heroes on sale for just £14.95. Sure, that's an absolute steal if you've yet to play it, but when a quality title such as that is on sale at such an incredibly low price a mere 4 months after its UK release, something's gotta be wrong. I'd heard that it had sold pretty well in PAL territories, but this indicates otherwise. Nevertheless, I shall not allow myself to be too disheartened, as SUDA 51 crops up a little bit later in this week's report, and he brings with him some very good tidings indeed!




Chrono Trigger dated for US release
Credit: CVG, IGN

The remastered edition of Chrono Trigger for the Nintendo DS will see a Stateside release this November, putting any fears to rest that the title would slip into 2009.

November 25th 2008 is the date you'll want to mark down in your diaries (because, naturally, I assume all self-respecting gamers carry a diary around with them, right?), meaning you'll be helping Crono and co. bend the space-time continuum in their travels through...uh…space and time in just over three months.





This is excellent news, as many fans were worried that US gamers wouldn't see the game until well into 2009 due to the usual localization issues. Obviously, the original localization could be used, thus cutting the time down significantly, but Square Enix haven't yet provided confirmation if this is the case or not. An updated localization would go down very well with fans, especially as the original translation was rushed due to time constraints (Ted Woosley was given just thirty days to translate the entire 32-meg cartridge for English-speaking audiences). Last year, ROM hackers paid fan service to the game and created an unabridged fan translation, so an altered script does exist; it'll be interesting to see what path Square Enix take. Would they consider (or more to the point, HAVE they considered) hiring Woolsey to re-translate the game, with not such a ludicrous time restriction as last time?

What I'm particularly interested to see is whether Crono will still be known as Crono or if the added size of a DS cart (which supports up to 2 gigabits/256 megabytes) means that Square Enix will refer to him as his ‘official' title, Chrono. Little bit of Trigger trivia for you; did you know that the reason he was called Crono in the original SNES version was supposedly due to memory issues on the 32-meg cart? The tale goes that Squaresoft were trying to cram so much content into the game that the only way it would all fit is if they dropped the ‘H' from every reference to the game's protagonist in the in-game text! Quite possibly an urban myth, but I like to think it's true.




SUDA 51 and Shinji Mikami team up for new project
Credit: Eurogamer, Wired.com

I pretty much wet myself with anticipation upon first hearing this news. Shinji Mikami, creator of Resident Evil and quite possible the second coming of the Messiah, has joined forces with Grasshopper Manufacture and SUDA 51, the man responsible for Killer 7, No More Heroes, and making me look at gimp suits in a whole new light, who in turn have signed up with EA for a one-off project to bring a new action/horror title to the Xbox 360, PS3, PC and...Nintendo Wii. The prospect of this collaboration has got me tingly in areas that are best not discussed in public.

Wired.com sat down with both men to discuss the project and how it originated. Highlights below.


Wired.com: I was really surprised by today's announcement. Can you explain how it came about?

Goichi Suda: We came to EA last year and presented two ideas, actually, this one and one other. This one was our priority, and the other one was just something we wanted to show off. They decided immediately that they liked one of them, and that they didn't need the other. Most companies don't do that, they take their time and get back to you. But the thinking and the style of their work was great. They showed a big interest in this idea, and that's why we ended up working together.

Wired.com: So why did you decide to talk to Western publishers in general versus Japanese publishers?

Shinji Mikami: Because there were no publishers in Japan willing to put up the money for this big a project.

Suda: Well, besides that, my personal thinking is that there are a lot of talented Japanese creators who should work for the worldwide market and not only focus on the Japanese market. So I wanted to be a pioneer and lead those creators overseas. I've been willing to work with publishers in the Western market, and that's why I came over to present ideas to EA, to make it happen.

Wired.com: As best you can, please describe the game you're working on now.

Suda: Action...

Mikami: ... Horror.

(laughter)

Wired.com: Action horror. Suda-san, you just finished working on Fatal Frame for Wii. How does this differ from that game?

Suda: Actually, when I was at a company called Human, I created horror games there called Twilight Syndrome and Moonlight Syndrome. They were high school girl horror games. So I'm not worried about creating a horror game as my next step.

Wired.com: Do you see partnering with American publishers as a way for Japanese developers to stay afloat, since there's not a lot of money going around on the Japanese side?

Suda: A lot of Japanese creators need to work for the worldwide market, not only Japanese. So this kind of relationship between Japanese independent developers and U.S. publisher will probably help other Japanese developers to work with U.S. publishers. I want to be the pioneer, to help the market go that way.

Mikami, in English: More. Increase.


Mikami & SUDA are clearly aiming to pull off something revolutionary here, so fingers crossed this translates to the game itself. The idea of strengthening the bond between Japanese developers and US publishers is a terrific one, and if successful could result in us seeing titles that wouldn't normally be given a second thought for US localization. I really can't fault this move, as it benefits the gaming industry in so many ways, not least of which is the fact that we (the gamers) get the pleasure of experiencing the sordid brainchild of Mikami and SUDA 51. I need to be on my own for a moment...




Disaster: Day of Crisis still imminent
Credit: Cubed3

For a long time, June had been the targeted Japanese release date for Nintendo's action/survival game Disaster: Day of Crisis. However, as June approached and the series of unfortunate natural disasters continued in the East, the decision was made to hold off the release of the title out of respect for those who perished during the catastrophes. Supposedly, Monolith Soft were grateful for the extra development time (and that's in no way making light of the real-life natural disasters), as it enabled them to "increase the quality of the finished product". So that was where we left things, and since then we hadn't heard from Monolith or Nintendo concerning the title's status. But thanks to Australia's OFLC (Office of Film and Leisure Classification) and their respective rating system, the game has been sighted after it received classification from the board.





And there's the classification in question. A nice, hearty ‘M' for Mature. It's a second party title, but Nintendo are still the bigwigs behind it, proving that they *do* sometimes cater to the more mature audiences out there. So what does all of this mean? Well, if the game is all good for an Australian release, the rest of the PAL territory will likely follow, and that in turn means a US launch is on the cards for the near future. Depending on how quickly things move on from here, I'd say we're looking at a Christmas release. The ESRB have yet to announce their rating for the title, but I'd imagine that's being worked on right now. Anticipation for ‘D:DoC' has grown steadily since its inception, so it's nice to know that the wait will soon pay off and we'll have it in our greasy, mature-game-starved little mitts in a very short while.




"Fresh" and "Innovative" new IP coming from Silicon Knights
Credit: CVG

As of right now, this isn't strictly Nintendo news, but if it does end up referring to a brand new Ninty title from Silicon Knights, I want to be able to stand up and shout, loud and proud, "See?! I told you!" And the women would come flocking. Anyway, with Too Human soon to be out the door (and I think the internet will implode if one more person makes a joke about that title originally being announced when Henry VIII was on the throne), talk has turned to what Silicon Knights' next project might be. Considering the fact that Too Human is a 360-exclusive, why might this concern Nintendo owners? Well, for starters, company frontman Denis Dyack and his team are already said to be working on a new IP in conjunction with SEGA. Naturally, SEGA have plenty of recent experience with multiplatform titles, but their close working relationship with Nintendo is something to be highlighted at this point. Plus, Dyack made some recent comments that intrigued me...


Dyack: We've been lucky enough to make Legacy of Kain, Eternal Darkness, Too Human and if you look at all of those they're all really different. The next game that we're going to announce, not including the sequels to the trilogy, it's nothing like anything else we've ever made before.

We want to continue to do that to keep fresh. That's really what's important, and making sure that we continue to make new IPs but also continue to innovate in the genres that we try to... create content in, I suppose is the best way to describe it.


"Like nothing else we've ever made before"? You mean...like a Wii game?! That would certainly offer your team something "fresh." Yes, alright, I'm completely clutching at straws here, but as far as speculation is concerned, I see no harm in pointing out the consistency between what Dyack is saying and how a new Wii title would fit in with that. Nevertheless, with good news comes bad, as Silicon Knights' desire to continue making new IPs means that Eternal Darkness 2 is looking increasingly less likely. And that makes me a...







New House of the Dead – "So frightening you cry blood from your own eyes". Yowzers, Scooby!

In the days leading up to the Leipzig Game Developer's Conference (which culminates today), it was revealed that SEGA had an unannounced Wii project that the company would debut on the show floor. Speculation ran rife for a day or so, until SEGA blew the lid off, announcing House of the Dead: Overkill for Nintendo Wii, coming early 2009. The remakes this year of HotD 2 & 3 were evidently used to test the waters to see if interest was there for a franchise ‘rebirth', and the positive sales would indicate that indeed there was. Overkill brings updated graphics and an awesome retro feel to the series, which is captured brilliantly in the debut trailer.





Check out the 70's cheese, baby! And what was that about ‘bodily fluid'? *Raises eyebrow* Moving swiftly along...

At this point, there's not a whole lot to talk about that isn't shown in the trailer, as details are scarce, but I'm a fan of everything I've seen so far. I've noticed some disappointment on the net already regarding the decision to keep the proceedings on-rails, but really, is this the kind of game that needs a drastically overhauled gameplay mechanic? It's all about quick thrills and in-your-face action, and aside from Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles this has very little competition on Wii, so it helps to fill the gap in the market. With HotD 2 & 3 being largely-speaking straight ports, I imagine there were more than a few Wii owners who were put off by the archaic graphics, so this snazzy continuation of the series may help to win over new fans. Plus, Umbrella Chronicles has sold well over a million units, proving that a simple yet accessible concept is often all consumers are after. I've personally got nothing else to add, but the press release gives you a little more insight into what SEGA are hoping to achieve with this latest entry into the House of the Dead franchise.


SEGA Europe Ltd. and SEGA of America, Inc. today announced The House of the Dead: OVERKILL, an all-new pulp-horror reinvention of the classic SEGA light-gun shooter franchise. Created by London-based studio Headstrong Games, The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will take you right back to the beginning of this classic horror series. Available exclusively on the Nintendo Wii early in 2009 and announced to coincide with Games Convention at Leipzig, The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will be presented live by developer Headstrong Games for specially invited members of the press in SEGA's business centre suite.

The House of the Dead: OVERKILL uncovers the ugly, terrifying, red hot secrets behind the House of the Dead; the daddy of all over-the-top shooters. While staying true to the classic gameplay this hugely successful SEGA series is getting a new retro look, with distinctive graphics, sound and attitude that will add to its horror cool status. Plus, thanks to the Wii Remote, players will fight off zombies when they get too close; pistol-whipping jaws off and smashing in skulls with their shotgun butt.

"We wanted to do something really different with The House of the Dead: OVERKILL," commented Bradley Crooks, Studio Head at Headstrong Games. "With SEGA we've been able to create a fresh look for the franchise. I think you'll agree it's like nothing you've seen before on Wii."





"Paying homage to the pulp horror comics and films that inspired generations of gore fans, The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will expose gamers to a brand-new fleshy rollercoaster ride of revolting dismemberment," commented Gary Knight, European Marketing Director at SEGA Europe. "This is the hardcore Wii title you've been waiting for."

The House of the Dead: OVERKILL takes you back to when Special Agent G was fresh out of the academy. Teamed up with hard-boiled bad-ass Detective Washington, they are sent to investigate stories of mysterious disappearances in small-town Louisiana. Little do they know what blood-soaked mutant depravity awaits them in the streets and swamps of Bayou City...

The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will be released in early 2009, exclusively for Nintendo Wii. For more information about the game, please visit www.houseofthedeadoverkill.com.


I'm not sure I concur with the proposal that this is the "hardcore Wii game we've been waiting for" but I appreciate the sentiment. The phrase "rollercoaster ride of revolting dismemberment" deserves mad props, however. Bravo, good sir!




The 411 Games Crew

The Checkpoint is by John Curry, who gives tips on how to make the next Harry Potter game truly worthy of the book's greatness.

See what Derek Robbins brings to the table as he takes over B3yond the Report! Derek details the Final Fantasy XIII demo as well as dissecting Capcom's hints about the titles they will be showing at the Tokyo Games Show next month. Good job, Derek, although by default you now become my arch-nemesis of 411 Games. INTRA-WEBZ WARS RULE!!

Drew Robbins looks at the release of Too Human in this week's Coming Attractions.

See which of your favorite game heroes made it into the Top 10 in Derek Robbins' The 10th Hour.

Joe Roche brings you The Full Circle 360 News Report.

The Select and Start News Report is brought to you by Vincent Chiucchi.

Chris Evans tackles the issue of piracy in the latest edition of The PC Centric Extravaganza, throwing the problem into a more positive light.


So guess what I'm doing this weekend? I'm going on a day's wrestling training course! Having just completed No More Heroes a few days ago, SUDA 51's crazy masterpiece has clearly sent me clinically insane as there is no justifiable reason why I should think I could ever make it as a wrestler, but I thought I'd give it a go anyhow! Expect a banged up and bruised edition of Nintendophiles next week! :)

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