Ben-DutkaDespite the fact that more Western-oriented titles are starting to appeal to Japanese gamers, a culture gap remains.
And it's always interesting to see a list of the most anticipated games in the Land of the Rising Sun. According to Famitsu readers , the top 20 titles Japanese gamers are excited about include names most Americans have never heard of. But sitting at #1 is Dragon Quest X , which is scheduled to launch for the Wii this year. Apparently, the fact that it'll be closer to an MMORPG doesn't worry Japanese fans a bit.
Dragon's Dogma for the PS3 comes in at #2, followed by Photo Kano for the PSP, Monster Hunter 4 for the 3DS and Persona 4: The Golden for the Vita. The recently renamed Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance sits at #8, while Asura's Wrath and Resident Evil: Revelations round out the top 10. What do you think a top 20 list would look like for North America or Europe? Things have certainly changed but as was the case in 1995, the Japanese list of favorite upcoming titles always looks different.
And that's kinda comforting in a way.
I'm interested in #13 on the list… The Last Remnant for PS3? Is it really coming? and Japanese reader voted for that? Hopefully if its really coming there's ton of new stuff for the ps3 version~
For me, the Last Remnant (for the PC, not the 360 version) is the most underrated jRPG this gen, I really enjoyed it and been hoping desperately for a sequel / remake… glad Japanese reader agrees with me~
Personally, I'd be happy with all of that list arriving on PS branded consoles of one sort or another. 😀
Ooh DQX…wait MMORPG, never mind…
My list so far:
Twisted Metal
Dragons Dogma
Umm, well, that was short! How about more Rocksmith songs?!
im not so sure a culture gap still remains.
look at dragons dogma, asuras wrath, neverdead.
3 very distinct western styled genres, made by japanese developers.
just another japanese developer tying to be western.
exactly what has destroyed the japanese developer industry!
if i want italian food ill go to italy.
if i wan chineese food ill go to china.
so why the f*ck would you go to a japanese developer wanting a distinctly western genre?
might as well go to the americans expecting high quality electronics, or a car that can go around bends!
Dragons Dogma and Asura Wrath is not "western styled genre"
Dragons Dogma might have western medieval-age setting, but the gameplay is very much monster hunter-ish ie. Japanese gameplay, Asura's Wrath is eastern myths settings and the genre (action adventure) has been done by Japanese even long before this game (DMC is the best example).
Neverdead a shooter game, does making shooter game automatically makes it western?
Westerners should stop saying everything that Japanese developers are doing besides jrpgs are western, its stupid.
asuras wrath is nothing like DMC!
looks allot more like GOW or darksiders, something you would not expect to come out of a japanese developer.
same goes for the rest, especially neverdead thats something id expect to see from epic, or someone else definitely not crapcom!
next were going to have ninty bringing a horses head to a games launch party!
Asura Wrath has similiarities to GOW, but its more fast-paced hence making it closer to DMC, Bayonetta and Vanquish. But who cares? "Western" does not own those type of genre, or any kind of genre for that matter.
Neverdead is konami not capcom~ specifically Rebellion developer, even if it is capcom, what's wrong with it? Japanese people can go and create whatever they want wether it be Call of Duty or Final Fantasy, as long as the final product delivers~
Its like saying western developers should stop producing games like heavy rain because westerners should only do FPS like call of duty… sound stupid aint it?
dude, your still not getting it!
where did i say there was something wrong with it?
the whole reason why the japanese industry is in the gutter at the moment is because there trying to be something there not!
if there delivering the western games then whose going to release the japanese games?
Quite clearly Japanese can do what they do well. And they are diverse, just as NA and EU are diverse.
Kojima makes an awesome game in MGS. Zelda is an excellent action/adventure (bordering on rpg, but not quite). They clearly have made some excellent jRPG's. And they've made straight up action games in titles like DMC. Look at the diversity in Mario games. Or check out Metroid.
Clearly, the issue is not about them not being diverse.
But I actually agree with Blankline here…
The issue really has been devs trying to be something they aren't. Not by making new IP's… no… that's cool. But by taking their well established franchises and experimenting with those. Front Mission… flop. Final Fantasy… well, XIV flopped so far, and it's hard to say where they're going. SquareEnix in general is floundering HUGE. Capcom has had struggles.
But clearly something is up…. even Kojima is bemoaning the industry a bit. Japanese devs in general, for what reason I am unsure, are not having an easy time feeling like their designs are clicking with the international crowd. In the past… they were the kings.
So… something is amiss. I just don't know what. Either way, Japanese devs do need to figure out their identity again soon.