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Psst…Hey, Japanese Devs, Your PS1 Classics Are Popular

Hey, did you Japanese developers notice something?

Maybe this will serve as a wake-up call of sorts, but at this rate, it seems very unlikely that any Japanese designer will ever have their finger on the pulse of gamer nation.

However, it should be noted that many of the PS1 classics that arrive on the PlayStation Network are awfully popular. Everyone seems to love the fact that Legend of Dragoon is headed to the PSN , and how long was Final Fantasy VIII on top of the most popular download list? By the way, what other games were on that list? Many of them are titles that offer a style of gameplay that is dead or dying and yet, despite the myth that all Westerners only want to play shooters, those classics often outsell new digital offerings on a consistent basis.

Sure, some of it is nostalgia. In fact, a lot of it is nostalgia. But in many cases, I think it's a very particular brand of nostalgia; the kind that aches for an entertainment experience that is getting more and more difficult to find. Also, let's not forget that these aren't remakes; these aren't games sporting glossy new veneers and redone voices and presentations. Oh no, these are the original adventures and even so, despite all the advances in technology and uber-HD graphics and photorealistic environments, a great many gamers go and download Chrono Cross and Suikoden and Wild ARMs .

Maybe that's a small message. Maybe it might prove there's still a place for story-driven, linear, turn-based adventures in a world that is rapidly going another direction. It may further prove that actual remakes of such titles would be embraced with open arms…

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Temjin001
Temjin001
11 years ago

We can only hope. I'd really like to see remakes of these classics, given only that the production quality increases but all of the story and game play stays in tact.

I dare you to do it SquareEnix. Re-make all of the PSX FF's and just maybe you'd be forgiven by irate fans 😉

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
11 years ago

I had already written this in my head, blast you.

Wouldn't it be weird if someone made a JRPG that just had the updated visuals we expected but everything else was about the same? Talk aboot Bizarro World.

Dancemachine55
Dancemachine55
11 years ago

Case in point:

Xenoblade Chronicles
The Last Story
Ni No Kuni

… AND all those PS3 exclusive JRPG's that were announced recently by NIS.

Sure, they won't sell millions like Call of Duty, but you don't need to sell millions if your budget isn't sky high!!

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
11 years ago

If someone dropped $10 million in my pocket and gave me a team I'd make a JRPG that would sell 2 million copies. Blammo, profit.

ZenChichiri
ZenChichiri
11 years ago

If someone gave me $10 million dollars and I was forced into making a game, I would make en epic JRPG as well. However, if I had $10 million dollars and I didn't have to make a game, I would get a bunch of money hungry homicidal people together, put them in a stadium, supply weapons and traps, and then give the money to the last man standing. I would televise it and make tonnes of money off of it. Now that's smart investing. REality TV at its best.

dbyzforce
dbyzforce
11 years ago

Case in point:

Xenoblade Chronicles
The Last Story

Should've been on PS3 as well 🙁
Well least I did not sell my wii…
Speaking of PS1 Classics, why has Sony not implemented playing them on the PS Vita yet?


Last edited by dbyzforce on 4/12/2012 7:56:02 AM

dbyzforce
dbyzforce
11 years ago

Reported your post as spam. Tired of spamming when this is a discussion about gaming.

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
11 years ago

Yup, I created a US PSN account just so I could finally play all these PS1 exclusives we never got like Xenogears, Parasite Eve 1, Chrono Trigger/Cross. After XIII-2 There's not many new titles for this yeare which excites me. I even recently bought a Wii for dirt cheap, so I can finally see what these Zelda games are all about.

I also see they have put Persona 3: FES on the US store, that along with the soon to come Legend of Dragoon have my very interested.

Mog
Mog
11 years ago

I seriously cannot understand square enix. The fans want something, it will give you a lot of money, everybody will be happy with it so just DO IT!
I would be interested to hear their reason as to why they are not remaking ps1 classics. Surely they have given a reason. Have they?

___________
___________
11 years ago

of course there are!
i wish $ony would bring some of there famous original series back to PSN.
or even to retail like there doing with ps2 HD classics!
oh what i would do to see crash 1,2,3, CTR and bash, spyro 1,2,3 and syphon filter 1,2,3 all remade into HD!
be nice to have some of the looney tunes games too like bugs and taz time busters, bugs and taz lost in time and even oddworld, pandemonium, and looney tunes sheep raider.

Looking Glass
Looking Glass
11 years ago

Well to be fair not ALL of the Japanese developers have turned a deaf ear to their customers. Some have done a good job of listening like Idea Factory and Level 5 for example. It seems that it's really the bigger ones that are the problem with Square-Enix being the best example by far.


Last edited by Looking Glass on 4/12/2012 7:51:18 AM

Edito
Edito
11 years ago

Im with my feet on the ground – ain't gonna happen ever again first – Hironubo Sakaguchi is not part of Square anymore, Nobuo Uematsu is not part of Square, only Tetsuya could do something he tried with Versus XIII but it stacked where we all know 🙁 im looking forward to Mistwalker games just because of Sakaguchi and Nobuo One with great writing skills and one who can create incredible atmosphere with his songs…

gumbi
gumbi
11 years ago

They're not listening Ben. We've all been singing this song for years.

No amount of evidence will convince them that there is a market here for good traditional JRPG's. There always has been, we didn't go away. Oh well, it was a good time while it lasted. I shall remember the era fondly.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
11 years ago

Ya know. When FFVII hit PSN I said;

Now, maybe they will see the great sales of FFVII on PSN and realize that there is a market for a classic, high quality JRPG in the West.

When FFVIII hit PSN I said;

Now, maybe they will see the great sales of FFVIII on PSN and realize that there is a market for a classic, high quality JRPG in the West. Good lord, combined with the success of FFVII only an idiot would miss this.

When FFIX hit PSN I said;

OK, now they *have* to see what we've been saying. Combined sales of these classic FF titles from the PS1 must surely demonstrate that there is a market for classic style, high quality JRPGs?

But, ya know, that hasn't happened. Which means that the idiots in charge do not see what is on the end of their own nose; OR the believe that people are sheep that by FF games on the name recognition and reputation alone.

I think they're all fools.

Underdog15
Underdog15
11 years ago

Name recognition is why I bought and pre-ordered FFXIII.

Afterall, I didn't need a review to know an FF would be awesome.

Words…. eaten….

saintaqua
saintaqua
11 years ago

After playing Tales of Graces F I know now that I still need these JRPGs!
Sadly I'm beginning to think all Japanese developers have amnesia and have forgotten their roots.
Maybe by the time they face the final boss (when we stop buying their crappy C.O.D. clones) they will remember who they are and save this gen.

LowKey
LowKey
11 years ago

No, they haven't noticed. Cuz most developers are jaded, conceited monkeys who cant see past the tips of thier own upturned nose. And that goes double for japanese Devs. They think that they know whats best. I've even gone so far as to start calling Japanese RPGs JAP SCRAP. Any of you who have known me these passed few years know how much I adored the genré. If it's broke, FIX IT. I'm getting a little fed up with they gaming industry. So fed up I may just call it quits altogether.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
11 years ago

since you decided to refer to a japanses product by the somewhat insulting 'JAP' name, yeah, maybe you should call it quits.

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