Is Japan Behind?

[JC48573]

Update: I changed the title as I have to take into account that people have different opinions.

I agree with Inafune that Japan is falling behind in the gaming industry, especially when you are comparing the difference between Resident Evil and Call of Duty sales in North America. You guys do have to admit that there are times when the games of the rising sun tend to be confusing and cheesy at times. Japanese developers do get it right sometimes...but not consistently...
Capcom is spending time and money collaborating with Western gaming companies, which I think is for the better because only this way they can understand the meaning of globalization.

I know some of you guys are a bit disappointed with the announcement of DmC because I am too, but we have to give them a chance just to see where it goes. Dead Rising 2 is coming out soon and I am very excited about it. I think Dead Rising 2 is going to turn out alright or maybe surpass its predecessor, but we will find out soon enough.

[Veno]

I myself don't think Japan is really falling behind. I guess it's just me and my taste in games, but when I heard that announcement, I thought Capcom was really westernizing itself for more profits. It's just me though, so don't mind me.

[MrPopo]

Personally I don't want to see Japan try to mimic western developers. Each side creates games that are a product of their culture, and they have a different feel. One isn't better than the other. I'd hate to see that Japanese charm go away.

[Veno]

Personally I don't want to see Japan try to mimic western developers. Each side creates games that are a product of their culture, and they have a different feel. One isn't better than the other. I'd hate to see that Japanese charm go away.

Thank you, those were the words I couldn't find. I feel some games like RE5 weren't as good as they could've been because they were more westernized than their predecessors. This is why I think they're doing this for the more general profits.

[JC48573]

I would like to hear your personal thoughts on Dead Rising 2. Anything is ok.

[CAv]

I agree. Lots of Japanese games are waaaay too cheesy in their storytelling. Maybe there are just some cultural walls that are too hard to break, and they just can't get some things right. Metroid: Other M was particularly painful to me in its storytelling. The developers were clearly trying to have a western military feel, but they just don't understand military culture at all. I cringed every time Samus called Adam by his first name in one of the flashbacks to her military days. I also don't like being spoon-fed character analysis. Here in the west we like to analyze characters on our own, not have three minute soliloquies from Samus about Adam's motivations.

[JC48573]

There has been that sort of lost in translation, which still persists today but not as much as it used to. Guys I really want to know how you guys feel about the upcoming release of Dead Rising 2. Do you guys think that Capcom let a Canadian company to work on it just for the sake of making profit? The game is looking pretty good to me and it seems to carry a little bit of Capcom DNA.

[Red_Skies]

Japan is as good as it ever was at producing quality video games. There is simply more competition now and people are now demanding games in genres that Japanese game makers simply do not make due to the fact that they cannot be sold in their domestic market, namely FPSs.

Also, storytelling in videogames has a long way to go in general. People that single Japanese companies out on this point are picking on the easy target.

[the7k]

Personally I don't want to see Japan try to mimic western developers. Each side creates games that are a product of their culture, and they have a different feel. One isn't better than the other. I'd hate to see that Japanese charm go away.

Japan is falling behind because they are trying to mimic the West.

The Resident Evil series is kinda an example of how Japanese games are more and more trying to mimic Western design... and let's face it, if both products cost the same amount, are you going to go with the original or the imitation?

Japan still has plenty of great games coming out. Hell, the only games I'm looking forward to are Japanese - I'll take a Katamari or Street Fighter over a Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto any day of the week.

[emwearz]

Japan need to keep making games that feel like Japanese games because there version of Western games tend to fall short compared to 'real' Western games.

Ganbare Goemon for the win!