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Is there a way to “fix” Japanese games?

With TGS on the horizon, we ponder the situation of Japanese development

Words: on September 18, 2012
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47 comments

  • cloud_and_aerith - November 26, 2012 8:13 p.m.

    Very good article!! This is actually what I'm researching at the moment. I want to know what kind of impact Japanese games have on the non-Japanese players and how interested are the players in the Japanese games and culture!! If anyone is interested in this topic, please fill out my survey! I am very curious what everybody thinks about Japanese games!! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDFMUlNCblFDRERFelBIdENFbnZUWUE6MQ

  • Sjoeki - September 20, 2012 11:05 a.m.

    IMO Japanese games haven't really changed that much, except for the graphics. While I still enjoy JRPG's and games like metal gear I can see why some people had enough of those games. And might it have something to do with how big gaming has gotten? Everybody and their mother are gaming nowadays and I think a lot of people want instant satisfaction. Especially JRPG's are games that you have to put a lot of time in to get some results. Don't really think it needs to be fixed, they just should do their own thing without looking to much to the west.

  • zombi3grim - September 20, 2012 5:32 a.m.

    The problem with japanese games are two fold. Either they have no variety or their WAY too damn weird. You got games that feature the Japanese perversion of underage school girls. At the same time, Japanese game series dont tend to stray too much from title to title. They stick with what works and Japanese gamers eat that shit up.

  • buttfaceninja - September 19, 2012 4:48 p.m.

    My only problem with most Japanese games nowadays is the the writing and the voice acting. For instance I would really like to play the newest Star Ocean for the 360, but HOLY SHIT that voice acting. Voice acting that bad with a script that bad makes playing through a story centric game like this almost unbearable.

  • n00b - September 19, 2012 1:42 p.m.

    dark souls anyone?

  • bobbystrange - September 19, 2012 12:06 p.m.

    i know how to "fix" jap games, stop putting mario in them and stop trying to make every other game so cute and fluffy. these games now r ok for little kids but im the one who pays $60 a pop.

  • MetroidPrimeRib - September 19, 2012 10:27 a.m.

    Japanese games don't need fixing. Western devs constantly shit out soulless AAA titles with no real value. The only real games that have come out this gen have mostly come from Japan with a few exceptions like BioShock and New Vegas. But that doesn't matter because you'd never, ever once in your life see a Games Journalist give a small niche game that GOTY instead of the latest casual appeasement fest.

  • zombi3grim - September 20, 2012 5:29 a.m.

    Your so cool and nonconformist. I wish all gamers were like you. Do you shop at hot topic? Do you go to the coffee shop? Do you listen to bands with a fanbase of 10 or less? Do you dye your hair? Do you watch movies at a film festival? If you answered yes to any of these, you are such a cool, original person.

  • MetroidPrimeRib - September 21, 2012 9:52 a.m.

    wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem Might want to check that out.

  • zombi3grim - September 21, 2012 2:11 p.m.

    You're even cooler then I thought. Now you're posting links to wikipedia. Thats so cool. You're such an original thinker. Way to go, buddy!

  • MetroidPrimeRib - November 12, 2012 11:10 a.m.

    Golly thanks for demonstrating exactly what an Ad Hominem is

  • zombi3grim - November 12, 2012 8:13 p.m.

    Golly, thanks for responding to a post I made almost 2 fucking months ago! Your so cool!

  • Mooshon - September 19, 2012 3:57 a.m.

    For my mind the general problem with Japanese development is that they've made their games too specific for their market. I'm mainly referring to the asian preference for repetitive/grind or statistic driven mechanics that they seem to favour. Where western devs followed the hollywood route of grand, exciting, accessible projects for the mass audience - japanese developers seemed to invert and rinse and repeat existing tropes for the home crowd. I feel a bit of a comeback though. Upcoming games like Ni No Kuni really highlight the dev magic that's slowly being lost amongst the COD fodder.

  • wheresmymonkey - September 19, 2012 3:24 a.m.

    The main difference i'd say between japanese and western games is simple. Japanese games outside of japan aren't given the same kind of marketing push that the likes of Elder scrolls and mass effect have, Everyone knows months in advance when a new bethesda game is coming out because we're told about it constantly. People that don't usually play games as a hobby know about them. So they sell shedloads. There's no problem with japanese games themselves apart from when they attempt to copy the west. It's safe to assume we don't want immitators and that's where the likes of Platinum and Grasshopper have made strides. By bothering to talk to westerners and ask them what we like about japanese games instead of making assumptions they've found out that we like japanese games, because they're different. I love japanese games because they are culturally different to Western games and i think that more western devs could learn a lot from that. The fact that we all get lumped together as western says a lot about how by and large our own cultural leanings are lacking from our games. They're there. Deep down but often western games end up all feeling a little like an attempt at trying to be american in many ways, with only a few notable exceptions like fable and Overlord which are at least in their humour incredibly british. Anyway i'm rambling now. Biggesst problem as always is a misconception born out of mutterings on the internet it seems.

  • profile0000 - September 19, 2012 6:43 p.m.

    Well damn, that was a good point. I think I agree with you there.

  • BladedFalcon - September 18, 2012 10:31 p.m.

    I'd actually say that the ones that need "fixing" are the customers in general, and not so much the games themselves. I believe Japanese games actually shine their best when they focus on doing their own stuff, instead of trying to cater to the west... As long as they actually put some actual effort in creating their games, but of course, this applies to any developer, anywhere.

  • FoxdenRacing - September 19, 2012 7:41 a.m.

    Amen to that, dude. I greatly enjoy the Japanese games on my shelf...but then again, I put gameplay over graphics, and good design over 'Bro that was AWESOME' set-pieces. I'll also be a gamer long after CoD and its ilk are relegated to the 'dead horse' bin along with Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero; what will drive me away is customer-unfriendly business practices, not whether a specific franchise panders to me.

  • Viron - September 18, 2012 8:59 p.m.

    Eh, I doubt that American games sell that well over there. Different strokes for different folks.

  • bigwill1221 - September 18, 2012 6:38 p.m.

    Is there a way to have your own ideas with out being criticized?

Showing 1-20 of 47 comments

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