SEGA - Road to 2020

[Blinge]

Yup. The balldrop ever.

Went from actually not generic anime to generic anime complete with high school+ crazy loli villains. gr8
Although I haven't actually played 2.

3rd one not released in the west, I don't think it was translated either?
And the new game in development isn't a strategy RPG either.

[iconoclast]

Valkyria 3 has a fan translation. It looks like a nice improvement over the 2nd but I haven't played it.

I only played the second one for a few days when it came out, but it seemed like it didn't carry over much of what made the original great. The first game has huge sprawling maps that you can approach in a variety of ways - the second game cut each mission down into a series of segmented rooms because of the PSP hardware. I think they also made some changes to the weapon or leveling system to make it grindy and luck based but I don't really remember, honestly. And the tone of the game is completely different. Valkyria 1 is fairly serious for an anime WW2, the second game is highschool slice of life anime. The 3rd one looks more serious, at least. (Not to mention their PS3 CANVAS engine gave the game a really nice and unique look.)

It's a shame they dropped the ball so hard on that series since they had such a great base to expand on. It's kinda like what Capcom did with Lost Planet.

[bigbadboaz]

The really tough thing about their old IP's is that they were made to be one and done arcade games.* There's really not much you can build upon a Golden Axe or Altered Beast. Even Sonic resists expandability as compared to Mario.

Hate to be the jaded one here but this was pretty much shown when Sega first went third-party. All the great IPs and dev teams that were supposed to carry them to the top were met with solid indifference from the modern market. I unfortunately don't see much different these days.

I want new versions of their classic series as much as anybody, but do we really think this is going to bring them success?

[Sumez]

that's pretty much on point. Even when they try to be "classic" action games, they just feel pointless and redundant.
I'd love a new cool Shinobi game, but I don't want this

[Xyga]

The revival of glorious 'retro' licenses can't really work unless the games are the same as before, but on steroids+cocaine+shrooms.

How many butchered licenses since the beginning of the 7th gen to now ? And games devs still don't get it.

[NYN]

I'd love a new cool Shinobi game, but I don't want this

Maybe for another thread, but why's that? Did you play it?

[pcb_revival]

a good new space harrier pleeze

Yes return to the fantasy zone.

[trap15]

Virtua Fighter 6

[BrianC]

I'd love a new cool Shinobi game, but I don't want this

fixed

[stryc9]

Well they don't have to worry about a new SOR, since Watermelon is doing it for them in the form of Paprium.

We'll find out if it even comes anywhere close to SOR2 later this year hopefully.

[Skykid]

Well they don't have to worry about a new SOR, since Watermelon is doing it for them in the form of Paprium.

Such an awful name though. Sounds like something you use to season meat.

[Xyga]

Well they don't have to worry about a new SOR, since Watermelon is doing it for them in the form of Paprium.

Such an awful name though. Sounds like something you use to season meat.

Or an infectious disease.

[stryc9]

Well they don't have to worry about a new SOR, since Watermelon is doing it for them in the form of Paprium.

Such an awful name though. Sounds like something you use to season meat.

Yeah, it wouldn't have been my choice for the name, I would have called it Apocalypse Breaker or something and just called it a day.

Still, hopefully playing the game and immersing myself in it's game world will help the chosen name gel with me.

More on topic, I agree with Xyga it's only worth resurrecting these old franchises if their core is the same game, only naturally evolved/enhanced. Which unfortunately is what people who post here want, but probably not anyone else.

[Immryr]

Bit weird that in this thread we have two people denouncing the valkyria chronicles sequels without having played them, and someone else denouncing 3ds shinobi (seemingly) without playing it. Now, I don't think you have to always play a game to know if you'll like it, but, valkyria chronicles had a fairly generic rpg story and characters anyway so unless the gameplay is drastically worse in the sequels (it might be, but I think you'd have to play it to find out) then I can't see them being that much worse. And 3ds shinobi I thought looked pretty decent, if not outstanding.

[Sumez]

I never denounced 3DS Shinobi, I'm just saying it's not the way to take a series further. It's a quite decent game, but I don't think it's anything outstanding.

[Pedro Lambrini]

I'd love SEGA to finally give Street of Rage Remake an official stamp of approval and release. That game should've gone down as a classic homage.

While they're at it, I'd love them to pick up Another Metroid 2 Remake, give it a nice shiny Zillion coat of paint and stick it to Nintendo.

Failing that (and probably more realistically), I'd love a nice new Fantasy Zone game.

[Skykid]

And 3ds shinobi I thought looked pretty decent, if not outstanding.

It's not outstanding. It has a lot of decent ideas that are either flawed by awkward stage design butting in and screwing up the flow, and laggy controls not offering the precision you require. It was half way to being pretty decent, but it falls short of its potential.

[Blinge]

Bit weird that in this thread we have two people denouncing the valkyria chronicles sequels without having played them, and someone else denouncing 3ds shinobi (seemingly) without playing it. Now, I don't think you have to always play a game to know if you'll like it, but, valkyria chronicles had a fairly generic rpg story and characters anyway so unless the gameplay is drastically worse in the sequels (it might be, but I think you'd have to play it to find out)

Just repeating what I've heard really.
I didn't play it because I don't own a PSP. I wanted a full size sequel on home consoles.
Handheld, then a JP only release is two steps down and an indicator that Sega didn't give a damn about the franchise.

This is the basis of my denouncing of the sequels, however I accept that two things have changed.
1- I can emulate 2 and have a look at it now should I feel the need.
2- The HD remaster of Valk1 has gotten a lot of attention and probably shown the franchise's worth.

I strongly disagree with calling Valk1 generic - sure the plot wasn't groundbreaking or FF levels of crazy but it was decent. The world, character development + relationships, motivations were far from generic to me.

[Tarma]

Well they don't have to worry about a new SOR, since Watermelon is doing it for them in the form of Paprium.

Such an awful name though. Sounds like something you use to season meat.

You never know... that may be all it's fit for.

[GaijinPunch]

Bit weird that in this thread we have two people denouncing the valkyria chronicles sequels without having played them, and someone else denouncing 3ds shinobi (seemingly) without playing it. Now, I don't think you have to always play a game to know if you'll like it, but, valkyria chronicles had a fairly generic rpg story and characters anyway so unless the gameplay is drastically worse in the sequels (it might be, but I think you'd have to play it to find out)

Just repeating what I've heard really.
I didn't play it because I don't own a PSP. I wanted a full size sequel on home consoles.
Handheld, then a JP only release is two steps down and an indicator that Sega didn't give a damn about the franchise.

This is the basis of my denouncing of the sequels, however I accept that two things have changed.
1- I can emulate 2 and have a look at it now should I feel the need.
2- The HD remaster of Valk1 has gotten a lot of attention and probably shown the franchise's worth.

I strongly disagree with calling Valk1 generic - sure the plot wasn't groundbreaking or FF levels of crazy but it was decent. The world, character development + relationships, motivations were far from generic to me.

All of this.
I don't really care about the story... no RPG story is all that great... it's the battle system that counts. Grandia, anyone?

[Mischief Maker]

Those of you wishing for a real Phantasy Star sequel may want to check out Starcrawlers for PC which is leaving early access next Tuesday.

[Limbrooke]

All of this.
I don't really care about the story... no RPG story is all that great... it's the battle system that counts. Grandia, anyone?

Oof. Definitely Grandia, strip all the dreck out and the battling is half decent and worth playing.
Thats how I approached MGS2 - solid game, who cares about the plot/story/&c. Moving along...

[Obiwanshinobi]

Alien Syndrome with mouse & keyboard controls - not very marketable perhaps, but after the twin-stick, then Wiimote & nunchuck remakes, where else is there to go to?
Keep in mind that Sega's been a fairly major RTS publisher for a while. Alien Syndrome disguised as a Diablo clone (or the other way 'round) doesn't sound too irrational. The once-announced, then never released Spartan: Total Warrior co-op enhancement doesn't bode ill for consoles, either.

[dreadnought]

What's wrong with the other valkyria games? (I've never played them)

They're on handhelds.

EDIT: Art direction looked whorable as well.

Madness. I played the sequel on PSP first, and it blew me away - both sfx/gfx & gameplay -wise. Of course it`d be better if it was made for the PS3 as a main platform - same with the 3rd - but it wasn`t to be and it doesn`t mean that the game itself sucks.

On topic: Shenmue 4 & 5 :P

[BryanM]

You know how most arcade games consume coins by being hard as balls? It's kind of interesting that a lot of SEGA's game were the exact opposite: fairly easy, lifebars, multiple lives. If you were awful, you'd still milk ~4 minutes out of your coin. If you were decent, you could clear the entire game in one go.

And by the time you get to that point, you'd be bored of that game and would rarely feel like giving it those 12 minutes of your life necessary to clear it. Thus, freeing up the machine.

Alien Syndrome

Modernized AS would have to be a Borderlands style FPS game, if they want that AAA money. Just like how a modernized Outrun would be against Gran Turismo and Shinobi against 3d Ninja Gaiden.

They're SEGA, so they're not interested in cultivating a long term niche market of mere 200,000-400,000 sellers. Games aren't art to them, it's all about money in money out.

The Altered Beast GBA is even worse than I remembered it to be. Some random band has invested more into the Altered Beast brand than SEGA has.

Being an old timey Sega fan is like being an abused wife.

[BrianC]

There is already a modernized AS. I heard mixed things (mostly bad).

[BryanM]

I forgot all about that!

The head-ache inducing camera is straight out of Modernized Mario.

... the music too.

[5pectre]

I would like them to re-release Afterburner Climax as I missed out on that one. Like other I would like to see a new Jet Set Radio or maybe a HD remaster of Jet Set Radio Future as I've never got to play that.

Other wishes include:
Port Daytona 3 to consoles
Out Run 3
Crazy Taxi 4

edit:
I love Alien Synrdome but that Wii version looks like hot garbage

[Obiwanshinobi]

I love Alien Synrdome but that Wii version looks like hot garbage

It's nearly every kind of amateurish; I mentioned it because both PS2 and Wii Alien Syndrome remakes do something Gauntlet Dark Legacy did before them with aplomb - enhance a former coin-op title with Robotron-style controls that work a treat. Shows the kind of thinking I like to see shown more in games.

Just like how a modernized Outrun would be against Gran Turismo and Shinobi against 3d Ninja Gaiden.

I doubt anyone who played 3D Shinobi and 3D Ninja Gaiden would expect their new iterations to be much alike. Same with OutRun and Gran Turismo (a hint - those titles would be primarily released with buyers in their thirties-forties in mind).

[Blinge]

Madness. I played the sequel on PSP first, and it blew me away - both sfx/gfx & gameplay -wise. Of course it`d be better if it was made for the PS3 as a main platform - same with the 3rd - but it wasn`t to be and it doesn`t mean that the game itself sucks.

Just watched this video about the region locked III.
Yeah I might have to play the PSP games soon.