[360] The future of Mistwalker?

(( Thread idea lifted from NeoGAF ))

Some of you may know who Mistwalker is. Probably most of you 360 owners. It's a studio run by some guy named Gooch who was responsible for some minor series called Final Fantasy. Apparently he saw the steaming pile of vomit that the FF series has festered into, and instead of taking a dip decided to try his own thing.

Good for you, guy named after one of the filthiest places on our bodies. Good for you.

His first game, Blue Dragon was supposed to be amazing, colossal, a tour de force. And it kinda was. I mean, there was some considerable talent behind the series, just not in the right places. Gooch wrote it up, Uematsu composed it, and Toriyama drew it. I never played it myself, but apparently, it's a pretty good game, but doesn't stray too far from the JRPG formula. That works for some people, not for others.

It ended up selling over 200,000 copies in Japan. A pretty impressive number for a country that's busy replacing the Sony branded dildo in their bums with one from Nintendo. I think it sold similarly here in the States, and obviously less so to the communists in Yurp. There's a portable take on the story available soon on the DS, and work on a sequel is in the planning stages. So, everyone was reasonably satisfied with the events they've seen. Overall everyone rated Mistwalker's first foray into console-dom a C+. OK, not great, and our planet was spared.

So now Japan has seen the release of Lost Odyssey and... it didn't do so hot. Graphical issues, loading issues, frame rate issues... All problems. Some fixable in the time the game will take to be translated, so the US might see a better product. But whatever it is that Japan got, they didn't take it too well. Last numbers put the title at around 100,000 sold.

Honestly, I'm much more interested in Lost Odyssey than I was Blue Dragon. I've about had it with Toriyama's art style, Uematsu isn't a selling point for me, and the 1000 year, immortal protagonist story plot for LO is much more intriguing. Finally, the issues commonly cited with the game aren't anything I haven't seen in Mass Effect, and that game is nearly perfect. Famitsu gave it favorable reviews as well.

Finally there's ASH, a game that pretty much ruined Christmas for those few heathens in the land of the rising fun that actually participated in the holiday. Apparently, when it's not being pretty it's busy being ugly, jerky, and all around not nice. Coupled with an unneeded reliance on the stylus and you have a failure on your hands.

Here's a video showing off the games pretty good FMV, awful overworld 2D, and amazing in battle graphics.

YouTube - ASH Archaic Sealed Heat Nintendo DS

So, what's the deal with Mistwalker? What does the future hold? They've done okay in Japan, and their first release in the States wasn't handled too badly either. There seems to be a bit of a backlash against the developer in the east, though, especially with the 2CH Sony Fanboys railing against them at every turn.

They have two DS titles in the works, one a Blue Dragon sequel and another a brand new dungeon crawler. They also have Cry-On, a game that they hope will make you cry every 15 minutes. Not sure how that's gonna go well with me. And then there's the vague plans for a 360 MMO. Cool.

Personally, while they haven't had break out success, they certainly haven't falled completely flat on their faces. They seem to focus too much on one thing during development, while letting others slip. Example, the graphical problems and inconsistencies in both Lost Odyssey and ASH. Sometimes they look great, sometimes not so much.

All they really need is one break out hit, though. If they could get something that hits the market and makes $texas, and REALLY puts them in the minds of Japanese gamers, then I don't think there will be any question about their future. Until then, the rabid nationalism is going to play against Mistwalker for supporting an American company. But really, **** them. The US can support Mistwalker... especially if that mega hit translates well.

Microsoft created a subsidiary development studio called Feel Plus to help out with developing Lost Odyssey. Maybe they can make amends with Level 5 and get some high profile names behind their next project, even though Rogue Galaxy didn't exactly set the world on fire, sales wise. (Remember the Xbox only MMORPG from Level 5?) Artoon developed Blue Dragon, and are also working on Cry-On with one of the designers from the Panzer Dragoon* series.

I think I might pick up Blue Dragon now that I can find it cheap. If I sat through Eternal Sonata, maybe I can sit through BD too.

What do you think?






*Even though I'm not keen on the crying thing, anything from a designer behind Panzer Dragoon is sold for me.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I saw the NeoGAF thread. Didn't read. For the same reason I don't read GameFAQs threads. I remade the thread in other (more intelligent) forums.

Mistwalker is in a peculiar position. They're on the fence in terms of becoming an industry legend, or merely a footnote.

And shame on your for equating my intentions and my thread to that of NeoGAF.

EDIT

I also agree with you about the demo. It suffers from the same problem that the Burnout Paradise demo is plagued with. Basically, "Here you go, you little scamp. Now get to it!"

Give me some direction, please.

Most amazing jew boots

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It's the same fucking thread.

So, we can't discuss topics here that are being discussed on NeoGAF? I noticed you started a Project Sylpheed thread. I'm sure there were one or two of those at GAF As well. olo

Look, son, don't take your nerd anger for GAF out on me. It's a topic I'd like to discuss with people other than the GAF crowd. Not my concern if that's an issue that bothers you.

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And industry legend? Don't make me laugh.

Why not? It only takes one good game. Look at Level 5. They were pretty mediocre until Dragon Quest VIII was released. Now they're hot shit.

Besides, the men behind the Mistwalker name are already people you can name drop in a conversation. If they could spend a little more time polishing their games up, or at least partnering with a more reliable studio to develop their titles, they could do a little better.

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(i.e. ASH, which was the first 256 MB cart on the DS).

I dunno. Cart size isn't necessarily a mitigating factor in extravagant production. FMV's are staples of JRPGs now days, and ASH, from what I remember, has a pretty healthy amount. Plus the pre-rendered sprites are sure to suck up some space.

I agree, though, that they should have started a bit low. Microsoft made a mistake in thinking that Gooch can simply repeat success on a whim.

How ya doing, buddy?

Doesn't Monolith Soft have a pretty decent foothold in the industry? Most people were pretty happy with Baten Kaitos. While we're talking about it, do you know who did more work on the title? Monolith Soft or Tri Crescendo? They're both credited with the game.

I know there was a pretty positive reaction to XenoSaga as well. Obviously Nintendo sees something worthwhile with the studio.

They also have an MMORPG for the 360. At least according to Wiki.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I nicely asked you to keep your nerd rage out of my thread.

The only good thing Level 5 has done is Dragon Quest and Rogue Galaxy. They haven't done much "in house" either. Most of their releases have been both funded and heavily controlled by Sony. Rogue Galaxy was the first title they've had any amount of autonomy, and Professor Layton is their first completely independent title.

Also, the only thing remarkable about Dark Cloud 1/2 is that they managed to be a good looking game on the PS2.

So, yeah. Keep talking out your ass though, dude.

I was speaking idiomatically.

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I can't really think of anyone these days that can make a game then seek out a publisher for it.

Building games and pitching concepts is still widely practiced. I think GameSpot even has an article up on it today.

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There is also a huge difference between Level 5 and Mistwalker. As I've already said Mistwalker is just a big concept think-tank. They don't have an actual development team and they don't get very involved with their projects once the concept moves to an outsourced development house.

I'm not trying to compare the development practices of Mistwalker and Level 5, I'm referring to their notorieity. Specifically, how no one knew who they were until they had a big hit on their hands (DQ8).

If Mistwalker is lucky enough to be known as "Those guys that did that awesome as game" they can be saved from this predicament they're in. They tried it arleady with name dropping Gooch. Now they just need a big name title behind it.

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Mistwalker will not be able to deliver a decent game until they restructure their development process

Well, depends on what you mean by "decent". Lost Odyssey has some decent reviews in Japan, regardless of the graphical glitches and problems.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

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Finally, the truth behind Nintendo purchasing Monolith Soft. is really quite funny, and, doesn't equate to much other than "well, they're another dev house under our wing." When Bandai was having serious financial troubles last gen, Nintendo invested in them, and bought about 2.6% of the company. Following the Namco Bandai merger, Nintendo held around 1.3% of the company. This stock was, basically, just sitting idle, and was useless for Nintendo since the original reason they even invested was so Nintendo could be the majority shareholder (they would have only needed about 5% of the company for that to happen, at the time) and make Hiroshi Yamauchi as president of Bandai. Anyway, in the end, Namco Bandai "purchased" back Nintendo's shares by giving Nintendo majority control of Monolith Soft. (Nintendo owns 80% of the company).

Ugh.

And here I was hoping Nintendo was interested in them as an in house RPG developer.

Which almost brings up the thought, "What the hell is Camelot up to?" I know they have that golf game coming out, but that's not why I care about them.

Thanks for clearing that up about Monolith, though. That's one of the things that confused me. The only two games I can think of both had Tri Crescendo involved. I assumed it may have been a similar situation to Mistwalker and Artoon.

Also, olo miss quote.

FELIPE NO

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and something that just oozes EMO-CRY-CRY in Lost Odyssey

Isn't that a mainstay in most JRPGs? ;-)

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I just got Blue Dragon, and I'm enjoying it ;__;

I'm thinking about doing the same, especially since you can get it on the cheap.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Blue lesbians.

Looks like Brownie Brown is doing the DS Blue Dragon. I suppose it's 50/50 on whether or not it's gonna be any good.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

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Because it was done by the same developers. That's actually one of the reasons I'm enjoying it so well, is because the system used in KOTOR has been polished and refined upon. Its almost like playing KOTOR 3, only in an original game universe, which IMO is better since most Star Wars games lately have been subpar at best.

Personally, I wouldn't even consider it a rehash. BioWare has a very specific "feel" to their games. Mass Effect is no exception.

There's nowhere I can't reach.