Gaming: Capcom haven’t changed

Click the image for a link to the rather large source file.

One of my earliest posts on this blog, posted just under two years ago, worried about Capcom returning to their old ways and milking their games in an attempt to squeeze as much from the consumer as they could with the least effort. Back then it was prompted by the re-releases of Street Fighter 4 and Resident Evil 5, adding new content that would mean people who already owned the games would need to buy them all over again, at a budget price but still for more than one would pay for a downloadable update.

The new content was fairly substantial and Capcom alleviated my concerns a little more by asking gamers how they would prefer the Resident Evil 5 content to be delivered. Since then Street Fighter 4 received another major update as Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition (the title already getting as unwieldy as the later versions of Street Fighter 2), but that was at least downloadable instead of yet another disc-based re-release.

Gaming: January 2011’s Games

 

When I needed a small character image for Dead Rising 2 there was really only one choice.

Image sources: Predator, weird pred-alien thing, Slappy, Harry and Sackbot.

I think I’m still trying to find a decent for rhythm for when I play games. I’d still say I don’t have time on work days and am happy with how I make use of those few hours of free time, but I think the days I’m off work still need some adjustment. As it stands gaming is how I finish off the day, which means if one or more of the things that precede it take up more time than they should then I play less, and a lot of the time I won’t start playing anything until two or three hours before bed. That still means completing an average eight-ten hour game in a few nights but is far removed from the time I used to spend gaming (and which I’d like to again).

It’s something I’m still thinking on, so here’s what I managed to play in January:

Gaming: Dead Rising 2 Tweet Dump

Slappy!

Normally while I’m playing a game I post some comments about it on Twitter, but to save having to dig back through my tweet* history I also dump them into a post draft on the blog in case there are any comments that I’ll expand upon in my ultimate opinion post. Once the post has been written and published those tweets are deleted from the draft and lost in Twitter, so this time I’m going to post them:

Gaming: Game of the Year 2010

As with the 2009 version this post will be an attempt to put every retail game released in 2010 into an order of preference. I don’t intend to overthink it too much, just assessing every new entry with how I feel it compares to the other games on the list until I find the right spot for it.

The list is rather small at the moment (starting with just four games) because I haven’t played many 2010 releases, but I’ll update it every time I play a new 2010 game no matter how late I play it (I’m still updating the 2009 one as I play more games). I wanted to get my thoughts written down though and figured there’s no harm in starting the list small.

I’ll start with number one at the top so start from the bottom if you prefer to read in reverse order:

Gaming: Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition

Rumours point to Sony's motion controller officially being called Sphere now.

Further allaying my vague concerns over Capcom’s recent news, Capcom have put up a post on their US blog (found via VG247) saying that the disc-based Resident Evil 5 update is essential for Japan because they haven’t adapted to DLC, which isn’t true for other regions.  In the US and Europe Capcom’s DLC has apparently performed much better so they’re asking people about how they would like the Alternative Edition to be delivered in those regions, by disc or by DLC.

That’s pretty much the best way they could handle the situation and reinforces that Capcom are one of the better Japanese publishers at finding the most suitable way to approach each region individually, so well done Capcom.

Gaming: Are Capcom Milking Their Games?

Old games?

In recent weeks we’ve had news of two re-releases from Capcom, both of 2009 games.  A new Street Fighter IV, incompatible with the old version, will be released next year as Super Street Fighter IV, containing new fighters and gameplay/balance tweaks.  Resident Evil 5 will also be getting a new version next year, adding support for Sony’s upcoming (and still unnamed) PS3 motion controller and containing ‘a brand new campaign’, with the content also coming to the 360 in some form but without the motion controls.

It’s worth pointing out first that both re-releases are fairly substantial.  Super Street Fighter IV, as well as introducing eight new characters (some classic, some brand new), will also tweak  the existing characters and add some new moves, as well as further balancing the game and improving the online play.  That would be a lot as a DLC pack, and Capcom clearly feel it works better as a standalone release, and have said it won’t be a full-priced title.