Capcom: "American developers are more creative"

[Ed Oscuro]

What's with all those "Manhunts","GTA"'s and "Desert Storms"?

Indeed, what's with all those Manhunts and GTAs, all 1 of each? LOL

If you're so angry about violence and other bad things, I could do worse than point you straight back towards Japan...not much need to discuss all the sorts of "violent" (and worse!) games to come from there. Then there's Europe, where everything gets censored...

The Industry has its schedule made and its course of action is set...a couple games you don't like is no reason to blast the whole country, though.

[dmhawkmoon]

mmmhhhh

sorry but for me it goes like this in creativity:

Japan
Europe
US

Japan first cause of innovating style,ideas and gameplay.
Examples: Viewtiful Joe; Wario Ware; Okami;Panzer Dragoon; Shenmue;... there are just hundrets of examples.

Second europe......Oh yes. "Beyond good and evil"'s story is amazing and full of creativity. It seems that european developers try harder to innovate than US devs; maybe they know that the customers won't buy their products just because their name is on it(exept Ubisoft).

Sorry(and I know I will get bashing for this) but I can't see so much creativity
in US games......don't get me wrong! I used to see LOTS of creativity but these times are long gone. Yeah,there are exeptions but 99% of the games I see coming from overseas are either war-based(Full Spectrum Warrior;Medal of Honor;Shellshock etc),sports-related(EA) or just violent.
What's with all those "Manhunts","GTA"'s and "Desert Storms"?
Sorry, but killing people isn't "creative" for me in any case.
God bless the rest (1%) who give me great (PC)-RPGs and adventures.

These are very infair statements. For the Japanese side you list some major innovative games (except Shenmue which is just stupid :P) and then just generalize for the American side. The fact is that the game market is and always has been overwhelmed with rehashes and uninventive garbage from all sides. You can accuse Japan of releasing too many anime-based games and card games and monster ranching games just as well as you can accuse Americans of releasing too many violent games. I am a happy gamer and I've found good games from all sides and can easily name really worthwhile games from all over.

Though I don't really understand what Inafune is talking about... The only time I really get that movie feel is from RPGs, which Japan supplies the most of... Though most of them feel more silly than movie-like... Maybe that's what he means? Less silly anime cheese and more real drama? I'd love that...

[kevincure]

Give Keiji a break...he's possibly the top talent at Capcom, and if there's any company in the world that's better at shelling out Game X Super Turbo 4, it's his. Not saying Capcom games aren't fun, but innovative?

Some of what we mistake for creative is only wierd (for us, at least): I'm sure Tokimeki Memorial would be seen as innovative here in the states.

Further, I don't think many people here quite get what is and isn't American. Grand Theft Auto, for instance, certainly isn't an American game, unless DMA has moved from ol' Scotland without me noticing. Same goes for the Tomb Raider series.

As for innovation in the US, how about the Eyetoy, which is, I think, the most interesting development in this generation? Squad-based wargames, while mentioned as derivative, are another recent US innovation.

The strange thing with innovation is that we're quickly hitting the limit. Nobody knocks a great Western or great Animated kids movie simply because someone has made a Western or an animated kids flick before. There aren't any genres left to conquer, and talent is better used on improving the ideas we already have. The days when totally new styles of gameplay will come frequently are over. Survival Horror, 3d "Tomb Raider" Adventure, Music and 3d Platformer may be the only new genres since 1995, but it's fine as long as the games are good.

Lastly, on Japanese innovation: RE has had 7 titles, Metal Slug is up to MS5, FF has 10 plus spinoffs, Gran Turismo is up to 4, we've hung out with Zelda 8 times on console, etc., etc.. Not every JPN game is Vib Ribbon or Magic Pengel.

[YoshiM]

After reading this thread some I think some of you are focusing on the "gems" from country rather than looking at the "whole catalog". Sure, Japan has cranked out a lot of memorable games but I'm sure there are others we have no problem forgetting. And while we may only see a select pieces of Japanese software in the States I'll bet some zenny that Japan has the same genre glut problems that we have with FPS, sports and racing games (to name a few).

[petewhitley]

The grass is always greener on the other side. That goes for anyone who thinks one country produces markedly better games than theirs.

[EnemyZero]

now thats an empty comment, lol im so sick of playing games like GTA, and games based off movies, and FIRST PERSON SHOOTERS, wheres more innovative games like, space channel 5, jet set radio, DDR, and all the other endless JAPANESE titles....i hate american games, they become duller, and more tedious with ever new title that comes out

[kai123]

Wasn't the Eyetoy a Sony of Europe product?

[dmhawkmoon]

I'm seriously surprised that there are a number of people here who think that the US is the only country to release uninventive crap...

[Aussie2B]

sorry but for me it goes like this in creativity:

Japan
Europe
US

I agree with you absolutely there. Americans have a way of stealing all the credit for themselves (look at Rockstar with Capcom's Red Dead Revolver). Nine times out of ten when I enjoy a non-Japanese game, it's not from America. Usually Europe, sometimes Canada. Americans are capitalist pigs; they care far more about releasing a "safe" game that'll make a load of money because it's just a rehash of an already well-received title. The Japanese do the same (pretty much everyone does in this day and age when game production values are as big as movies), but I see FAR more innovation coming from Japan, Europe, and Canada than I see coming from the US.

[Aussie2B]

Some of what we mistake for creative is only wierd (for us, at least): I'm sure Tokimeki Memorial would be seen as innovative here in the states.

Tokimeki Memorial WAS innovative. :/ Tokimeki Memorial is to the dating sim genre what Street Fighter 2 is to the fighting genre. They may not have been the absolute first game of their respective genres, BUT they set all the standards and basically defined what the genre should be.

[Hep038]

I wonder when this "anything that has to do with the US sucks" fad is going to end. It is starting to bog down these message boards. One industry person makes a observation about how he likes the different way US games are created and it turns into "Americans have a way of stealing all the credit for themselves" and "Americans are capitalist pigs". Man this place is full of player haters!

[EnemyZero]

I'm seriously surprised that there are a number of people here who think that the US is the only country to release uninventive crap...

thats because it is, dont get me wrong, japan and europe have there flukes, but american gaming is BORING for the most part, you name an american game and i can think of at least 10 more just like it. We get so many stale movie-to-game here, its lame, and the sad thing is they are all very bad, the only movie game i enjoyed was spiderman, it was a decent game from an awesome comic book hero. the problem with american gaming is its so predictable, if its not sports - its senseless killing of other people - if not that its an cop out to bust the bad guys who are selling drugs - or a first person shooter where we are protecting the world from alien scum - and most recently war games - in essence its all the same boring garbage we've seen before -

how many american titles have been released tredding into untred waters? how many games tried something new and inovative...mmm i'll be damned i cant think of one. the sad this is the next gerneration will be the exact same as this one too. HOLY CRAP GTA WE CAN GO WHEREVER WE WANT AND KILL WHOEVER WE WANT....WE CAN WHAT? STEAL ANY CAR??? NO WAY....ooo ingenuity at its finest.

OK im done bitching and complaining, about crappy american games....im going to buy some imports thank you very much

[Aussie2B]

I wonder when this "anything that has to do with the US sucks" fad is going to end. It is starting to bog down these message boards. One industry person makes a observation about how he likes the different way US games are created and it turns into "Americans have a way of stealing all the credit for themselves" and "Americans are capitalist pigs". Man this place is full of player haters! LOL

Even people who love the US (which includes myself) have to admit that those are accurate generalizations about the American people. The Japanese are equally money-grubbing, but at least they still care about being polite, honest, and upholding their honor. Americans will do ANYTHING for money. They'll make a complete disgrace out of themselves just to get it. Hasn't "reality" TV taught you anything? ;P

ANYWAY...

Those were completely relevant points in this conversation. Inafune is saying that Americans have been more creative than the Japanese; others disagree. I pointed out that most creative "American" games aren't made in the US at all, but rather in Europe or Canada. Then I pointed out that Americans are too concerned with making money to take creative risks.

[dmhawkmoon]

I'm seriously surprised that there are a number of people here who think that the US is the only country to release uninventive crap...

thats because it is, dont get me wrong, japan and europe have there flukes, but american gaming is BORING for the most part, you name an american game and i can think of at least 10 more just like it. We get so many stale movie-to-game here, its lame, and the sad thing is they are all very bad, the only movie game i enjoyed was spiderman, it was a decent game from an awesome comic book hero. the problem with american gaming is its so predictable, if its not sports - its senseless killing of other people - if not that its an cop out to bust the bad guys who are selling drugs - or a first person shooter where we are protecting the world from alien scum - and most recently war games - in essence its all the same boring garbage we've seen before -

how many american titles have been released tredding into untred waters? how many games tried something new and inovative...mmm i'll be damned i cant think of one. the sad this is the next gerneration will be the exact same as this one too. HOLY CRAP GTA WE CAN GO WHEREVER WE WANT AND KILL WHOEVER WE WANT....WE CAN WHAT? STEAL ANY CAR??? NO WAY....ooo ingenuity at its finest.

OK im done bitching and complaining, about crappy american games....im going to buy some imports thank you very much

Do you really know anything about video games? I'm not going to go do your research for you, but please get a grip. Here, I'll get you started... Ultima, Blizzard, Might and Magic.... Those all bring gory images to mind, right?

Want me to sound like you for a second?

OMG DRAGONBALL VIDEO GAMES SUCK JUST CASHING IN ON THE OLD VIOLENT DRAGONBALL GAMES THINKING PEOPLE ARE MINDLES DB DRONES WHO WILL BUY ANYTHING! IT MAKES ME SO MAD! I CAN NAME A MILLION ANIME TO GAME CONVERSIONS THAT SUCKED OMG I'M SO MAD I'M GOING TO GO PLAY A NICE INNOVATIVE GAME LIKE WARCRAFT NOW!

[le geek]

Just FYI, Grand Theft Auto (series) is not an American game. It's British by the artists formally known as DMA Design, who created the superlative Lemmings published by Psygnosis.

And to be fair, games cost a lot to make and market. The Dreamcast is my favorite system in recent memory for the sheer amount of awesome/diverse/ and "new" games released for it. It failed. Playstation 2 started out with a bunch of proven PSOne games with prettier graphics. It is currently the market leader.

And in every era of any entertainment there has been a large percentage of god awful crap. It's just in memory that we remember only the good stuff.

But really, if many more awesome games came out more often how many would you play through? I still have backlog to N64!

And to all you "bloody foreigners" on the board, not ALL Americans are capitalist pigs. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to stuff myself with double cheeseburgers...

Ben

[dethink]

it's funny, there were 800000000000 mario clone platformers in the NES's day, but it seems that revisionist history pushes that aside...

both sides have their creative merits. i would say that US & european developers have consistently been more innovative then and now. from old arcade games (bally/williams/midway), to PC titles (the old lucasarts/sierra games), to console games (rare, DMA, etc.), but their ambitions always seem to outstrip the hardware, or don't have the finely tuned gameplay of their japanese counterparts. the japanese have a lock on simple yet deep, tight, addictive play mechanics -- non-japanese developers nowadays seem to try and integrate too many functions and buttons into a control scheme, and mistake "complexity" with depth. this unfortunately is a by-product of creating these huge complex games - all these extra moves are a band aid to make other imbalances fair. also, the japanese titles that stand the test of time usually entail some kind of ranking system or control scheme that can work on a whole other level to separate those who run through the game from those who master it, instead of making the game extremely long (RPG's not included). as a result, a lot of these high profile titles just don't feel as refined...they feel loose, and incomplete.

then again, to make things like this work, the japanese make other sacrifices - there's nothing in a japanese game as expansive as GTA's cities. the japanese (typically) won't push the hardware to a level where controls get bogged down, frame rates chug, etc. i'd love to see something like GTA combined with the madcap blasting gameplay of devil may cry, until the technology can support it, we're not gonna see it. the developer would have to carefully craft an entire city as meticulously as the small areas of DMC to allow for that upper level of control mastery. it would take an extraordinarily long time to develop and tweak. right now you'd hit a technological dead end trying to do something like that and keep it running smooth, but even if you could, would the dev time/costs involved in making an entire city with little programming "hooks" to allow players to take the game to another level even be feasable?

[Kid Ice]

I've said it once, and I'll say it again... video games are not movies. Movies are not video games. It bothers me that game developers fail to recognize this, and add hours of full-motion video and cut scenes to what is ultimately an empty gaming experience. I want to PLAY a video game, not watch it.

[Daria]

thats because it is, dont get me wrong, japan and europe have there flukes, but american gaming is BORING for the most part, you name an american game and i can think of at least 10 more just like it.

The Sims? We're starting to see clones but I don't think it's reached 10 yet. Besides any really great gaming success is going to have it's fair share of uninspiring clones. American or Japanese. "Immitation is the greatest form of flattery" and all that.

[Ed Oscuro]

Surprising how many people are on the US games industry hate train...but I guess not.

Familiarity breeds discontent.

If you compare only A-list Japanese titles to come out here in America or that you're looking for to your average American game, you're not going to come down in favor of American companies. If you look at the mainstream in Japanese and American games, though, I think you'll find there's actually a lot of so-so stuff. Japanese culture plays a big part, too; it all seems new, strange, and exciting; whereas apple pie and cowboys are old hat

Perhaps you can say that Japanese games have had more interesting sources of inspiration - sentai to big robots and ninjas, sometimes even big robot ninja sentai; all very dynamic stuff. For being descended from the Puritan tradition, though, you have to admit American games haven't done half bad.

As for European gaming being better than American games; well, I honestly have to take issue with that. There have been a few outstanding developers, but it seems to me that European games stick to much the same formula as American ones, and I can remember quite a few by-the-numbers games that have come out of Germany.

Watch this space: Southeast Asia/Micronesia, especially south Korea and Taiwan.

[kevincure]

kai123...maybe Eyetoy was published by SCEE? I just finished reading about the guys behind the game in the new MIT Tech Review, and they're definitely American.

Since we're on the subject of US v. Jap/EU games, the same argument applies to film. I'm stunned every time I hear someone say that foreign films (lumped together, of course) are more innovative and interesting that US films. Whether or not this is true, the fact still remains that only top foreign films get a worldwide release. If the only US films released were Oscar nominees, we'd be fawning over them as well.