Siliconera Speaks Up: Square Enix Remakes

I was definitely wary of the $40 price tag, but I got this w/ some discount, so it amounts to less than $30. Sure it’d be nice to have this on VC for a cheaper price, or be given a fresh paint like FFIV, but I was hoping they would go all out if they are remaking it w/ better graphics, along the lines of Blue Dragon.

I couldn’t play the PSX remake, the horrible load time almost triple the total gameplay time.

New IP-wise, I still haven’t played The World Ends w/ You. I tried Sigma Harmonics and don’t like it at all, think the system is broken and card battles not very fun..

As for whether newer RPGs are exciting or not, I think it has to do w/ the audience getter a little older. It was easy to throw yourself into the story and relate to game chars when you’re a teenager, but not when you’re a working adult and have a family.. I just finished disc 1 of Last Remnant, story takes a little time to pick up, but the gameplay is strategic, challenging, and addictive. Also RPGs demand a lot of time, I am amazed at myself for finishing half the game during the Thanksgiving holidy :)

I was definitely wary of the $40 price tag, but I got this w/ some discount, so it amounts to less than $30. Sure it’d be nice to have this on VC for a cheaper price, or be given a fresh paint like FFIV, but I was hoping they would go all out if they are remaking it w/ better graphics, along the lines of Blue Dragon.

I couldn’t play the PSX remake, the horrible load time almost triple the total gameplay time.

New IP-wise, I still haven’t played The World Ends w/ You. I tried Sigma Harmonics and don’t like it at all, think the system is broken and card battles not very fun..

As for whether newer RPGs are exciting or not, I think it has to do w/ the audience getter a little older. It was easy to throw yourself into the story and relate to game chars when you’re a teenager, but not when you’re a working adult and have a family.. I just finished disc 1 of Last Remnant, story takes a little time to pick up, but the gameplay is strategic, challenging, and addictive. Also RPGs demand a lot of time, I am amazed at myself for finishing half the game during the Thanksgiving holidy :)

I saw this in stores today and I purchased it. I’m glad they ported Chrono Trigger to the DS. It now has better translation and it looks great on the DS. I’m feeling nostalgic just looking at the cover. :P Also I cannot wait to get to the end of the game for the new ending and the bonus dungeon.

I saw this in stores today and I purchased it. I’m glad they ported Chrono Trigger to the DS. It now has better translation and it looks great on the DS. I’m feeling nostalgic just looking at the cover. :P Also I cannot wait to get to the end of the game for the new ending and the bonus dungeon.

@Aoshi00 : Where did you order it from to get the soundtrack?

@CRIMExTHINK – From Amazon. I didn’t even realize the soundtrack was available when I ordered it, then I noticed it says special bonus, seems identical to the Jpn counterpart, even down to the front and back cover art. I’m not sure if they still offer it now though.

@CRIMExTHINK – From Amazon. I didn’t even realize the soundtrack was available when I ordered it, then I noticed it says special bonus, seems identical to the Jpn counterpart, even down to the front and back cover art. I’m not sure if they still offer it now though.

@Cain: Yeah, I totally forgot about the slowdown in the PS1 port of CT. I’m glad that the DS isn’t replicating THAT aspect of it.

As for everyone else who’s saying that simply porting it doesn’t justify the hefty $40 price tag, I might catch a lot of flack for saying this, but it’s not like Square Enix is making anyone buy it. I think that $40 is a fair price for someone who has never played the game. It could be new to them.

Like @Aoshi00 says, it’s like all the video re-releases on DVD, and Blu-Ray. I think it’s good that publishers are re-releasing classics on newer technology when the older consoles can no longer be bought. I’m still bitter that I can’t play my original 5.25″ floppy disk of Jumpman because newer computers have no floppy drives anymore.

@CRIMExTHINK: I believe if you pre-ordered it from GameStop, it came with a soundtrack? Someone can probably correct me on this. I got mine from a local mom & pop game store and it didn’t come with a soundtrack.

@Cain: Yeah, I totally forgot about the slowdown in the PS1 port of CT. I’m glad that the DS isn’t replicating THAT aspect of it.

As for everyone else who’s saying that simply porting it doesn’t justify the hefty $40 price tag, I might catch a lot of flack for saying this, but it’s not like Square Enix is making anyone buy it. I think that $40 is a fair price for someone who has never played the game. It could be new to them.

Like @Aoshi00 says, it’s like all the video re-releases on DVD, and Blu-Ray. I think it’s good that publishers are re-releasing classics on newer technology when the older consoles can no longer be bought. I’m still bitter that I can’t play my original 5.25″ floppy disk of Jumpman because newer computers have no floppy drives anymore.

@CRIMExTHINK: I believe if you pre-ordered it from GameStop, it came with a soundtrack? Someone can probably correct me on this. I got mine from a local mom & pop game store and it didn’t come with a soundtrack.

@Louise – In response to this, “…but it’s not like Square Enix is making anyone buy it,” I’d have to fully agree. We do have the right NOT to buy their overpriced game (a right I’ll be taking full advantage of). Plus, Square Enix could have just treated CT the same way Nintendo treats the Mother series and not even give us the opportunity to purchase a brand new copy of one of their most rare and celebrated games. But the point still stands; if a Square Enix representative was doing a survey and asked me if I thought the $40 price tag was justified, I’d give them a big, “HELL NO!”

It’s not a big deal though. The hardcore CT fans will buy it and love it regardless, and I’ve personally gotten over my CT craze long ago and really don’t want to play it again THAT badly.

@EvilAkito
But why does SE need to justify their price tag? It may be that you can’t justify the purchase to yourself (fair enough), but I suspect that CTDS is going to sell extremely well, $40 price tag or not, and that’s really all the justification that they need for charging such a steep fee. A lot of those SNES games that go for $8 on VC wouldn’t sell well as $40 DS ports. But if SE can sell copies of CTDS at $40, from their POV, why shouldn’t they? If the majority of consumers are willing to pay up to $40 for the game, then that is CT’s market value.

@EvilAkito
But why does SE need to justify their price tag? It may be that you can’t justify the purchase to yourself (fair enough), but I suspect that CTDS is going to sell extremely well, $40 price tag or not, and that’s really all the justification that they need for charging such a steep fee. A lot of those SNES games that go for $8 on VC wouldn’t sell well as $40 DS ports. But if SE can sell copies of CTDS at $40, from their POV, why shouldn’t they? If the majority of consumers are willing to pay up to $40 for the game, then that is CT’s market value.

@EvilAkito
But why does SE need to justify their price tag? It may be that you can’t justify the purchase to yourself (fair enough), but I suspect that CTDS is going to sell extremely well, $40 price tag or not, and that’s really all the justification that they need for charging such a steep fee. A lot of those SNES games that go for $8 on VC wouldn’t sell well as $40 DS ports. But if SE can sell copies of CTDS at $40, from their POV, why shouldn’t they? If the majority of consumers are willing to pay up to $40 for the game, then that is CT’s market value.

Square Enix is far too conservative a company these days. What has the merger brought us? A bunch of Final Fantasy VII games and oddly-localized Dragon Quest titles.

Gee, thanks.

What happened to the Squaresoft of the ’90s? Remember them? In 1995 Chrono Trigger was new, exciting, and just plain incredible. In 2008, it’s a port on the DS. I want it, but not for $40.00. Can we get a third Chrono game already? Can Akira Toriyama do the character designs this time? Could you demand that Yuji Hori write a new story?

Some in the industry think gamers have a naive view of how the game industry works, but I simply don’t understand what is so difficult about taking risks. I’m tired of the remakes and the conservative Square Enix.

This game has a new translation?

So, now people talk in unreadable dialects? I need a confirmation.

This game has a new translation?

So, now people talk in unreadable dialects? I need a confirmation.

@Andrew – nothing like FF Tactics, just a more polished script overall, very easy to read and I’m sure anyone would appreciate the effort. And Frog does “not” talk in the Shakespearean speech anymore, which is more in line w/ the original Jpn.

Ditto on the need to reassemble the dream team for a new Chrono if there ever is one.

I’m also torn in respect to this issue – while I’m glad this CT release may open the door for a new entry in the series, I think it’s grossly overpriced for a 13 year old game that even didn’t get a facelift.

Though I’m afraid of a new CT sequel, because as it is SE will spoil it with it’s “modern” touch – I’d hate to see a CT sequel written by the the KH team and with designs by Nomura.

While I’m loving the fanservice of Dissidia and the likes, it’s quite disappointing that Japan’s biggest company has to feed off on 20 years of nostalgia to make a profit and hasn’t pushed the envelope for what it’s know for in at least 5 or 6 years. Now wonder their desperate.

Where is the SE of the mid 90s? CT, CC, PE, FFVI-IX, XG, Musashi, all those games are priceless memories I have and it seems that after the merger the only relevant SE stuff that’s been released for me comes from the Enix side, with the exception of Crisis Core.

They need to remind themselves of what made them big back then, and try to improve on it.

Cloud & Co. derivative products are such a hit because Square didn’t abuse them or even use them for a long time after the release of the game, that made them unique, classic and memorable.

They should stop abusing for a while because the magic juice will be sucked out and their cash cow will die.

To be fair, I think S-E still innovate, w/ FF12′s gambit and now Last Remnant’s Union. But then it’s not everybody’s cup of tea if they don’t stick to the formula, like DQ which stayed relatively unchanged.

I don’t blame them though, last time Square ventured into the unknown CG movie business, it bankrupted them and resulted into the historic merger w/ former rival (regrettable due to bad script). They still know how to make an impressive and fun RPG though, Last Remnants’ unforgiving boss battles still have my heart pumping despite it being turn-based.

Another argument is that JRPGs were big in the 90′s among teens, it was hip as the next big thing and you talk about it w/ friends in high school, while FPS and war games are the norm these days, sales-wise.

“it’s not like Square Enix is making anyone buy it.”

Sure, but by releasing the DS version, they’re denying everyone the opportunity to buy a sanely-priced Virtual Console version. They’re definitely not going to release them both.

Honestly, if I really wanted to play Chrono Trigger again, it’d be nice to have the option to just whip out the DS instead of either having to dig out my SNES and stick a butterly connection between my VCR and TV, to play on a rom without a proper controller, or to play the annoyingly laggy PSX version.

And honestly, if Square is taking advantage of stupid people to get them to give lots of money for the same games over and over again, I’m fine with that. It stimulates the economy.

@oliemoon
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t disagree with your point at all. If gamers will pay $40 for Chrono Trigger then SE may as well price it accordingly. If it sits untouched on store shelves then they can always slash the price later. I guess I should have just said that I don’t think a port of CT is worth $40.

Putting it in perspectives, FF 4, 5, & 6 ports on GBA did have a $29.99 MRSP, $40 might not seem that outrageous for CT DS w/ even more extras packed in, on top of the new & more polished translation.

All of us are price conscious especially considering the no. of new games out there. If you don’t mind waiting for 6 months to a year price is bound to drop. FF Tactics the Lion War was $40 when it first came out and now it’s $20. For those who have never touched this game, $40 is quite reasonable and a bargain even.

It’s interesting how VC change people’s perception of price, like Ikaruga was very rare and cost a ton, now it’s up for grabs for 800 pts on Live arcade.

It all comes down to if you must play it on day 1, and having to pay the premium accordingly. I suppose if this is a 3-D remake like FF4, people would have no complaints w/ the price tag, yet they would be upset w/ the new rendition as opposed to sprites.

One last thing, if given the option, I would always prefer a tangible boxed hard copy instead to digital d/l even if it means paying a little more. I paid $30 net for this, for the game proper, soundtrack, and poster as part of the pre-order, to me it’s totally worth it as a collector. The only draw back is I can’t play this on my 46″ TV.

Funny thing is I keep thinking SF II HD Remix is too expensive at $15 even w/ redrawn graphics and new gameplay, perhaps it’s because I can’t fully enjoy it w/o the arcade stick..

posted too many comments on this :(..

@Aoshii00, I feel the same way with owning something tangible. I know it’s better for my cluttered house to not HAVE so much physical stuff and game boxes take up a decent amount of space. But at the same time, buying something ethereal like a VC game never seems real.