It all started when Dead or Alive mastermind Tomonobu Itagaki started talking about Sony's PS3 stunner, Heavenly Sword...
Things were going well when "I've never played a good game where the developers put a big icon of the button you're supposed to press onscreen," popped out of Itagaki's mouth during an EGM interview. He then followed up with "I look at Heavenly Sword and it seems really half-assed, because it's asking you to do all these button-timing sequences but you are not getting much payoff from it."
He may have a point but we didn't have a problem with those similar action sequences in the mighty God of War games. In fact, we kind of liked them...
But Heavenly Sword producer Kyle Shubel wasn't going to let Itagaki get away with it and came back with: "My response to Mr. Itagaki would be that the intent of the Hero sequences is to empower the player to experience events that would be nearly impossible to play in a natural platforming state... for example, making the player run down ropes, leaping from rope to rope as they're being cut from underneath you, all while dodging other objects - that would be a frustrating experience to 99 percent of our users if we were to force them to do that manually."
All good stuff. Can we have more comments like this please from devs and publishesr? Makes things a lot more interesting instead of 'we really liked that game and have a lot respect for the creative and talented team behind it'. This isn't the Premiership.
One day games might be big enough to feature on Harry Hill's TV Burp. If that day was today then we'd have both Tomonobu Itagaki and Kyle Shubel dressed up in their respective game's box art for a "FIGHT!"
I loved Ninja Gaiden sigma and have just completed it on normal (!tuff as old boots mode in any other game!). However, I still think Itagaki is talking out of his backside as, after playing the short demo of Heavenly Sword, I can testify that the qte sections of the demo just add an extra layer of excitement to the game. Shubel could argue that because his game is very story driven, these sections are in place to show the grace of the character rather than the player. Anyway, Itagaki has to rely on action because his story sucked.
FIGHT!!! In all seriousness, Itaki has a point. Ever since Shenmue did the interactive cut-scenes, other games has taken this idea and put it into their games. I personally dont like it as you feel you have no control. I think thats what Itaki was getting at. In Ninja Gaiden you have full control over your character and you have to work hard to defeat your enemies. The end result is a satisfying feeling. Now ith the automated button pressing crap, its basically just feel as if you are watching something as opposed to playing... At that point it becomes an interactive movies rather than a game...
FIGHT!!! In all seriousness, Itaki has a point. Ever since Shenmue did the interactive cut-scenes, other games has taken this idea and put it into their games. I personally dont like it as you feel you have no control. I think thats what Itaki was getting at. In Ninja Gaiden you have full control over your character and you have to work hard to defeat your enemies. The end result is a satisfying feeling. Now ith the automated button pressing crap, its basically just feel as if you are watching something as opposed to playing... At that point it becomes an interactive movies rather than a game...
Yeah, but Heavenly Sword is far from being an interactive movie.
Or you could just hide your lame game behind t**s hoping it will sell after countless rereleases. ninja gaiden doa2? This idiot is just annoyed his dead or alive couldnt beat tekken
Or you could just hide your lame game behind t**s hoping it will sell after countless rereleases. ninja gaiden doa2? This idiot is just annoyed his dead or alive couldnt beat tekken
Bit harsh that. Ninja Gaiden Sigma is still a cracking game even with a poop story.
Itagaki is a tit. He's an ego-centric, arrogant and overly c**ky individual who revels in his "bad boy" image. People think hre's a breath of fresh air or some original and unique developer. Truth is he's a tit.
Itagaki is a tit. He's an ego-centric, arrogant and overly c**ky individual who revels in his "bad boy" image. People think hre's a breath of fresh air or some original and unique developer. Truth is he's a tit.
He certainly enjoys tit's thats for sure! Mind you, who does'nt.....
Don't get me wrong, i love ninja gaiden i'm still playing it cause it's great. But when rachel comes on anyone honestly notices the t**s, taking your eyes and mind off what is one me the best looking games so far. As for doa...... after the 2nd game and its ton of rereleases its rubbish. the tag mode is not what it used to be
He's entitled to his opinion on QTE sequences, but that isn't the way to express it. Having said that, it was expressed via a translator, so who knows?
Ninja Theorie's response is very dignified. They address the criticism without rising to it.
Wait a sec, Ninja Gaiden has cut-scenes, and in those the player doesn't even have a option for interaction, like in Heavenly Sword.
All you can do, is watch it.
Also in one of the cutr-scenes in Ninja Gaiden, Ryu slides down a rope, why dont we have control over Ryu at that point, eh Itagaki???
I agree that he has a right to express his opinion, but then so does anyone else have a right to express and defend their point of view in relation to what he said.
For me, if Itagaki was someone that was churning out quality titles and went on to say this, well I might have heard him out.
But the fact that that the only recent game he has made is Ninja Gaiden, and all it's copy versions, DOA hasn't changed since DOA2, and don't even try to argue DOAX is a game.
Well lets just say, maybe he should get back to making games, rather than talking bulls**t and being charged with sexual harassment, which seems to what his mostly doing these days.
i understand everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but someone seriously needs to shut this dude up. he rags on Tekken as if DOA's any better (personally i group both games in the rubbish catagory, especially when compared to the awesomeness of Virtua Fighter and Soul Calibur). there are plenty enough non-interactive parts in Ninja Gaiden (which just so happens to be one of my favorite non-rpg's, right after God of War and Resident Evil 4) to where he shouldn't have a basis to make allegations of non-interactivity about any competitor's game.
Throwing in some of those push button sequences in a game is fine, just as long as its not totally overwhelming and is not the main focus of the game. Big name games like Shenmue, God Of War, and RE4 have already proven the point that it does work well if done right.
The question remains on whether he is commenting on the fact that when running down the rope only one of Nariko's buttocks is showing, or simply the fact that her buttocks aren't half as bulbous as the rears on the women in his games. He said its "half-assed". That's an unbelieveable argument. This coming from a man who's games centre around asses & boobs... who else would be able to comment on that?! blroll:
Heavenly Sword trailer was (for me) the best thing that came out of E3 2005. Yes, that one with the pre rendered Killzone 2 trailer. And after playing the demo for the 20th time, I have to say that this is a day one purchase for me. I cannot say what is technically impressive in this game (mainly because I don’t know that much, though I’m really impressed ) but artistically it’s one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever seen.
I agree with a lot of what has already been said here...the guy seems to want to cause controversy just for the sake of it.
The fact is Heavenly Sword is looking like it's going to be pretty awesome when released and a real PS3 console shifter, and as for integrating QTE's into a game, I thought they were pretty cool in the Shenmue games and a worthy addition!
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blroll:
) but artistically it’s one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever seen.
