Rebecca Rudeen - 5:08 PM EST

This is the last Homestar Runner reference I'll use in this column, I promise.

While I have everyone's attention: Thank you, Denise, for the update from Picayune.  Hope your family's okay.

Anyways, on to our (glaring lack of) quality letters.  HINT HINT NUDGE NUDGE WINK WINK SAY NO MORE.  (This is the last Monty Python reference I'll use in this column, I promise.)  Hey, we contest participants don't subsist on Viagra spam and 419 scam letters alone.  Please, send us some material to work with.  I've got a bag full of Chu Chu Pops to give out! (Comes in seven great flavors.  Collect all seven and get your very own Silver Crystal Chu Chu Pop.)

I have recently come to find out that Naruto will be airing on Cartoon Network starting September 10. I'm
very happy to hear this, I just really hope that they do a good job on the dubbing; of course, I'm not
really worried too much about it, considering it's Cartoon Network. However, this got me wondering: if
this show does well in America, which I'm sure it will, do you think that they'll bring Naruto games (namely RPGs) stateside? I know Japan gets loads of Naruto games, but seeing as the show isn't as popular over here (yet), we don't get the same number of games. Do you think we'll get some quality games based on Naruto, instead of other crap?

The Nameless

BUCKET

I'm not aware of Naruto all that much, other than the fact it's apparently the best thing to come out of Japan since Dragonball Z.  From what I've been able to read about the Naruto games on this here Interweb, it's the fighting games that have the best graphics (and are therefore most desirable) while the Naruto RPGs have somewhat limited graphic capability, and are rather traditional (read: boring) in their gameplay.  Also, considering how long it would possibly take to localize the first Naruto RPG (for the GBA; the second is for the DS) it could be a thought in the past by the time any big Naruto goods come stateside.The fighting games come from Bandai, while the RPG's come from Tomy, which is a name that we may recognize from our baby toys.  We've gotten the Inu Yasha RPG and fighting titles from Bandai over here, and I'm sure that Viz Media and Sho Pro will do the same for the Naruto fighting games.  As for the RPG's, we'll just have to wait and see.

Bonjour, ya wee vermin.

What are the probability of Terranigma getting a sequal ( although TECHNIQUELY it's a second sequal) it was a great game that was released at the last breath of the SNES's era.

Also crossing fingers that Suikoden 5 will be better then 4 (and that it will make it to PAL version.

Anywho "Say whoever pulls your hair out"

Bainick

I am old school and well not a huge gamer any longer but there is one game series which I am devoted to. Dragon Warrior. I loved it from the get go and was very dissapointed when 5 and 6 never arrived. Then low and behold Dragon Warrior 7 came and I was ecstatic. For the first time in years a video game consumed my life. Bu then came dissapointment with the cancelation of the DW4 PSX redo. I can't blame them too much for that decision, seeing as sales of 7 weren't that great to my knowledge and the PSX was at the end of its life. Still I was sad.

Now here's what i'm getting at. Enix and Square have combined, #8 is on the way with a huge leap forward in graphics and it will be called Dragon Quest (I would have stayed with Warrior myself). I am sure I will love the game, but do you think it will be a success and resurrect in North America the greatest RPG series ever?

BUCKET

That depends, really. I think one of the major selling points for DQ in America is the artificially flavored candy coating that they dip the soft serve into...oh, wait, not that DQ.

I think one of the major selling points for DQ is that its design is by the great Akira Toriyama, and his cartoony designs translate rather well into the DQ8 graphics. I believe its success depends on not only the die-hard fans (like you!) that will buy it, but also whether it can break into the mainstream so people can shrug off the notion that "it's a sequel, I shouldn't play it before playing the other 7" and pick it up.

Hi there contestant, first time writing in here.

What do you think of the upcoming release of Radiata Stories? I'm torn between trading in games for it or waiting to be able to purchase it with cash. I like the art style to it, and the trailer for it really blew me away.

Any idea on if Namco X Capcom will ever be translated and released over here? I know it's been out for a while over there, so no news is bad news in this case, but.. I can still hope :)

What is your favorite RPG, and why? For me, it's a tie between Dragon Warrior 4 and Chrono Trigger. Dragon Warrior 4 is what really drew me into RPGs. I played them beforehand, but it wasn't until that one that they became my favorite genre of game. Chrono Trigger on the other hand.. well, anything I'd say about it has been said a thousand times over by others already.

Last question:

What RPG, if any, did you dislike and couldn't figure out a specific reason why? I hate to admit it, but for me I didn't like Planescape: Torment. I don't have a specific reason either, something about it just didn't appeal to me. Got me a lot of incredulous looks from my friends.

Good luck to whichever one of you gets this, looking forward to your answers :)

-Freykin

To tell you the truth, I haven't really heard much about Radiata Stories since I don't own a PS2 (yet--that will hopefully change in the future.) As for your purchasing dilemma, trading in stuff is always a good thing, unless you're reckless with your CDs. The monetary boost can be substantial for someone on a limited budget.

I'm not sure about the Namco X Capcom thing, either. The chances of us getting that are probably as good as the chances of us getting Square Enix's Itadaki Street Special.

I'm very fond of Final Fantasy IV because of the great music and the plot line--even the adulterated, dumbed down one we had for the Super Nintendo. I recently bought Final Fantasy Anthology and started up on the PlayStation version and I'm impressed with the amount of changes made to bring the story to a more mature audience. As for the music, there are times when I pull out the MIDI file for the Land of Summoned Monsters, turn it on, crank it up, sit back and close my eyes.

The only RPG that I didn't like and couldn't understand why? The remake of Crystalis for the Game Boy Color. Probably never should have bought it in the first place, oh well.

Q&A Contestant,

Mr. Miyamoto recently commented on the length and complexity of games nowadays. He seemed to prefer shorter and simpler games. Having been initiated to video games by the Atari 2600 some 18 years ago, I have to agree with him on a certain level. I'm studying physics at the university level, I have a part-time job in a hospital, I do karate, I teach kids: let's face it, I just don't have as much time to play games today as I had back in high school. It took me about a month to complete Final Fantasy X because I couldn't put more than 2 hours a day on it. I find myself more and more wishing for short games that you can pick up and have fun in just a couple hours of gameplay. Of course, every now and then, I'm willing to pick up a lengthy RPG, but... it only happened twice in the last 12 months, as opposed to several times during my high school years.

How about you?

Cheers,
Marc

My problem seems to be more along the lines of me never finishing a game that I bought, played nonstop for 3 or 4 weeks, then left unfinished to do something else. I have so many RPG's that are yet to be beaten in my library, and the pile keeps on growing and growing. Then again, there are the times when I pick up a game just for the nostalgic feel and play THAT nonstop for a few days before finally beating it and moving on.

Face it, life gets in the way. You'll be longing for the time you spent mashing buttons when you've graduated from college and are part of the workforce...that is, if you aren't lucky enough to land That Dream Job that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (If by any chance you find it, please tell me so I can apply as well with my 1337 r35um3 sk1llz.)

Bucket, several questions for you:

1. What's your take on fansubs?  Do you watch/collect them, or would you rather wait for localizations?

2. What's the weirdest RPG you've ever played, and why was it so whacky?

3. Even if you don't win, what do you feel you take away from the experience of this competition?

-Paws =^^=
Reviewer
paws@rpgamer.com

Question 1: I'm a sucker for fansubs, especially for older shows.  I'm a bigger fan of Japanese voice acting than English dubbing, but I do like being able to see things like "making of" featurettes, commentaries and the things companies throw in with their Volume 1+Box releases.  That, and a PROFESSIONAL translation.

Question 2: Looking back over my RPG career, I think that Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening was not only weird, but earth shattering.  Imagine being twelve years old and struggling to grasp the concept that was the ultimate fate of Koholint Island.  As for the weirdness, we've got pet Chain Chomps, quadruplets, TELEPHONE SERVICE, cute talking animals, and a Bucket Mouse (that takes photos? I'm not sure.) 

Question 3: A lot of things.  Having had fun and something to keep me afloat during a trying time in my life...Knowing that I've given back to the website that's given me so much...There are a lot of things, mostly of the warm and fuzzy variety.  I entered just for fun and I'm just honored to have been chosen, considering the quality of RPGamer's coverage and the people I'm competing with.  So win or lose, I won't be disappointed.

I get this really strange feeling of deja vu.  Don't you?

Rather than give a cop out "read my column from 2 weeks ago, you know, that one where I'm ranting about gunbunnies, etc." answer, I'll answer this question again, shorter, sweeter and with less venom: While I think sexism may still exist in character DESIGNS, I don't think that there's any sexism when you're dealing with PERSONALITIES.  Characters in RPG's are first and foremost fighters for a cause, and are dedicated to their ultimate goals--a personality trait that's admirable across the board.

While appealing to a certain niche of fans may seem like a good way to make a mint, to really maximize profits, you have to know how to tap into the mass market and win over some non believers (example: Final Fantasy VII.)  I think a mix of both is enough to satisfy most gamers that want a taste of the eclectic to go along with what their friends and Internet buddies are playing so they can swap tips and stories.

Soooooooo...

Summer's drawn to a close, and it's the beginning of school for many of you (including me, but it's only one class) so don't forget to take notes and actually pay attention for once, and only engage in character assassination of bullies when you have plenty of blackmail material.  With that, please remember to vote for me at the end of the week.  I've got to get back to FF: Dawn of Souls...

Rebecca Rudeen is currently in the Earth Cave with a Fighter, Red Mage, White Mage and Black Mage party. 

E-mail me! (or not, if you don't want to)

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