So the Tokyo Game Show is over for another year and what a show it was. This was a big statement from the Japanese video game industry which has been heavily criticised in the past few years. It’s not so uncommon for the western media to portray an ailing Japanese game industry struggling to keep pace with the technology of their western counterparts.
From the sixth game generation to the seventh, the likes of Activision and Bethesda have arguably moved western publishers up a rung in the Japan game industry. TGS 2014 was then the first Japanese show to focus fully on the eighth generation: a chance for eastern publishers to start afresh and show what they could do. This year they delivered.
Capcom and Square Enix have come away looking the strongest. Both companies seem to have made the right start to this generation, certainly made evident with Final Fantasy’s new-generation debut. Final Fantasy XV looks incredible, visually and aesthetically, as an open-world looks to be a far cry from the linear corridors of Final Fantasy XIII. If the game truly is as good as it looks, XV could very well be the entry to restore the franchise’s reputation. On the other end, Square Enix is also pleasing fans by bringing the FF XIII trilogy to PC and by updating Final Fantasy Type-0 for its half-miraculous release on the West’s new-gen consoles.
The publisher’s even bringing PlayStation exclusive Dragon Quest Heroes to new-gen systems to boot and Capcom’s also pleasing fans by developing Resident Evil: Revelations 2. Similarly to FF XIII, both Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 faced accusations of being dumbed down. Revelations 2 may be a cross generation game but it shows that Capcom is moving in the right direction. Let’s hope that Capcom’s onboard with the program when they inevitably announce a Resident Evil 7 for last-gen consoles.
Both publishers aren’t just relying on old franchises though. They’re also eyeing the future; albeit in very different ways. Square firmly believes that the industry must embrace cloud computing to remain fresh and profitable and the company’s likewise investing heavily in a new collaboration with former president Yoichi Wada, the ironically named Shinra Technologies. ”We want developers to create entirely new games with revolutionary game experiences,” Wada tells us. Capcom, on the other hand are placing their bets on the new consoles’ ability to run free to play titles. Its mysteriously mysterious exclusive, Deep Down, will be Capcom’s big test to come with a new pricing model that’s surely heralding things to come if it hits the jackpot.
So what was really so great about TGS 2014? That Japanese publishers are finally throwing their general support for consoles behind their love for handhelds. The 3DS may be missing out on Resident Evil: Revelations 2, but Capcom’s still putting their money where their mouth as far as Monster Hunter 4U and the new Ace Attorney spin off are concerned. Square Enix is still churning out quality RPGs for the system and the pure joys of Bravely Second and Final Fantasy: Explorers don’t lie either. The upcoming PS Vita RPG Chaos Rings III is also looking good. By all accounts, Capcom and Square Enix might just fight to the finish line in a better place than they started.
Of course, they weren’t the only publishers at TGS 2014. Bandai Namco impressed many with the open world Tales of Zesteria for the PS3 as well as the cross generation Dragonball Xenoverse. What was lacking was more major titles exclusively for the current generation. A full reveal of Tekken 7 would have complimented their showing nicely. Konami had one of the best games of the show with Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain.
However, TGS 2014 showed how truly reliant on franchise names Konami has become. Scratch the “directed by Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro” credit away and their wasn’t much to show for. P.T.’s pants-wetting Silent Hill teaser might be fascinating, but it’s a far cry from the reality of a game disc. Sega had a good showing with the Yakuza 0 and Phantasy Star games, but there wasn’t anything to speak of for its new prize, Atlus. An anime trailer for Persona 5 is never a bad deal, though.
TGS 2014 was a great showing, nothing more, nothing less, yet it’s the former that shows at the end. Maybe it’s just all too unlikely that eastern publishers will never rule the industry like in the days of the PS2, but they may yet achieve parity with their western rivals. With Capcom and Square Enix leading the charge, the future is looking just a tad brighter for Japan, and TGS 2015 could shape an even better one.
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