Sega: the Aftermath (Redux)

[Tsubaki]

I think Sega has changed from DC days too. With the exception of a few (Gun Valkyrie, Gun Grave), it seems that Sega has gone the way of Nintendo and are really focused on bringing back old franchises for the sake of recognition.

And that's not a bad thing in of itself, don't get me wrong. I like JSRF (tho it's no JSR...), and am excited for PD Orta. But on the flipside, they outsourced Shinobi GBA and Altered Beast GBA and although they may be trying to get those to sell by name recognition, those games are looking like they'll play like crap. Those IGN movies were painful to watch.

So can Sega still make great games? Yep. As long as they don't outsource, I have complete faith in them. But the titles they choose to develop are more on the conservative side.

[Regus]

Originally posted by Hero
I dunno...

on one hand, Sega isn't milking sports.

on the other, Sega has decided to 'play it safe' with rehashed DC games

Wow, you've never mentioned before that you had three hands.

And as for "Will Sega change in the future?", nah, I think they'll continue kicking their fans in teeth for many years to come, just like old times.

[Kinopio]

If SEGA wants to top EA for the biggest 3rd party spot, they are gonna have to be more like EA. Luckily, their best development teams are still doing good stuff while the lesser ones handle the sports games and the other stuff that appeals to a broad range of people. SEGA is making money, and making good games. Can't argue with that.

[MrKasualUltra2000]

Originally posted by Kinopio
Luckily, their best development teams are still doing good stuff while the lesser ones handle the sports games and the other stuff that appeals to a broad range of people.

I know your not refering to Visual Concepts??? NBA2K is the best thing to happen to the b ball genre since Double Dribble.

[Cheebs]

I'll wait and see how long it takes for the next crazy entirely original title to come out of left feild and make us all scratch our head before we say "Oh! I get it! This is COOL!"- Chu Chu Rocket style before forming my oppinion.

[Clash!]

I think Sega is doing an ok job. They are making the most amazing games out there, but a lot of them are going to be niche titles that people like us on the boards will gobble up for their originality and quality, but Joe Shmoe will most likely not know a thing about it and have little intrest. Games like Jet Set Radio: Future and Gunvalkryie did not sell well, but both are great games, well put together amazing visuals, original gameplay. They did not sell well because Joe Shmoe walked right passed them to get the game Bloodwake he heard so much about. Plus Sega is going kind of Sequal crazy right now, just look at all the sequals they have just put out and are coming out:

Jet Set Radio: Future (XB)
Toe Jam & Earl 3 (XB)
Shenmue 2 (XB)
Sega GT 2002 (XB)
Crazy Taxi 3 (XB)
Shinobi (PS2)
Super Monkey Ball 2 (GC)
Panzer Dragoon Orta (XB)
The 2K3 games.

Those are their big games, and with most of those you need a little bit of an established fandom to the games. But people out there wanted these sequals, me included. I think Sega is doing a great job for me, and the critics. But I am not so sure about the mass market. If it were up to me all of these games would be million sellers, but I don't see that happaning for most of them. Sega has always been the biggest risk taker in the industry, more power to them.

[Low]

I think the only portion of Sega's future that concerns me is Gameboy Advance. Dimples made a good Sonic game but not quite to Sonic Team's level and Altered Beast and Shinobi are two other farmed out licenses that just don't strike me as Sega quality (of course that may change). I hope Sega realizes the broad fanbase of handhelds and realizes that good games with the Sega name will carry across boundaires and bad games will reinforce stereotypes. *-neo

[Cheebs]

Speaking of all these current Sega sequels, what on earth is up with Crazy Taxi 3? It looks almost exactly like the DC orriginals! Heck, the DC originals even looked ugly next to most other DC games, and now we have an Xbox game looking like that! I could understand if this was a DC or even a PS2 port, but we're talking about an Xbox EXCLUSIVE here! I'll forgive you Sega because everything else you're doing looks so darn good, but Keeeeeripes Crazy Taxi 3 is one dated looking game.

[Captain Vegetable]

Originally posted by Chibi Nappa
Speaking of all these current Sega sequels, what on earth is up with Crazy Taxi 3? It looks almost exactly like the DC orriginals! Heck, the DC originals even looked ugly next to most other DC games, and now we have an Xbox game looking like that! I could understand if this was a DC or even a PS2 port, but we're talking about an Xbox EXCLUSIVE here! I'll forgive you Sega because everything else you're doing looks so darn good, but Keeeeeripes Crazy Taxi 3 is one dated looking game.

It plays nice though. There's a demo in the new OXM. But I agree, all aspects smack of Dreamcastness.

[MrKasualUltra2000]

Originally posted by Clash_Master
They did not sell well because Joe Shmoe walked right passed them to get the game Bloodwake he heard so much about.

If BloodWake sold better than JetSet I will......


as far as Crazy Taxi 3, i dunno if you have seen it in motion, cause the stills do not do the game's graphics and animation the proper justice. the jaggies are unforgivable however. can you say originally intended for the PS2.