My 2 and a half cents' worth
Jon Okulicz
j.okulicz@student.qut.edu.auRight. I have been a loyal Sega follower for seven years now. And all I can say is that the games haven't got any better. From the Master System (which had some great games, but they were all too easy) to the Genesis (which also had some great games, but they were also too easy, lets not forget short too), to the Mega CD (let's ignore it), to the Sega Saturn. I have owned every Sega Console (bar the 32X, which was quite fortunate because it was poo) and really, I haven't seen any improvement in the games.
I traded in $3500 worth of Genesis and Mega-CD games (45 in all) for 1 Sega Saturn and a copy of Virtua Fighter 2 (my brother then went on to win THREE Sega Saturns on a radio program that exact week. I was not happy.). I thought "wow, they graphics are GREAT", now 18 games later, I'm just thinking to myself "what was the POINT?". I mean, I have to pay $AUS95 for a game that usually lasts about a week. Torico, for instance, was interesting for a bit, and when I bought it I was aware that the replay value would be low, but eight hours play for $95 is extortionate! I should have rented it, but I was told it was big. Pah. Just because a game is on 2 CDs doesn't mean shit.
The point is this: Sega (and the third parties) have no idea. They make their stupid games with glorious graphics and CD sound and occasionally, when they feel like it, a game as well. The game should always take priority. It seems that they have completely got wrapped up with the excellent graphics and sound but thought "they'll be fooled.. stuff the gameplay.. we're making money!" and they're right. The graphics and the sound are usually the main drawing point. Now, for very experienced games such as myself, I am sick of shelling out stacks of money to get a game which is too easy and too short.
Examples: Dark Saviour (quite frankly, I've taken a piss longer than that), NiGHTS (7 levels, gee Sega you're all heart giving us SEVEN levels.. there was so much potential), Ultimate MK3 (crap graphics, and most characters identical), Virtua Cop (hah.. the only novelty is the gun!), SFA2 (a Genesis game on a CD of all things.), Panzer Dragoon 2 (repetitive repetitive repetitive more attack waves would have been nice) and heaps of other games also fall into this category. The Saturn needs games like Guardian Heroes and Saturn Bomberman, which can be played over and over again and are generally enthralling. A good multiplayer mode helps a game no end, and there aren't enough good games in this category.
I want a game that has good graphics, good sound (preferably not CD as it chews up space for nothing), with brilliant gameplay and absolutely mindblowing longevity. Also, a CD can take about 78 minutes. Usually, a Saturn game will take about 45 minutes, tops. And 35 of that is just CD sound. That means we've got 10 minutes of code. Now, think about it, a Saturn can handle a huge game, eight times larger than the crap we get now. I reckon Sega have enough ideas and imagination to produce a game that can take up around 60 minutes of code on a CD. The question is: could they be stuffed to do it. I could come up with enough, and so could heaps of people out there. The problem is, we're not making the games. And Sega doesn't want our feedback. Damnit if I was in the right place in the right time, it could be me coming up with the ideas and I'd be able to make that 60+ minute game. What I want to know is WHO will. Sega won't.
When you consider the above, its easy to see why the PSX is crushing the Saturn. Example: Soul Blade (story modes, arcade modes, it's interesting).. compare to Fighters Megamix (Just a compilation of characters , 10 of which are crap novelties.. with no story mode, just fight fight fight).
Unless Sega starts bringing out some games with a bit of oomph and not just graphics, they will die a slow, painful (economic) death as their faithful supporters desert them. And if they don't do something about it to stop their ship sinking , then I'm calling mutiny. It's a shame.
For all those out there who think the games out there are long enough and don't get boring after a week of play, please email me so I can find out what games you're playing. You're certainly not playing the ones in my collection that got such brilliant reviews.