North American Star Ocean 4 Gets De-Animefied

[War]

"An embargo just lifted for a bunch of Star Ocean: The Last Hope media. I gave it glance and didn’t notice anything special. Pesmerga00 who has been following the game very closely did (thanks for the tip!!). It’s subtle, but it appears Square Enix is erasing anything anime in the English release of Star Ocean: The Last Hope.

Look at these battle screenshots and focus on the character portraits. The Japanese version (top) has anime faces while the English version (bottom) has CG models.

Even more noticeable are the menu differences. The Japanese version has colorful character silhouettes while the English build has a lot of… blue. The status screen and character icons use the CG models too.

English version menus

Japanese version menus

Pesmerga00 also discovered the character portraits accompanying dialogue vanished in the English version. I couldn’t find a good comparison screen in my batch of media, but going by the other changes I wouldn’t be surprised to see those removed too.

Why would Square Enix do this? Probably to make Star Ocean: The Last Hope look more sci-fi or something."

Source


Posts merged

I realize this is in the wrong section, my laptop just went crazy on me. Sorry!

 

[Joey Ravn]

If you ask me, I like the CG models better. They fit better into the game, IMO. The drawn portraits are a little too cutesy

 

[twiztidsinz]

If you ask me, I like the CG models better. They fit better into the game, IMO. The drawn portraits are a little too cutesy

I agree.. and I think the Mona Lisa would look better with Short hair.[/sarcasm]

You don't go changing someones art because you think it looks better.
While I agree with you that it's 'a little too cutesy' and doesn't fit as well as the GC models, it's still changing content.
Things like this is why I got into fansubbed anime, the companies that released here would change the story to 'make it better'.
Better is really a subjective term, especially when it deals with someone else's work.

 

[Ferrariman]

Good call Square Enix!

 

[dgwillia]

Im pissed about this one >_>, i LOVED the anime feel of the game (and it was probally gonna make me feel more at home, since Star Ocean 3 was pretty anime-ish, and i consider that the best PS2 game ever)
But maybe they are gonna pull a Tales Of Hearts and give us a CG/Anime version, or maybe its a DLC that you can download on day 1 to change back between CG and Anime? Personally the Anime versions seem more appealing to me >_>, more vibrant and colorful. We are already gonna be looking at the CG models for 50+ hours of gameplay.

 

[Rock Raiyu]

It honestly doesn't even matter whichever one they use to me. They both look quite fabulous but having an option to switch between would be cool.

 

[dinofan01]

Doesn't affect game play, so who cares. Its still the same game.

 

[Sonicandtails]

If you ask me, I like the CG models better. They fit better into the game, IMO. The drawn portraits are a little too cutesy

You are the reason things like this happen to games. Stop playing all your Haloz and your Call of Doodies and start appreciating video games.

 

[Banger]

I like the "new" look. Then again I will probably never even play the game.

 

[Jax]

What's next, Squeenix? Final Fantasy XIV will have real-life actors on the FMVs?

 

[Sonicandtails]

Doesn't affect game play, so who cares. Its still the same game.

Wrong, it's not the same game. It completely changes a games entire mood. Would Kirby games be the same game if every Kirby sprite was replaced with pissed off eyes and a frown? No.

 

[dinofan01]

Doesn't affect game play, so who cares. Its still the same game.

Wrong, it's not the same game. It completely changes a games entire mood. Would Kirby games be the same game if every Kirby sprite was replaced with pissed off eyes and a frown? No.

... No, it doesn't. The in game characters still look the same. Its just the icons and menu that are different. Your comparison to Kirby is completely wrong then. It would still be the same game if the icons were different.

 

[Hop2089]

I like both but the anime art style is better maybe since I like the cuter animated art styles over the more realistic art styles. What ever floats your boat I guess.

 

[ForceDevice]

Its just the icons and menu that are different.

Eh... it seems someone didn't notice the US version will have no character portraits at all along with dialogue boxes. And that changes the mood of the game quite a bit, if you ask me.

 

[dgwillia]

Seriously, this completely changed the mood for me. Just looking at the screenshots if i didnt know that they were both Star Ocean, i would probally think they were different games. The japanese one just feels so vibrant, and exciting, and welcoming and warm. But the english one seems westernized, and cold and 3d >_>. I mean sheesh, the little 3d pictures next to each characters stats in-battle looks completely horrible compared to the anime versions. I mean, it draws you in, and makes the game have a bit more of a light hearted feel to it (i know it isnt susposed to, but it helps ALOT). And.....i just cant describe it.....i dont think i will have as much of an experience compared to Star Ocean 3 with this >_>.

 

[Rock Raiyu]

Seriously, this completely changed the mood for me. Just looking at the screenshots if i didnt know that they were both Star Ocean, i would probally think they were different games. The japanese one just feels so vibrant, and exciting, and welcoming and warm. But the english one seems westernized, and cold and 3d >_>. I mean sheesh, the little 3d pictures next to each characters stats in-battle looks completely horrible compared to the anime versions. I mean, it draws you in, and makes the game have a bit more of a light hearted feel to it (i know it isnt susposed to, but it helps ALOT). And.....i just cant describe it.....i dont think i will have as much of an experience compared to Star Ocean 3 with this >_>.

To tell you the truth, I feel the same way. The Japanese one makes everything feel so lively but the English one is so dull.

 

[Joey Ravn]

If you ask me, I like the CG models better. They fit better into the game, IMO. The drawn portraits are a little too cutesy

I agree.. and I think the Mona Lisa would look better with Short hair.[/sarcasm]

You don't go changing someones art because you think it looks better.
While I agree with you that it's 'a little too cutesy' and doesn't fit as well as the GC models, it's still changing content.
Things like this is why I got into fansubbed anime, the companies that released here would change the story to 'make it better'.
Better is really a subjective term, especially when it deals with someone else's work.


You could save your sarcasm and, you know, actually read my post. Is there anything else I could have done to make you understand it was MY F***ING opinion? You say "better is a subjective term", yet you try to make me look like Hitler for not liking what you like.

QUOTE(Sonicandtails @ Feb 7 2009, 09:38 PM)

*snip*

And you're just a troll. I'll tell you the same I told twiztidsinz: grow up and accept people have opinions. If you need to resort to a strawman to prove your point, you're only showing how ignorant and biased you are. I like the CG models better. You have a problem with that? Good for you.

 

[dgwillia]

Yeah >_>, and if Square Enix does change this, i got a feeling they are gonna lose even more fans (maybe about as many as they did on the FF13/360 announcement day), this is just going too far >_>.

I heard on gamefaqs though that the localizers for this game have gotten so many complaints about this (a few of them have even responded directly to some of the people), that they dont know whats gonna happen. And the game still isnt gold yet, So we have a chance to change this injustice if we protest it.
I wouldnt even care if they gave us a DLC a few days after release, i just refuse to support a JRPG that isnt a JRPG >_>.

 

[War]

The English version looks really boring to me. I would much rather play the Japanese version. Sure, it has overwhored animu models, but at least it gives you something new to look at. The NA version is just so meh.

 

[dgwillia]

Yeah.....its just not the same feel. Its like they are trying to make it feel Sci-fi and generic. When the Anime style was way better. I mean, we are way more used to it, most RPG's are anime styled, and personally i enjoy those types over games like Infinite Undiscovery and Lost Oddysey. (Star Ocean 3 and Radiata Stories ftw)