by Wanderin' » Tue Oct 09, 2012 12:12 am
Haven't posted since all that HD tomfoolery earlier in the year (still expect it to happen eventually, HD release would most likely be associated with some sort of discussion about the future of the saga if Sega has any sort of business sense anymore...) but as others have already posted, this excluded fron Allstar transformed matter does rile the emotions a bit.
As the devs (Sol, especially) have noted, this racing franchise is heavily rooted in the idea of assembling Sega's greatest IP/characters from past, present, and future into one big fan appreciation kart racing game - a Super Smash Bros of kart racing for Sega if you will. Does everyone remember how hard everyone crossed their fingers to have Ryo included in the first title and how (rightfully) proud SUMO was when they officially announced that against all opposition they had gone ahead and included one of gaming history's most misunderstood/underappreciated IP/characters based almost on nothing but their very own unbreakable passion for the series?
All I'm saying is this - SUMO's exclusion of Ryo from Transformed is - if you didn't realize it already - a HUGE blow against Shenmue support/re-emergence. Heck, Ryo's inclusion in the first All-Stars racing was one of the huge events that got the gaming world talking about Shenmue again in recent memory. For SUMO to exclude Ryo for reasons I will touch upon coming right up is another glaring example of a gaming development club either not caring enough to put the effort into revitalizing the Shenmue name or buckling under the pressure to do so.
Ryo's inclusion in the first All-Stars racing not only enticed many of us longtime Shenmue fans to anticipate, buy, and honestly enjoy the game but also impressed many other longtime, hardcore Sega fans in general who saw the inclusion of Ryo and many other Sega classic characters as an awesome reason to anticipate the game likewise. Ryo is without a doubt, definitely a Sega All-Star - has always been and always will be.
For SUMO to cite the weak excuse of 'oh, bike characters were too unbalanced' and remove Ryo just becuase he rode a bike in the first game is a slap in the face of everyone involved. If they truly believed Ryo belonged in the game and truly had passion to revitalize the image and acknowledgement of the series they would have made Ryo work in this game. They are game developers, after all, correct? It is the job of game developers to program, design, and develop concepts to work within the game design, right?
Heck, here's an idea. And it's free. And it ups the nostalgia of Shenmue even more if they had actually had the creativity to include this in Transformed. Don't like bikes? Fine. Include both Ryo and Lan Di as a racing team. Now listen carefully before questioning that duo. Default racing mode is Lan Di's black car (not a bike!). Boat mode is Lan Di's powerboat. Plane mode is Lan Di's helicopter (hell it could be Shenhua's hawk). Add to the nostalgia and fan appreciation by penning a tenuous and comedic fragile alliance between Ryo and Lan Di in their attempt to win in the racing game by having quotes/lines like: Ryo: "I will have my revenge!" Lan Di: "Just drive." etc.
TL;DR - Ryo deserves to be in Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed. Citing that bike characters didn't balance the game correctly is an excuse. Shenmue is robust enough of a series to have enough resource material to allow the SUMO developers to exercise enough game developing creativity to make Ryo work - if they were truly passionate about keeping Ryo and the Shenmue franchise alive in the game. Unless they truly aren't.
PS. Really hope Ryo gets developed as an upcoming DLC character for Dead or Alive 5. If you get pass the brand's signature superficial T&A trappings fighting game fans will find that DOA5 is the best yet and certainly an extremely solid and competent fighting game. Ryo would fit well. Having Lan Di included as well would allow all of us to enact that final dream battle that we continue to day dream about ten years and going. Although being a DOA game, wouldn't mind seeing how Team NINJA would develop a Xiuying DLC character, if you know what I'm sayin'...
Wanderin' has received 2 thanks from: Axm, Let's Get Sweaty