Muramasa Moment In Art

@Ueziel: You may have a point. But I feel Nintendo has been treating me really bad as well. Since April 2008, dude.
Its just that it used to piss me off how other consoles would get full fledged games like Dead Space and RE5, meanwhile the Wii gets one (very good) port for RE4, two original RE spin off light gun games and another spin off but now from Dead Spacace and its also light gun and on rails.
I can only take so much crap.

@DaveKap: Look to the XRB-2+ for an example of a scaler with minimal/no input lag and great picture quality. Of course, few HDTVs manufacturers care about input lag. :(

Also, Catch-22 refers to a situation (per the book of the same name) wherein there is an illusion of choice, but no choice is actually possible. The situation you present is more of a standard "no win" scenario.

emag

@DaveKap: I don't see why it's so hard to have a normal TV around with a Wii hooked up to it. I keep my regular TV with PS2 and Wii both hooked up to it (along with the Saturn) at all times. And I have like zero space and live in a tiny box room so don't even attempt to tell me that you have no space.

@Alex_Mexico: Little King's Story just came out. A Boy And His Blob comes out in October. Also, instantly reducing "light gun game" to mean "subpar" is really dumb and you should feel bad.

You are treating Nintendo badly.

@ashdown: An on-rails "light gun" game is not Muramasa, Zelda, SMG2 or even Resident Evil 4 caliber. Seems more like an afterthought than a real Dead Space canon game, allthough it does look good.
For me at least.

Im just one very dissapointed Nintendo fan. I've never been trated this badly by my once beloved company ever. not even in the darkest days of the N64 and Gamecube. Thankfully I've abandoned my one console only strategy years ago.

@hagane_no: You know, instead of trolling, you could actually invest your time in looking into Wii games the might interest you besides Muramasa.

ashdown

@Alex_Mexico:
"Tell me ONE Wii game of this caliber, besides the DS-portish New Super Mario Bros Wii thats coming before the end of the year. One."

Dead Space: Extraction.

ashdown

@Crash__Man: While I do agree Muramasa is a very good looking game I have to disagree strongly with the "more and more amazing games keep springing up in the Wii library" part.
Tell me ONE Wii game of this caliber, besides the DS-portish New Super Mario Bros Wii thats coming before the end of the year. One.
Its incredible that in the most important quarter, just like last year (where Nintnedo only had Wii Music) they have hardly anything to give us.
Sure, next year we'll get Metroid, SMGalaxy2 and maybe Zelda. And dont get me wrong, I loved SMG1, Metroid Prime 3 and SSBB (minus the craptacular online) but ever since SSBB release in March of 2008 the Wii has been a barren deserted land for me. It took Nintendo more than a year for me to give a crap about with the release of Punch out. Now's Muramasa and then what?
Nothing.

And dont you dare argument back by mentioning "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" because if a downgraded port of a 2 year old game is the Wii's best "gamer's" bet for the 4th quarter then we're in trouble.

@CommentingpointlesslyisMeh: donate my Wii? no wai! But you don't want a PS3 version. Imagine how awesomely awesome it would look in 4320p on your PS4 or how awesomely awesomely awesome it would look beamed directly into your brain on your PS5. Or you could just rent it and go play at a friend's with a Wii. Remember, tomorrow never comes ;)

@bkld18:
do you honestly think 360/ ps3 owners are gonna buy this game like they would a shooter?

more and more amazing games keep springing up in the Wii library.

and yet people (in this very thread) still bitch'n'moan'n'bitch about how these sweet games aren't on a "real" console or a non-"crappy" console.

so, just curious, how many games will you guys have to be jealous of before acknowledging that the platform is a solid one?

what's that? it's the lack of HD that troubles you? good games have existed before HD - and they still do.

what's that? you don't want "waggle" controls? neither do I... most games don't require "waggle" when you take a minute to learn how to play them.

additionally, M+ is here to "kill the waggle" as RS2 puts it.

trust me, as soon as Natal/Wand hit the shelves, motion controls will suddenly be a lot more legitimate - I know, it's funny how that works.

so, what's left for you folks to complain about? oh yea, you're too insecure to enjoy something that scream "hardcorez" every step of the way.
all I can say to that is... please, grow up.

Crash__Man

Yup cant wait to play the english version on dolphin. I aint buying a console for just muramasa ...

drizzt_rocks

@trailingedge: well... we'll all be playing it on the Wii while you're waiting.

Crash__Man

@Adhominem:

Stop wearing a red #*%*-ring of death.

@bkld18:

We just saw a re-release of a "real" troll!

@acidpits:

Hey what can I say? It's a troll's life. That's all they know how to do.

@hagane_no:

I really hate comment being waste about the Wii. (engrish anyone)

@HalenKnujunkle: XIII was from ubisoft.. it was a fps, horrible game. this is straight 2d art not 3d

mutedia

For a game so beautiful, why does the jump have to be mapped to the up joystick. Even worse, why does the game promote so much "A good offence is a good defence"?

I still love this game but just I wish the block button was quicker and easier, and the jump was actually a button.

@katsujinken: Good, idea. A sequel to Frogger. Go make that while I play Muramasa on the Wii. Oh wait, I can't since I don't have one (unless you want to donate?), so in the interim I will imagine how awesome it would look in 1080P on my PS3 like SexyPants suggested. Mmmmmmmm...so sexy, SexyPants...mmmmmm.

There was actually a cel-shaded FPS on the PS2 called XIII. I never played it but the visuals were quite striking. Obviously there's a bit of difference between cel-shading and Muramasa's style, but hey, this is as close as you'll get.

HalenKnujunkle

@emag: Unfortunately, once you get an HDTV with a decent scaler, you're prone to getting controller lag. Jay is right about the Wii and it leads to a Catch 22. You can either get an HDTV with a quality scaler so the Wii games look good, but you end up with lagged controls. Or you can get an HDTV with a fast scaler so you have no more laggy controls, but then Wii games suffer the consequences.

There is no good answer here, it's just purely, technically true that a 480p image will not look as good on an HDTV as it should while also allowing fast response times. It's not just a Wii problem, but it is a problem for the Wii.

I really hate seeing such a cool game being waste in the crappy Wii

I'm certainly not buying the console JUST to play Muramasa... but hell, it looks so damn cool.

This game looks amazing. I hope it plays as well as it looks. If they continue to put stuff out that looks as interesting as this I might have to pick up a Wii again. We'll see what the game library looks like this time 2010.

Adhominem

@マジカル パイ: Ok let's stop naming No More Heroes in good Wii game arguments, Okami as well. Normally a console's game library improves as it ages. The Wii has seen a dry spell for a long time with some stuff that's not half bad here and there. That's fact. No way to spin it.

"BUT BUT WE GOT MADHOUSE AND CONDUIT AND BLAH AND BLAH." yeah and it was so good that no one bought it.

Stop licking Nintendo's nuts, they need more fan pressure to put out the good stuff and to court 3rd parties. This is 2009 and a good first party release every 2-3 years is no longer cutting it.

Adhominem

@jayntampa: You know, I play video games to have fun... I don't really care if there are jaggies, or pixelation, or whatever... If the game is fun, I play it.

TriplEEE13

@Optrirominiluikus: Just for once I would like to see some other western art styles in games. I'm frankly tired of this run-of-the-mill brown-n-grey gritty shite. Sure, it's pretty, but it's been done, over and over again. GTAIV looks like Gears of War or Red Faction Guerilla or Need for Speed: Most Wanted.

---

No, I'm not just being cute. I personally think generic western art styles are far more annoying than generic japanese art styles. At least the latter has color.

RockyRan

@laser beams: "jaggies" in this type of game, no. "Pixelation", yes. Too much of either looks equally as bad on an HDTV.

RockyRan

@jayntampa:
Try sitting away from you TC inside having your nose up against it.

Can't wait!
Odin Sphere look great on my PS2, but wasn't even in widescreen or progressive scan! Muramasa's gonna look amazing on my Phillips HDTV in 480p widescreen.
Can't wait!

CaptJapan

@jayntampa:
Try buying the correct cables, and then set the display options for your Wii to sharp. Then you shoudl have no problem.

@jayntampa: Play the game on an HDTV with a decent scaler.

emag

@grantanamo: I just don't get how it would make more sense as a downloadable. The main difference between XBLA games and retail is the price and in the past size. While the size limit is gone, a quick visit to a torrent site tells me that this game is a lot bigger than most XBLA games, and that's with textures sized for SD resolutions.
So you would it be for XBLA unless it was prized 15$ or less? I don't think I can even imagine the amount of internet whining a 50$ XBLA release would cause; remember when the first 15$ games were released?

beril

@Dawud: I'm not saying that it's unplayable, I play my Wii quite often. My point is that you take beautiful hand-drawn art that was done at a higher resolution than the Wii can handle, then upscale it to a large HDTV and the graphics take a serious hit. I got the Japanese game, and I'll buy the US game ... but, it doesn't change the fact that it doesn't look as good as it should. For example, I was referring to the trailer saying that I wished it looked as good on my HDTV -- then people run off on tangents making up arguments in their head.

@laser beams: Play this game on an LCD screen over 40 inches and you'll change you mind -- there are a lot of graphics that are the opposite of smooth in this game when you have to upscale like that.

@Kobun: I think Scribblenauts' fate depends on how far and how fast word of mouth about it travels. It's hardly gotten any actual marketing hype at all, so people who don't traverse the fantastical lands known as gaming websites don't really even know of Scribblenauts... yet. I think it has huge potential to sell strong and continuously, but it all depends on the hype it gets.

I think sales will start off somewhat slow, but progressively rise and hang in there. It is a DS game after all, so it's practically born with legs. I think they're missing a huge opportunity to market this game to the general public. It could be the next Brain Age... consumer-driven hype worked in cyberspace, but let's see if it works in reality.

@jayntampa: You realize the exact same thing could be said of PS360 games compared to PC right?

@jayntampa: My wii games look fine on my HDTV, and while the graphics in my 360 and PS3 games are obviously way better than the wii, it's not like wii's lack of graphical prowess makes the games unplayable. A good game is a good game is a good game. Then again, I'm a child of the 80's so I probably find visible pixels much more acceptable than most. I remember the time when you could actually count the number of polygons that lara crofts boobs were made up of...

Hey look! A cool looking Wii game! Let's all complain about the graphics and say 'durrr this would look better in HD!'

I hope they translate this game onto a PS3 or Xbox title...

trailingedge

@ShoyuRamen:

Wii == Gamecube :D

/Miyamoto said it, not me.

@Cheezsama: Yes that is true, but it still has all the flaws above, its not the 1st 2d beat em up I've played, though they're rare, they should have atleast some of the things I've mentioned.
Odin Sphere is definetly a sort of RPG, as you can choose how to advance, where and how much to put in each thing.
In Muramasa, even those are missing and the "huge" amount of swords make them all seem generic and simply not worth it.
Lets not forget the fact that Odin Sphere had quite a nice story, as for Muramasa, meh, a very big meh.

@マジカル パイ: If PS1 had 1080p capability at that time.. it would be MASSIVE! lol

Wii just simply aren't a real console for some people.. just need to learn to accept it.. as some people think 360>PS3 and vice versa.

ShoyuRamen

@Optrirominiluikus: Please list the Japanese art styles you would like to see in video game. Obviously the differences between the Persona series, Street Fighter, King of Fighters, ICO/SotC, Yakuza, MGS, Okami, Jet Set Radio, Parappa the Rapper, Noby Noby Boy, and Final Fantasy aren't enough.

@jayntampa: i agree. i find it funny now passive and flexible and brand devoted wii owners are to the flaws in which would be fixed if the company gave a damn.

Husher

Why did my brother have to take the Wii to college? I really don't want to spend $300 for a Wii and Muramasa. Oh well, Christmas is coming soon enough.

@Optrirominiluikus: You mean like in Ico, Rhythm Heaven, Okami or Shadow of the Colossus, because they look JUST like this game [/eye roll]. More to the point. This does NOT look like Totoro, the pallet and style of colouring are completely different as well as the style of characters.

It does look like Odin Sphere, which is unsurprising because the art is done by the same company. It's like wailing at Disney for making another children's animated movie.

It's more like you don't really appreciate the subtle differences between different eastern styles that originated from Manga as much as there are plenty of people that wouldn't be able to tell one western comic book artists style from another because they all draw from a standard muscle bound six foot hero template, or all these brown games we get about space marines these days.

Either way, if you are going to be hateful, at least try to make valid points.
[/rant]

@Outkastprince: True. Maybe I can convince my fellow Beatlemaniacs (Sis and Dad) to chip in.

@jayntampa: this game doesn't have "jaggies" because there's no polygons. it's hand drawn and digitally colored animation cells. it's beautiful really. if you are using component cables, this game is simply gorgeous.

@Rebochan: Plus, there really aren't very many distinctly Japanese art styles to begin with. The only other ones I can think of are guro and superflat.

mintycrys is HOT for Bayonetta

@bkld18: And by "Real" console, I'm assuming that you mean the 360 or PS3? And what exactly makes the Wii not a real console? The fact that it can't produce HD video games? Neither could the SNES, but I'm pretty sure that was a real console. So was the Playstation 1, and it didn't output into 1080p.
Or is it because you don't think there are any games that you'd deem "good" on the Wii? In which case, I'll point you to several. No More Heroes, Mad World, and Trauma Center just to name a few.

マジカル パイ

@jayntampa: The Wii actually looks a little bit softer on a plasma screen. The jaggies are definitely more noticeable on an LCD display. I agree with you, but I'm happy with the way my Wii looks on the Pioneer set I probably paid too much for.

What is that sound at 00:48, when the exclamation point appears onscreen with Momohime? I've heard it in Okami and other games with a "traditional Japanese" aesthetic. Some particular instrument?

@Devilbless: i was under the impression that both Odin Sphere and Muramasa were side scroller beat-em-ups, not action RPGs. At least that's what i would call them. RPG tends to imply a bit more complexity than having a healing item inventory and pseudo-leveling that does little more than raise your damage and increase your health bar. Comparing these games to things like Diablo and Dungeon Siege just seems really silly to me. Apples and oranges man, apples and oranges.

@Turambar: B> Selvaria Body Pillow: famitsu praised it for its overall even difficulty.

@jayntampa: no, hes not wrong actually. they look fine. some people are just ocd. saying wii games across the board look like 'puke' on an hd screen is asinine.

@SexyPants: Imagine how if a frog had wings, it wouldn't bump its ass when it jumped.

@bkld18: If the game doesn't sell, you're garanteed never to see it ship on an HD platform.

kraftboy

@TravisTouchdown: Scribblenauts, it just seems like a better more original game, and I love the mechanics in it.
Dont get me wrong, I've played muramasa and it was nice, and I whole heartedly support localization, but Scribblenauts is just a one of a kind game.

@beril: I did not say that I expected to pay 10 or 15 bucks. I would gladly pay full price, but this game would make most sense as a downloadable. Secondly, I didn't say that I wanted it to fail, I said I wanted it to do well enough to warrant an expansion to all platforms, or poorly enough to where the developers have to move to consoles in which the game might sell better. Mediocre sales will kill this game (think Okami).

grantanamo

@opt2not: Its pretty much exactly like Odin Sphere, people here have whined that I keep saying that.
To me it lacked what other A-RPGs/Hack'n'slashes in the past had, either great music/atmosphere (aka Diablo) or great story (aka Titan Quest) or simply some variety! (aka Dungeon Siege).
Muramasa is shallow on all fronts, except for the art one that is, it lacks monster types to fight, music and story.

By all means give it a rent, its definetly worth that at the least.

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: as it should. realisim in games just doesnt fit in my books.

Cloud_Hiro

@HELLSRIDER is doing stuff: also help to have one of those self-ajusting hdtvs like I have, basicly it auto ajusts its picture to whatever the proper pixel by pixel size and resoultion is.

Its great because older games look pretty good on this tv compaired to what they usualy look like on hdtvs, not the best, but better, and everything from wii to ps3 looks as optiimal as possable. its a samsung tv btw.

Cloud_Hiro

I've wanted this game for a while, but I can't play becauase of the No Wii for College rule. Ah well, scribblenauts for me

zenfluence

The announcement that Muramasa actually has an HD build was enough to put me off from buying this for a year... just in case we see a re-release on a "real" console.

bkld18

@greyseal: You're wrong. Wow, I love being able to say that so definitely!

The number of jaggies seen on "good" looking Wii games is absolutely ridiculous, and there is nothing you can do about it. I've already played Muramasa, so I know what I'm talking about ... funny, I've played all the games you've mentioned, too.

Do a google search for "Wii" and "jaggies" -- hmm, wonder if you'll find anyone else with the problem. Um, YES!

@Optrirominiluikus: This has got to be a troll. There is no way there can be anyone this *genuinely* stupid.

Rebochan

Well, looks pretty, but will the gameplay hold up? If it's anything like Odin Sphere, I'll probably rent it. I bought that game with high hopes, but it turned out to be a pretty lackluster gameplay experience. Hopefully more previews will show off a deeper gameplay experience.

opt2not

@hamsterjohn:

Marcus: Dom, come check this out.
Dominic: What is it, Marcus?
Marcus: I think it's... yellow?

(Yeah, I know they're not technically FPS characters, but FPS guys tend not to talk, so it works better. :p )

Kobun

The Wii actually has more than a handful of good looking exclusive third-party games coming out for the rest of the year. For example, there's Silent Hill:SM (multiplatform title but exclusive as far as current-gen home consoles go), Dead Space: Extraction, A Boy & His Blob and RE: Darkside Chronicles, and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.

I'll be picking up Muramasa ASAP.

Killer7

@Akoji: I think you can buy a 480p cable for the wii. Wont make it look like 360 games but hey it looks better I guess.

The animations on the bigger bosses don't look THAT great.

@Shawnrw222: Scribblenauts is going to sell through the roof, so Muramasa needs as much support as it can get. It deserves it.

If it's marketed well, it should do okay, but don't believe that popularity on a handful of Internet forums including Kotaku equates to blockbuster status. I tend to think both titles will do okay but will disappoint based on the notion that they're heavily hyped when they are far from it. Muramasa has only pushed about 50,000 units in Japan, and I don't believe it'll do as well in the Western countries. Scribblenauts should do better, ironically probably in large part due to being a DS release over a Wii one, but I have a hard time believing it'll compete with the sales of the best selling DS games or even crack the six figures mark.

Kobun

Pretty sweet looking. Kind of reminds me of Ragdoll Kung-Fu.

ssoltero

@jayntampa: Waah waah. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of HD, and I love showing off my PS3 and 360. But good looking games are good looking games, and the better Wii games hold their own on any screen.

You can argue that there aren't many of them, but those few are still gorgeous. Super Mario Galaxy, Punch Out!, MadWorld... hell, even World of Goo.

greyseal

@wanion: You want a 2-D FPS?

Kobun

@Optrirominiluikus: He's watching your language very carefully, waiting for you to slip up.

mintycrys is HOT for Bayonetta

@IvanDashSmith: Hopefully Night Game will make it out this year too. It looks gorgeous.

I honestly expected some thinly veiled money shot after she unsheathed her sword.

Kobun

@Optrirominiluikus: I don't find it really generic, backdrops are from ancient pieces of art in Japanese Culture.

Akoji

@jayntampa:

Yeah if there's a way to make it look better, someone please tell me.

Akoji

@Optrirominiluikus: this is not run of the mill anime shit, this is much closer to the ukiyo-e upon which generic anime developed. I have yet to see monsters that look anything like that in anime.

@Optrirominiluikus: I'm hoping this is sarcasm. The art style is radically different from the anime style and is taken from Japanese wood block prints and scrolls -- so, it meets your criteria of other Japanese art styles.

Regarding it looking like Odin Sphere, that's like saying two Monet paintings look alike -- of course they're similar, they're by the same person!

And, if you think this looks like Totoro ... honestly, there is no hope.

If only it would look that good on my HDTV ... graphics from the Wii pretty much puke on an HD screen.

@mpar: Still, very few of those games ever go for realism.

Once someone confirms for me this game doesn't switch between enjoyable and ball crushingly difficult like Odin Sphere did (I'm looking at you Mercedes and the entirety of Titania), it'll be a day one purchase.

@Shawnrw222: Agreed, if anything maybe you can trade in some of your old games you don't play anymore so you can get both.

Imagine how it would look on ps3 or 360 with high def output.

SexyPants

@bfwings55: i think muramasa would be the better investment

scribblenauts still sounds really gimmicky to me.

IGNOTION

@GameBuddy - Doesn't like tomatoes on his sandvich.: Consider Muramasa, it'll need your help more than Beatles Rock Band which will sell by the millions.

Outkastprince

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: In the other consoles or PC I guess.

FRICK. This releases a day before Beatles Rock Band. F-R-I-I-I-C-K.

I'm in trouble.

Just for once I would like to see some other japanese art styles in games. I'm frankly getting tired of this run-of-the-mill anime shite. Sure, it's pretty, but it's been done, over and over again. This looks like Odin Sphere or Espgaluda or Totoro.

Optrirominiluikus

@wanion: It's pretty hard to make 2d FPSes though...

beril

God I want this game so bad

I'm starting to think i should pick this up :P

@wanion:
Sorry, I think it's a golden rule now that the only valid colors for FPS'es are gray, brown, black, and muzzle flash.
:P

hamsterjohn

@TravisTouchdown: Muramasa. Scribblenauts is going to sell through the roof, so Muramasa needs as much support as it can get. It deserves it.

Shawnrw222

now i regret selling my wii

jslizzle

@xxdxvicious: Where are these "realistic" looking games that everyone always talks about?

@wanion: borderlands is kind of designed in this cartoon like style

jslizzle

I need to buy this game. Sadly I'm gonna have to wait around late September or Early October to get this.

hazelnut

@TravisTouchdown: I see your current situation. May I suggest you get both.

hazelnut

@grantanamo: Stop asking for retail games on XBLA/PSN. Wanting ports is fine, wanting them for 10-15$ is another thing... also wishing it to fail isn't very nice either

beril

@bfwings55: My wallet only currently has space for one game. :(

@TravisTouchdown: Both.

Red and Blue demons? This game is complete now

@grantanamo: SO INCONSIDERATE *slap*

Just once I'd like to see an FPS done in this style.

Definitely amazing. Really reminds me of Odin Sphere and friends. Definitely a day 1 buy. Besides, who doesn't like girls with swords?

A must buy for me as long as someone reviews it and tells me it's nothing like Odin Sphere. Another beautiful game that had me scratching my head on what to do next and if I even wanted to bother.

Outkastprince

Between this and A Boy and His Blob, we are going to have some pretty nice looking Wii games this year.

IvanDashSmith

I am so close to buying a Wii for this game. I really hope this sells poorly enough or well enough that it comes over the the XBLA/PSN.

grantanamo

So pretty *__*
I'll have to pick this up at launch instead of Scribblenauts.

Also, INB4IWISHTHISWASINTHEPS360.

EDIT: Someone help me choose what to buy :o

While the art style of the game is so unique and so pronounced, it gets me thinking of some of earlier Kotaku posts talking about repetitive themes and subject matter in games.

Ninjas? Swords? Fantasy?

When will I see Shinto Tea-Time with such pretty image layering?

Marceux

A game which actually makes me really, really want a Wii. Will wonders never cease?

Ahhh... i want this so bad!

Btw kisuke throwing his sword at the end looked really cheesy.

wazzzup16

It's easily the prettiest game on any platform this year

beril

@Crash__Man: While there are some good games out for the Wii, the fact is what I often hear about those games is that they're "good for a Wii game". Having played Muramasa at E3 I can tell you that this may be the first "hardcore" Wii game that will not need a qualifier as to how good it is. It will simply be described as "good."

psycoking

One of the few reasons I bought a wii. Vanilla ware and core games rule

Ether02