[News] [Computer Gaming]Gamespot has news of the impending English-language release of a rhythm-based DS game called Elite Beat Agents. This is, of course, the western title for the quirky Japanese outing called Ossu! Tatake! Ouendan! (trans. Ready, Set, Let's Cheer!) which all manner of places have been saying very nice things about. (Yes, despite the premise.)
Changes are apparently afoot, however. Instead of leading a trio of male cheerleaders through an offbeat and occasionally incomprehensible plotline involving dastardly deeds, disasters, and monkeys, wherein you use the awesome power of dance routines and cheerleading to right wrongs and uphold truth, justice and the Japanese way, we gaijin are apparently in for somewhat tamer fare.
The cheerleaders are gone, replaced by "Elite Beat Agents", who seem to be something like funk dancing FBI agents. They'll be tackling problems that actually make sense to a western audience. They'll still be employing dance routines in their work, but their feet won't be flashing to the gaudy yet addictive tones of J-Pop - no, they'll be busting out to a bevy of licensed American music. And there's no monkeys anywhere in sight.
In short, the game has been brutally gutted. Well, the gameplay's still there, and I hear that was good. But... gutted.
Nutsacks.
I guess this is one more reason to get a basic reading comprehension in Japanese and cut loose on the import scene. If anyone wants me, I'll be practicing looking at puppies and pronouncing them cute (which I hear is a key social skill in the land of the rising sun).
1 comment:
Why is EBA a bad thing?
If Ouendan is intrinsically quirky Japanese weird, then there's no reason why an Americanisation of the idea shouldn't do exactly that. What does American media love? Cops! And, really, a group of FBI agents who solve problems by dancing is equally as ludicrous and quirky as the male cheerleaders.
I think EBA will be great. Instead of just taking Ouendan, replacing it with American music - and let's face it, they were going to have to replace it with American music - they've changed the style of the whole game to reflect a more American audience. It's just as cheesy and bizarre as Ouendan, and my theory is on it being just as good.
Not to mention, Ouendan is easy to import and play, seeing as the DS has no region protection. And, this way, anyone interested in Ouendan can buy that, and most of that lot will probably end up buying EBA anyway. I know I will.
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