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Crimson Shroud |OT| Matsuno fails saving throw, relegated to eShop release

G

GameCenterXDS

Member
Hell yeah, totally getting this. I got Liberation Maiden and Aeroporter already too. Level-5 really put together a great collection of games with Guild-01, sucks we aren't getting the weapon shop game yet. Here's hoping for Guild-02 titles in North America, Inafune's bug war game alone looks tons of fun.

Also anyone remember how Guild-01 had an unlockable demo for Time Travelers? Hope we get that over here Level 5, seemed like a cool story focused game.
 
P

PixyJunket

Member
I love the concept of this game to death but the gameplay info I've heard about so far worries me a little, espeically since I don't really know who Matsuno is and I couldn't care less about the story in a video game. I will definitely be keeping my eye on more impressions as this thing hits the west.
 
V

vareon

Member
PixyJunket said:
I love the concept of this game to death but the gameplay info I've heard about so far worries me a little, espeically since I don't really know who Matsuno is and I couldn't care less about the story in a video game. I will definitely be keeping my eye on more impressions as this thing hits the west.
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I don't think this is your game, then.

One of the main draw of the Guild01 titles is games created by famous creators, like Suda51 or Matsuno. If you don't know who Matsuno is, half the appeal of this title is lost.

And if you couldn't care less about story in a video game, well this title is basically a game book.

But, in two days!
 
K

Keyouta

Junior Member
I'm excited just for the homage to tabletop RPGs, I guess I'll find out for myself if the slowness doesn't detract from the game.
 
S

SatelliteOfLove

Member
PixyJunket said:
I love the concept of this game to death but the gameplay info I've heard about so far worries me a little, espeically since I don't really know who Matsuno is and I couldn't care less about the story in a video game. I will definitely be keeping my eye on more impressions as this thing hits the west.
Click to expand...

He's helmed the following:

Ogre Battle
Tactics Ogre
Final Fantasy Tactics
Vagrant Story
Final Fantasy XII
and now Crimson Shroud

There's alot of things he is very skilled at, and making narratives worth caring about in a medium that isn't known for this is one. I personally hold him as one of those rare people who are comprehensive enough and skilled enough at facets of game design to both concieve of and pull off a vision making those games classics. He is master of both the auteur and the science aspects of video game design.

There is a caveat with this praise. Most of the colleagues he's worked with in the past are not on this one, which he worked with in a loyalty <-> trust relationship. I think it's only Sakimoto doing the music and I think Kajiya productions handling the localization(?), so rough spots in the design isn't going to be an unexpected event.
 
M

Midou

Member
Will buy. Miss playing games in his style. I remember reading hes working on some secret project since leaving Level-5, hope he returns to larger projects in the future.
 
S

SpaceBridge

Member
SatelliteOfLove said:
He's helmed the following:

Ogre Battle
Tactics Ogre
Final Fantasy Tactics
Vagrant Story
Final Fantasy XII
and now Crimson Shroud

There's alot of things he is very skilled at, and making narratives worth caring about in a medium that isn't known for this is one. I personally hold him as one of those rare people who are comprehensive enough and skilled enough at facets of game design to both concieve of and pull off a vision making those games classics. He is master of both the auteur and the science aspects of video game design.

There is a caveat with this praise. Most of the colleagues he's worked with in the past are not on this one, which he worked with in a loyalty <-> trust relationship. I think it's only Sakimoto doing the music and I think Kajiya productions handling the localization(?), so rough spots in the design isn't going to be an unexpected event.
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Didn't Matsuno also work on the FFTA?
 
D

duckroll

Member
SpaceBridge said:
Didn't Matsuno also work on the FFTA?
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He did the concept for it (ie: the story within a book thing), and the world concepts were based on a lot of ideas which he was working on for FFXII at the time, but he didn't actively work on the game in terms of writing and game design, no.
 
E

Electivirus

Member
I like Matsuno as a designer, but not so much as a story teller. I find his plots too difficult to follow, most of the time. Thankfully, I don't care much for video game plots, so that's not much of an issue for me. Still excited for the game. :D
 
E

Electivirus

Member
duckroll said:
I guess his post was as complicated as a Matsuno storyline. :(
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I'm just saying, the game was literally just announced. We don't really know much about it, much less its plot. I don't really know what it has to do with me not caring much for video game storylines... ._.
 
A

Alias Greed

Neo Member
Matsuno is my favorite Japanese Producer/Storyteller/Director of all time, so I'm ready for this even if it is a low budget short game. Everything he does I buy, play, and finish.

I guess the only Matsuno game I haven't played is Madworld, I should remedy that =/
 
T

TurnipFritters

Member
Alias Greed said:
Matsuno is my favorite Japanese Producer/Storyteller/Director of all time, so I'm ready for this even if it is a low budget short game. Everything he does I buy, play, and finish.

I guess the only Matsuno game I haven't played is Madworld, I should remedy that =/
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I find this kinda funny, I find it kinda sad.
 
T

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
I can't help but be excited for this game. I LOVE tabletop RPGs.
 
D

duckroll

Member
A second review has popped up: http://www.gamesradar.com/crimson-shroud-review/

Quoting all NEGATIVE comments:

Crimson Shroud is actually one of Matsuno’s weaker titles. Frankly, it’s quite boring.
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It's one thing for an RPG to emulate the feel of a board game, but it’s another for it to actually succeed in translating that feeling into a video game. The game is not a graceful marriage, and its tabletop-inspired motifs actually hurt it from being a fun roleplaying game.
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The game lasts about eight hours, but due to issues with its pacing, progression feels like it takes much longer. Those pacing issues are largely due to an overabundance of back-tracking, where you must return to areas previously visited to find switches and keys to unlock doors. Revisiting past areas also means you might run into enemy encounters, which consist of the same groups of enemies in the same exact spots.
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Halfway through the game, you are bound to go in circles for over an hour trying to solve a particular problem. The game never tells you what you need to do, and introduces a new mechanic it never again bothers to implement.
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Battles also suffer from being too drawn-out, simply because of how they are designed.
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Crimson Shroud is clearly Matsuno’s labor of love, but it’s a shame so many of its features failed in execution and proved more annoying in practice. Its redeeming qualities lie in its presentation, but that barely makes coping with repetitive and tiresome battles any better. If you want to experience something close to what Crimson Shroud should have been, you’re better off playing Vagrant Story and a tabletop RPG at the same time. It’s bound to be far more exciting.
Click to expand...
 
V

vagabondarts

Member
http://www.gamesradar.com/crimson-shroud-review/

If you want to experience something close to what Crimson Shroud should have been,
you&#8217;re better off playing Vagrant Story and a tabletop RPG at the same time. It&#8217;s bound to be far more exciting.
Click to expand...

iTzMI.gif


Still buying it.
 
Gardios

Gardios

Member
Damn @ that second review, lol.

Crimson Shroud definitely seems to be a rather polarizing game, particularly in regards to the combat. Still, it looks way too interesting for me to pass up.
 
D

Deleted member 20920

Unconfirmed Member
Gardios said:
Damn @ that second review, lol.

Crimson Shroud definitely seems to be a rather polarizing game, particularly in regards to the combat. Still, it looks way too interesting for me to pass up.
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To be fair most of Matsuno's games are rather polarising.

Still going to get the game and will probably like it:) Already purchased the cash card already anyways.
 
C

Celine

Member
Nintendolife review:
http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/eshop/crimson_shroud_eshop

Conclusion

As an RPG that digs into the table-top history of the genre, Crimson Shroud is both a great deal of fun and an artistic triumph. While there are issues &#8212; mainly a steep learning curve and an almost frustratingly brief campaign &#8212; they're easy to overlook in the face of such charming presentation, fantastic music, and near-endless replayability. Crimson Shroud isn't a game that does a lot of things, but rather a game that does a small number of things extremely well. Crimson Shroud is absolutely a dungeon worth crawling.
Click to expand...
 
C

Celine

Member
duckroll said:
GOTY right there.
Click to expand...
.
Funnily enough, you can actually throw them hard enough that they fly up to the top screen and hit your characters on the head, at which point any rogue die is placed into your inventory for a later use at your own discretion.
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[...]now Crimson Shroud encourages multiple playthroughs by allowing you to restart the adventure with all of your gear intact, and even more powerful enemies to face.

It may seem like a small concession being made by what is essentially a short game, but the branching options and impressively layered storyline lend themselves very well to at least one more complete run through the game, and you'll find plenty of new weapons and spells to keep you experimenting in ways you wouldn't have been able to before.
Click to expand...
 
D

duckroll

Member
I've actually read that in New Game+ playthroughs, there are actually new story/dialogue branches available which aren't available in the first playthrough, kinda like BoF5 maybe. I'm not sure how substantial it is though.
 
V

Vossler

Member
Picking this (and my 3ds up for the first time in a while) tomorrow. Excited about the "vagrantstoryness" (if that can be considered and adjective) of it.
 
D

duckroll

Member
http://www.1up.com/reviews/love-hate-crimson-shroud-takes

Jeremy Parish reviewed it at 1up:

Frankly, the whole thing is a little brilliant. Crimson Shroud derives as much inspiration from Japanese graphic adventures like Chrono Trigger sequel Radical Dreamers as it does from Dungeons & Dragons, and the two concepts come together in a sometimes rough but always fascinating video game that plays like a D&D session.
Click to expand...

I love the idea behind Crimson Shroud, and I love its trappings. But -- perhaps in a first for a Matsuno-helmed project! -- it could really benefit from being a lengthier game. Five hours and four floors of a dungeon just doesn't give all the ideas on offer here sufficient room to breathe. Even so, any RPG fan should consider checking it out if only to enjoy the chance to see the genre's roots explored in such a fascinatingly literal form.
Click to expand...
 
Y

Yuterald

Member
Hey Bebpo, I got a question for you since you seem to be the resident importer/Japanese game player here. This is probably my most wanted game, at the moment. I'll be buying this game regardless of how disappointing/negative the impressions have been. Matsuno & Sakimoto collaborations don't come too often down our end of the road so I'll take what I can get.

With THAT said, how is the sound design in this game? One of my FAVORITE aspects of Vagrant Story was its sound effects. The enemy growls and monster death screams are my absolute favorite, in any game. My brother and I often talk about/bring up enemy death cries. The Dark Crusaders in Vagrant Story...doesn't get any better than that, it's like music to my ears, lol! So, are those little goblin dudes in Crimson Shroud making cool sounds when they perish? What about that classic Minotaur we've been seeing in shots (who looks straight jacked from VS)? Please, bring me good news! =D
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Quoting myself from the previous page. Anyone know what's up with the sound design? Do any reviews mention/cover my question/concern? I'm still buying this tomorrow/Friday regardless, but my curiosity is at its limit!

Some of the impressions sound pretty hot. The newgame+ shit is cool too. Even though we don't know the extent of the content, it sounds pretty packed for an $8 game. I'm SO ready for this!
 
P

PixyJunket

Member
The Siliconera review sort of sold me.

Even though the game seems more of a visual novel, the length is inoffensive enough to allow me to enjoy what gameplay parts there are and enjoy the tabletop inspired parts. Plus, who knows, maybe I'll end up getting into the story of a game for once? It's happened before, I think.
 
V

vareon

Member
Woot! Transformed into an |OT| !

Furthermore, the English version comes courtesy of Vagrant Story localizer Alexander Smith, who as usual comes within spitting distance of florid pretense without actually crossing the line; his elaborate writing lends the short tale a sense of weight that would otherwise be lacking.
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This information pleases me.
 
A

Alias Greed

Neo Member
Jeremy really pumped me up for this game. Now I can't wait !!!!!! What time on thursday does nintendo update the eshop ? So I can do my first eshop purchase.
 
P

PixyJunket

Member
Alias Greed said:
Jeremy really pumped me up for this game. Now I can't wait !!!!!! What time on thursday does nintendo update the eshop ? So I can do my first eshop purchase.
Click to expand...
I think it's 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM CST or thereabouts; I'm usually at work so.

RE: the new thread title, I think the Guild-01 games feel like they work better as eShop releases anyway, am I alone?

Now bring on Guild-02.
 
V

vareon

Member
PixyJunket said:
I think it's 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM CST or thereabouts; I'm usually at work so.

RE: the new thread title, I think the Guild-01 games feel like they work better as eShop releases anyway, am I alone?

Now bring on Guild-02.
Click to expand...

Level 5 did too, since they were re-releasing the separate games on Japanese eShop.
 
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