Topic: Mistwalker's "The Last Story" out in NA via XSEED!

[Kytim89]

The reason why I see this game coming to the west is because of its production values. There is no way that Nintendo is going to funnel money into this project and stretch it over their worldwide audience. I have to be honest, I have not been this enthused for a JRPG since Final Fantasy 12. I see good things happening with this game.
 
As for why is Nintendo involved with this game, it seems that along with their own title, Xenoblade, Nintendo is attempting to revive the Japanese RPG market. Also, RPGs are not that prolific on their system, so Nintendo might be trying to fix the issue. This is why the Wii 2 should start out with an abundance of RPGs available for launch.
 
Why would Sagaguchi be involved with Nintendo?

[Kytim89]

Well yeah, but obviously that means that Sakaguchi approached Nintendo about the project. I'm just wondering why Nintendo.

Maybe he had a bad experience working with Microsoft on Blue Dragon/Lost Odyssey and Kaz Hirai ran over his dog?

I figure that Nintendo might be easier to deal with than Microsoft. Although Nintendo might be offering a very good cash incentive for his involvment in the project. Most likely the production costs for the Wii are a lot lower than that of the 360 and coupled with a cash incentive this all makes sense.
 
Sagaguchi might be returning to his Final Fantasy roots by teaming up with the very same game company where Square started the franchise. Not too ago I read that Sagaguchi said that Final Fantasy was his ideal version of a RPG, and artisticly this game seems to be similar to Final Fantasy 9. He also left Square Enix after Final Fantasy 10, so I am wondering if he might have had creative differences with his superiors and decided to make his own company based on his ideal RPG, which would later become Last Story.

[TJ Spyke]

I think it's interesting that this will be the first game he's directed since Final Fantasy V, hopefully it does get localized since I would like to play it.

[Kytim89]

I see the Last Story as Sagaguchi's attempt to reinterprit the Final Fantasy series in the image that he want the series to tramsform into.

[broodwars]

Sagaguchi might be returning to his Final Fantasy roots by teaming up with the very same game company where Square started the franchise. Not too ago I read that Sagaguchi said that Final Fantasy was his ideal version of a RPG, and artisticly this game seems to be similar to Final Fantasy 9. He also left Square Enix after Final Fantasy 10, so I am wondering if he might have had creative differences with his superiors and decided to make his own company based on his ideal RPG, which would later become Last Story Lost Odyssey.

Fixed that for you.

[Kytim89]

Sagaguchi might be returning to his Final Fantasy roots by teaming up with the very same game company where Square started the franchise. Not too ago I read that Sagaguchi said that Final Fantasy was his ideal version of a RPG, and artisticly this game seems to be similar to Final Fantasy 9. He also left Square Enix after Final Fantasy 10, so I am wondering if he might have had creative differences with his superiors and decided to make his own company based on his ideal RPG, which would later become Last Story Lost Odyssey.

Fixed that for you.

Any chance of a Losy Odyssey port to the Wii?

[Dirk Temporo]

Sagaguchi might be returning to his Final Fantasy roots by teaming up with the very same game company where Square started the franchise. Not too ago I read that Sagaguchi said that Final Fantasy was his ideal version of a RPG, and artisticly this game seems to be similar to Final Fantasy 9. He also left Square Enix after Final Fantasy 10, so I am wondering if he might have had creative differences with his superiors and decided to make his own company based on his ideal RPG, which would later become Last Story Lost Odyssey.

Fixed that for you.

Then how come he's so down on the very gameplay features that Lost Odyssey employs? This game is totally different, and everything I've read about him in regards to producing this says that this is his dream RPG.

[TJ Spyke]

Unlikely Kytim, the graphics would have to receive a major downgrade since it had great graphics. I am not sure they would be able to make it work on a Wii.

[Kytim89]

Unlikely Kytim, the graphics would have to receive a major downgrade since it had great graphics. I am not sure they would be able to make it work on a Wii.

There is always a Wii 2 port.

[Stratos]

Unlikely Kytim, the graphics would have to receive a major downgrade since it had great graphics. I am not sure they would be able to make it work on a Wii.

It could be done. Sure, it might turnout like Dead Rising Wii, but it could be done.

[TJ Spyke]

I just checked and found out a reason why there is 0% chance of it appearing anyways: Microsoft owns the trademark, so I guess they probably own the copyright too. I guess all Mistwalker did was help develop the game (along with Artoon), but Microsoft owns the rights to it.

[Kytim89]

If the Last Story is good enough then Microsoft can keep Lost Odyssey. I have a feeling that theLast Story is going to be another smash hit RPG for the ages.

[Luigi Dude]

If the Last Story is good enough then Microsoft can keep Lost Odyssey. I have a feeling that theLast Story is going to be another smash hit RPG for the ages.

Well in Japan, Nintendo is currently advertising The Last Story a lot more then Microsoft advertised Lost Odyssey or Blue Dragon over there.  Since Blue Dragon managed to do somewhere over 200k, I'd imagine The Last Story should be able to do a lot better then that at least.

[Kytim89]

I just hope that Last Story becomes a series stretched over the Wii, 3DS and eventually the Wii 2. I have high hope for it and look forward to playing it if and when it comes out in America.

[Mop it up]

I'm a little disappointing that they didn't announce a North American release date, I was hoping they would. I'm not going to check out the information and videos released unless the game gets dated because I don't want to look forward to a game that probably won't be released here.

[Ymeegod]

Ditto; love my JRPG's but I'm still waiting for Tales of Graces & Xenoblade. ToG looks like it's never going be released Stateside and Nintendo hasn't commented on Xenoblade--it's been what 6 months since it was released in Japan. 

[cricarra]

Any chance of a Losy Odyssey port to the Wii?

Microsoft published it so no. Same reason you wont see The Last Story anywhere else.

[Kytim89]

We will probably get some kind of announcement from Nintendo about Last Story and Xenoblade being released in America either at the 3DS annoncement, or some time after the release of 3DS, which would mean E3 2011.

[Mannypon]

Ditto; love my JRPG's but I'm still waiting for Tales of Graces & Xenoblade. ToG looks like it's never going be released Stateside and Nintendo hasn't commented on Xenoblade--it's been what 6 months since it was released in Japan. 

Well I just saw a release schedule the other day on Gonintendo from Gameinformer that had Tales of Graces as a 1Q release for the Wii.  I don't know if this was an error on their part but I'll try to find some more info on it.

[Kytim89]

Apparently Sakaguchi has learned from his mistake with Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey and plans to make Last Story with less Final Fantasy elements, which his previous Mistwalker titles borrowed from, particularly the battle system. He wants to make Last Story to evolve the RPG battle system.

http://www.1up.com/news/hironobu-sakaguchi-reflects-story
 
Well, this shoots my theory that Final Fantasy 9 is somehow related in terms of artstyle and Sakaguchi's idea of RPG evolution to that of Final Fantasy 9 is shot in the foot...or is it?

http://www.gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=143167

[Adrock]

I wish he borrowed some damn color from Final Fantasy IX. The land, architecture, and characters were bright and vibrant in IX. With the heavy browns and grays, The Last Story's world looks like it was built in Super Smash Bros. Brawl's level editor.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

But that's what Serious Gamers want.

[Crimm]

But that's what Serious Gamers want.

I want bump mapping on my particle lighting.

[Kytim89]

When I first saw artwork for Last Story I just had this idea that it was some how related to Final Fantasy 9 in some way besides story. I am still looking for the quote where Sakaguchi says that Final Fantasy 9 is his idea of what a RPG is all about. I would wager that Last Story will be the evolution of what he wanted to do that ideal formula.
 
Are there any similarities between the two games based on what we have seen and heared of Last Story?

[broodwars]

Well, we've received our first word from Nintendo (via "a representative") about bringing Last Story to NA: yep, they currently have "no plans" to bring the game over.  While Nintendo could certainly surprise us (especially at E3), I have a bad feeling that this is a sign that Nintendo's going to leave yet another promising Wii game in Japan.  It's the year of 3DS, so who needs good Wii games (apparently)?