Topic: New North American (NPD) Sales Thread

[mantidor]

I missed this title too what was it? dont worry, I think Ill be able to handle it ^_^

[Mario]

It was something about someone having a giant something.

[BlackNMild2k1]

every post (1 or 2) that quoted the title has been edited, so now you'll never know.

[mantidor]

you all are "teh ebil"

a little question, how much has RE4 sold overall? Im curious

[Mario]

It's sold over 422,455 in the US so far, and that's not counting March sales which we'll get in the next few weeks. I think it's sold just over 220,000 in Japan and has now disappeared off the charts, which is terrible, Resident Evil (remake) and Resident Evil Zero both sold more than that.

It's out in Europe but there's no numbers from there, all I know is it shot to the top of the charts then sold out and moved down really far due to lack of supply, probably because they didn't expect a GameCube game to sell

So, decent numbers in the US, it's easily going to outsell RE and RE0 there, but disappointing in Japan, and unknown in Europe.

[mantidor]

do you think that the playstation announcement really did have an impact in Japan? I mean how could it sell so badly there?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

They prefer to have long load times and blurry Leons and don't like games with point-n-shoot mechanics.

[Mario]

Yeah, I really can't think of any other reason.

[Rancid Planet]

Maybe the new gameplay and replacement of Umbrella as the man vilian etc., in other words all the things that got American gamers so excited about RE4 actually repulsed the Japan market. Maybe?

[IceCold]

They're probably just tired of Resident Evil at the moment - if they wait a while until releasing the next one, it will sell better

[Nosferat2]

Did Tales of Symphonia sell well? I was under the impression that it was a great game and sold wonderfully on t he Gamecube. I ask you guys this because after months of overlooking the title i finally decided to give it a shot. I go to Gamestop and dude tells me that they dont make the game anymore and that i would have to buy it used. I always buy new to do my part in supporting Nintendo and to get more RPG's to the Cube so i walked out and went to TArget, Walmart and CompUSA. He was right, it would be very hard to find it at a store new. So im like WTF. The game came out not even a year ago and its already discontinued.  Did the game flop? Is it worth buying if i happen to find it. Im sure ill find it online.  Hopefully this isnt old news. If it is sorry but please update me.
Thanks

[Caterkiller]

Tales of Symphonia is a pretty good game. And pretty fun with other people to, if their willing to use the other characters. It sold very well in Japane and it was the first and I think only game that caused Gamecube sales to rise above the PS2's.

[Mario]

That's true, Tales of Symphonia was the second game (SSBM was the first) to help GameCube hardware outsell PS2 for a week, and nothing has since. However ToS ended up selling about 400k on GC, when the PS2 version came out in Japan in sold a bit more than that, around 450,000 I think. In the US ToS on GC has sold pretty well, considering Namco's expectations, it's around 300,000. The GC version of Tales of Symphonia will eventually sell a million worldwide (if it hasn't already, not sure about Europe numbers), which is very good.

[IceCold]

I think Tales has sold more than 300k in North America, and about 375kin Japan - not bad - but not sure about Europe numbers

EDIT: Mario beat me to it - wow we nearly said the exact same thing

[Nosferat2]

Damn fast responses, im starting to like these here forums.

Any idea why the games has been discontinued if it sold so well?

Is Namco acting like dumbasses agian...

Thanks For all your reponses.

[Mario]

Well, i'd say that's either cause of a clueless Gamestop employee, or he just assumed that because Namco aren't shipping very much. I've heard that the first shipment sold out really fast and Namco were surprised "what? people are buying it? what do we do!?", but I don't really know the situation because I don't live in the US. They should really ship more copies though.

[Nosferat2]

While on the subject, before i try to buy it can you guys shed light on the battle system?

The reason i stayed away from TOS is the Battle system. I hate real time RPG's. I like the classic turn based system of old. I have a sour taste in my mouth from Final Fantasy CC. That hack and slash stuff does not appeal to me. I hated FFCC because it was simply a button masher, incredibly boring (almost as boring as baldur's gate). That coupled with a thin story made FFCC a horrible game. Visually and musically it was absolutely superb though.

So the question is, Is TOS a button masher or is there some form of stategy involved, beyond hitting the button as fast as you can and moving around?

Ive read the reviews, but i dont think they do a good job of explaining the battle system.

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks  

[Mario]

Well.. it's kinda a button masher, when you're in an easy battle on the field, but to progress in the game you really need to know what you're doing during fights, there is lots of strategy involved considering you have to direct 4 people at once. I'd say it's very much like a classic RPG with similar strategy and everything intact, but just rather than hit A to perform an attack you run up to them and attack them with timing etc. I think you'll like it.

[KDR_11k]

It's pretty much like a simplified 2d fighter but with a lot more chaos going on . Specials are executed in the same way SSBM uses and developing combos is crucial. Proper defense and offense timing will greatly decrease the damage you take. I think a just-defense will completely negate the damage you would take.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

EDIT: WHOA, why thank you for that "abridged version," KDR.  

Melee fighting in TOS is based on a combo system.  The characters, by default, have a 2-3hit "A-A-A" button-mash combo.  That's the BARE-MINIMUM method of offense the game provides.  But, since it approaches the mechanics of a fighting game, those first 2-3hits simply mark the beginning of your combo chain, where you can immediately follow the initial combo with special attacks/techniques.  These "techs" are mapped to the controller (customizable) similarly to Super Smash Bros. Melee, where a technique is associated with a direction+button press.  If you're familiar with Roy/Marth's multi-hit "Sword Dance" combo in SSBM, then you have some idea how these commands link to each other when performing the combo (the timing in TOS more forgiving, btw).

Now, you could go on and live thru the game tapping "A-A-A" all the time, but that doesn't mean the game is boring, that makes YOU boring.  The game encourages the use of combos, since that's the key to doing the greatest amount of damage.  Some characters can achieve 10-20hit combos on their own, while magick users' spells may also inflict multiple hits.  Plus, they can all focus on the same enemy to chain their attacks and contribute to the overall hit count (which the game keeps track of).  And yes, there's a blocking function.  If you're swingin' away, and the enemy is blocking your attacks, you're leaving yourself open when your character recovers at the end of the combo; and vice versa.

Things to be aware of, you're not on a free-roaming plane.  Your character (and all characters) maintains a 2D "fighting game" plane with a target enemy, which reinforces why it controls similar to Smash Bros. (2D button commands).  You may change your lock-on to a different enemy at any time, easily.  Traversing the field is not perfect, but i'd still give Namco a pat on the back.  Being a Tales game, and real-time, special techniques are brief and to-the-point in comparison to turn-based RPGs that like to present attacks almost as if they were mini-mini-cutscenes.  So, the action may stay fast & hectic, and LOTS of flashy things maybe going on in the battle field at the same time.  

[Ian Sane]

"Any idea why the games has been discontinued if it sold so well?"

I imagine it's for shelf space.  Stores only have so much space to use so they want to make sure what on the shelf is what's selling ie: new games, big hits & player's choice titles.  Tales of Symphonia isn't new any more and isn't the type of game that will have consistent sales.  So stores don't really want to get more copies of it.  Since the stores don't want it there's no point for Namco to waste resources making more copies.  You see this all the time with the GBA where aside from first party titles games will be gone after mere months on the shelf.  At Christmas I can't find third party GBA games released before September.

This is just what I think is the reason.  I don't really have any facts to back it up.

[Nosferat2]

Well i went to Fry's in Sacramento, about 40 minutes away, and they had four (ToS) so i snatched one up. Hopefully i wont be disappointed, ima kinda worried considering the characters seem to kids. It seems to be remenescent of Skies of Arcadia, which is a very good game, but the lil girl with the pony tails and boomerang kinda rubs me the wrong way. Im almost 29 and my patience for games geared to the younger demographic is wearing thin. Im enjoying Skies nontheless.

Something that suprised me at Fry's was that i saw 2 new copies of Resident EVil 2 for the gamecube! I scoured the internet and almost every store within 40 minutes drive and could never find a new copy. So i got one off eBay. Now they must have just got those copies themselves cause i have been going to Fry;s forever and i have never seen Resident Evil 2 there.
I was under the impression that it was discontinued. Did Capcom reissue Resident Evil 2 again recently or did Frys have them hiding in a warehouse somewhere and finally put them on the shelves?
It was only 29 bucks so i snatched a copy of that too. In case i ever scratch my copy or lose it. There is one left so if your in Sacramento California go snatch it up(if in fact it is still discontinued).

[BlackNMild2k1]

More #'s from Japan - Media-Create
TOP 10 Weekly Software Sales (March 28 - April 3, 2005)

1 PS2 - Tekken 5 / Namco / 2005.03.31 / 174,064
2 PS2 - World Soccer Winning Eleven 8: Liveware Evolution / Konami / 2005.03.24 / 66,953
3 DS - Kirby Canvas Curse DS / Nintendo 2005.03.24 / 32,766
4 PS2 - Wild Arms: The 4th Detonator (incl. Limited Edition) / SCE / 2005.03.24 / 26,998
5 PS2 - Shining Force Neo / Sega / 2005.03.24 / 18,352
6 PS2 - Memories Off After Rain Vol.3 Sotsugyou (incl. Limited Edition) / Kid / 2005.03.31 / 17,845
7 PS2 - Dynasty Warriors 5 (incl. Limited Edition and Version with PS2) / Koei / 2005.02.24 / 16,853
8 GBA - Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team of Colonel / Capcom / 2005.02.24 / 12,028
9 DS - Egg Monster Hero / Square Enix / 2005.03.24 / 11,647
10 PSP - BLEACH: Beat the Soul / SCE / 2005.03.24 / 10,457

----------------

PS2 - 44,117
DS - 43,023
PSP - 33,911
GBASP - 17,710
GC - 3,754
GBA - 1,074
Xbox - 335


And it appears that that the DS has pulled ahead of the PSP for yet another week in a row, unfortunately just falling just short of 1st place, which would goto PS2 with a lead of about 1,100.
PS2 (12:1) GC (11:1) xbox as it stands now

Tune in next week for yet another update on 'How Japan Sells!!!'  

[KDR_11k]

but the lil girl with the pony tails and boomerang kinda rubs me the wrong way.

Collette is the only one with "boomerangs" (actually chakrams) but doesn't have ponytails so I presume you mean Presea in which case I need to inform you that that "boomerang" is a big f###ing axe. Half the characters are kids but the rest are adults. Lloyd is kinda dumb but doesn't have that annoying tendency to commit completely stupid acts like Final Fantasy heroes do so I prefer him. He's no Ryudo but not much of an issue, either. The story involves loads of violence and death (as par for somewhat darker anime) but not really graphic violence. It's more behind the scenes.

[PaLaDiN]

He was talking about Skies of Arcadia with the boomerang ponytail girl... Aika, wasn't it?