The new year is year and we’re still alive. While we’re at it, it’s time to look back at the games we view as our Games of the Year. On top of that, we also talk about our disappointing games of the year.
As you know it, time table of contents after the break.
Looks like Jet Set Radio ain’t dead after all! SEGA has announced a new collection of games under the SEGA Heritage moniker. Think SEGA Vintage, but for more recent games. The first wave of this collection will include Jet Set Radio HD and will be available to on September 18th and 19th on PS3 and Xbox 360 respectively. PS Plus subscribers will get JSR one week early. Sega Saturn classic NiGHTS Into Dreams then makes loops and link in October. No specific date for that yet, but at least we know it’ll be within that month. Same goes for Sonic Adventure 2, the game some considered to be the last great 3D Sonic game before its decline (and somewhat revival with Sonic Generations). All three games will cost you $9.99 each. No word if they’re will be some sort of bundle price once SA2 is released, but there ya go.
SEGA Heritage Collection Trailer [Youtube]
Remember that announcement of an HD port of Jet Set Radio posted some time ago. I’m not saying it’s dead, but after reading this you might be a bit concerned. Citing financial difficulties in the last fiscal year (which ended last Saturday), Sega has layoff many workers from both its U.S. and European branches and downsizing the company to maintain “sustainable profitability.” In light of this, Sega also mentioned that for these markets, they’ll now focus more on games that are sure-fire his for them including Sonic, Total War, Aliens, and Football Manager. This puts other projects in danger of cancellation or being left to fend for themselves, which include Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown, Anarchy Reigns, Yakuza 5, and the aforementioned Jet Set Radio HD port. While Sega did mention that they have cancelled games, all of them so far are unspecified (i.e. never shown to the public). But still, this puts much concern on which projects Sega will give us now as they too are yet another victim of believing Westerners like their guns and football (save for Sonic). And the sad thing about all this: What they believe is right.
The first quarter has ended. And so far it’s a sad year to be a gamer. Maybe those crazy Mayans were right.
Sega confirms layoffs and game cancellations [The Spectrum]
You have no idea how much I’ve been wanting to play Jet Set Radio. I’ve had very little experience with the game. And by very little I mean only 30 minutes out of my entire life when I played it at my aunt’s house years ago with Jet Set Radio Future. Since then, I’ve had trouble getting my hands on any entry in the series, what with my not owning a Dreamcast and not really owning the Xbox 360 in the house. I’ve listened to the music of the series though, and it’s an outstanding mix of funk, hip-hop, and house. In the trailer above, you can see that the game’s cel-shaded look is as crisp as ever and will be playable in widescreen mode. So far no word on any additional features, like multiplayer (which was missing in the original). Jet Set Radio is scheduled for release this Summer on 360, PS3, and PC.
The Wired Fish Network 