[Intrepid Homoludens]

feisar, understand this. I am not flaming you for posing such a question. I am, however, blatantly questioning your research methods, and the fact that you refuse to wait until the dust settles to see how well the game is doing several weeks to a few months after its initial release date. What is your problem? If you really are trying to raise a discussion, you're doing a terrible job at it.

Originally Posted by feisar

I deal with the UK charts because thats where Im from and the data is easier for me to get. BS has a big following and sold very well in the UK, unlike most other adventure series, yet the new version hasnt done quite so well. Thats not to say its not done the business elsewhere, the charts I post every week have "UK" written at the top, im sorry if people found that misleading.

See? Even you yourself admit your data is limited and thus possibly misleading. Come on, honey! Dig a little deeper and give us broader reliable information. I'm beginning to wonder if you're bigoted against other countries' statistics and only want to shove your own up front and center.

[Jackal]

Actually, feisar, I found your main question interesting as a purely hypothetical matter. Just leave the stats out of it, because (as others have said) it's WAY too early, and that UK chart is far too limited.

Even a month may not be enough to start looking at data. Unlike other genres, where games have a short shelf life before being ousted by the next latest and greatest thing, adventures tend to have more staying power. (Depending on your view, they're either "timeless" or "already hopelessly outdated". )

Yes, BS3 is about as close to a cutting-edge adventure as anyone can remember (along with Uru), but that's not going to light a fire under many adventure gamers. They'll get it when they get it, or they'll simply wait and see what other people think. Many won't even have the hardware to run it [insert remixor's sigh of relief here]. I've also heard some people be shocked by the "higher" price tag. Bargain bin twiddleware, this game is not, but people aren't used to that.

As far as marketing is concerned, TAC has done its usual lame job pitching the game here. Dunno about Europe, but there certainly seems to be a lot of confusion about release dates and availability pretty much EVERYWHERE. So it's gonna be an uphill battle to get this game sold. Sheesh.

Oh, and feisar... your topic heading is pretty much the same as walking around with a "Kick Me" sign on your back.

[syntheticgerbil]

If anything, there's no promotion or anything that I can see in stores for this game. Supposively it was released for Xbox in the US November 18th and I could not find it a few days ago. (But then I only checked a few Gamestops... hah, maybe it was sold out?)

I don't know what the US Cover looks like...

[Intrepid Homoludens]

It looks like this (this pic's from GoGamers.com).

[Jackal]

That's the cover I was expecting (much nicer), but mine came with the unrecognizable closeups. I'm in Canada, but it's the same box as shown at EB:



Is that other cover US-only then?

[Igor]

Yeah, i got that with close-up too. Though, i have no idea why they decided to go with it, as it doesn't reflect the mood of the game at all...

[eriq]

I am not a big fan of this box at all. I think something a little more "Indiana Jones" feeling might have worked better. Or at least something with a bit more color and panache. It's too dark and it gets lost amongst the hundred other new releases this Christmas. I had to really look hard for it.

[Henke]

I got the second box too (with the close up). Although I think it's pretty cool.

[Wormsie]

Originally Posted by remixor

Agree with who? I can't find anyone else in this thread who you could be agreeing with. Feisar just posed the question, and everybody else seems to think it wouldn't have done as well in 3D.

Did you notice the "!11"?

"The irony is that the model at the moment actually means that it is very difficult for a developer to make very much money, which is why so many are going bankrupt. But so long as you sell enough so that it is worth producing more games, then that’s all we really care about." - Charles Cecil

[jpwoof]

Originally Posted by feisar

Do you think its done well enough?.. it might not manage outsell the three year old Crash Bandecoot sequel for one week or chart lower than Viewtiful Joe on the Gamecube (niche market 2D game).. but who cares if the game is good?

back then, software piracy is not common. these days, downloading games online is becoming more like a testing phase whether they would want to buy it or not. PC demos are not usually the basis for how good the game would.

[Prefect47]

Originally Posted by Ninth

Yeah, especially since it was very professionally translated in German, French and Italian, with the lip-synch. and everything.

Good to hear, because if there is any lipsyncing in the English version, I sure can't see it...

[Curt]

Feisar - you're welcome to your opinion, hopefully without the risk of getting insulted or ridiculed, and I'm sure that should your statistics change and your point alter you'll be sure to let us know. Maybe what I post below will redirect some of the slating off you. I believe your initial question of whether it would have sold more if it were 2D (I'm assuming you mean p&c) is a perfectly valid hypothetical one. But I doubt you'll ever know because it isn't and it's just something you and the rest of us will have to accept. It may be a step in the right direction though even if its sales don't prove so, so don't read too much into the figures. After Christmas (when everyone has bought the game for little Jonny) it may tell a different story. If Revolution hurry they could market the game as a shoot-em-up and it'll sell bucket loads for Christmas.

I've watched some of the game when Megs plays and I've got to be honest, I don't really care much for the 3D. I really think the environmental detail is far superior when adventures are made in 2D - detail is important where adventure games are concerned in my opinion.

I also wasn't keen on the controls of Grim Fandango and this looks similar. I hate manouvering a character around the screen like that. I either want to tell them where to go and they go there or the game throws me into first-person perspective a-la Tex Murphy.

I will play the demo first before I really decide if I'll buy the game and I would like to stress that the opinions above refers only to my personal choice so don't go slating me as anti-progress or anything like that because I'm not. I just have a preference for what I see as a less tiresome way of playing a game the genre. The BS3 approach seems to be moving what tends to be a slow-paced thoughtful type of game into a more action-based game aimed at a particular audience (console owners).

I'm all for supporting the genre and it's great when a new adventure comes out but lets not be sycophants, if we don't particularly like or agree with something about a game let's not be afraid of pointing out what it is without fear of retribution. Revolution are extremely brave in my opinion for changing the playing style so much at the risk of upsetting their loyal fans, but if people don't say what they don't particularly like then don't get all upset when you buy BS4 and it's full of all the little details you didn't like in BS3.

As for the cover art - I much prefer the one that Intrepid has posted. The German release has the close up too and let's be fair, it's not very atmospheric in comparison.

Btw, any news on a demo yet?

[Dale Baldwin]

Originally Posted by Curt

Btw, any news on a demo yet?

There's a demo on the cover of pcgamer (UK) this month. Gives access to the very first section with George. No idea whether it's online anywhere though.

[Curt]

Originally Posted by Dale Baldwin

There's a demo on the cover of pcgamer (UK) this month. Gives access to the very first section with George. No idea whether it's online anywhere though.

OK, thanks Dale.

[syntheticgerbil]

If you make the box look like Max Payne's and put action screenshots all over it. The game will sell.

That's because kids that play video games are creepy. Hello kids.