Should game developers be held up to the standards of their predecessors?

Do you like playing a game in which a character you’ve worked so hard to build can die and never come back?

Do people in the U.S. care about train games?

All these questions and more are discussed in this week’s “What We’re NOT Playing.” Here’s a taste of what’s to come:

JasonCipriano: so you guys are holding a newly released game to standards for a console two generations removed?
GeraldFlannory: nah, it’s just that it’s from the same devs
GeraldFlannory: so one would expect the same quality
JasonCipriano: but that was what? like 9 years ago?
GeraldFlannory: still
StephenTotilo: whatever. it’s clearly a successor.
JasonCipriano: I don’t think it is fair to hold new games to standards of a developer that could only be the same in name - and not necessarily talent
GeraldFlannory: but like in the cg business, the studio as a whole will get the blame and not the talent
GeraldFlannory: Pixar has new animators all the time yet their quality always remain a high point in animation

What game and studio are they talking about? Read on to find out…
[Photo Credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images]

StephenTotilo: So guys, another week of Not Playing. A week in which, well, there wasn’t much not to play. Uh, “Nitrobike Wii“? “CSI Wii“?
JasonCipriano: “Nitrobike” came out?
StephenTotilo: Believe it or not. I passed on them
StephenTotilo: Gamestop says so. My mailbox doesn’t
GeraldFlannory: I wanted to try “Nitrobike” as I was a fan of the original “Excitebike 64”
JasonCipriano: “Excitebike 64″ came out?
GeraldFlannory: yup
StephenTotilo: “EB64″ was excellent. I fondly recall the endless desert mode and the uphill mode (was that endless too?)
GeraldFlannory: back in the day from the same devs
JasonCipriano: man, I missed a whole generation of games not owning a 64
JasonCipriano: so what’s wrong with “Nitrobike” then?
StephenTotilo: yeah, and the new Wii game, last time I saw it, was looking pretty unattractive
GeraldFlannory: yeah
JasonCipriano: so it’s not pretty enough for you?
StephenTotilo: I know graphics aren’t supposed to be the hook with Wii, but you see a game like “Nitrobike” in action and it’s hard to get excited
GeraldFlannory: “Excite Bike 64″ was pretty impressive-looking for n64 back then
GeraldFlannory: so it’s kinda disappointing to hear that
StephenTotilo: It used the ram pack if you wanted to enhance the graphics or ran in letterbox or something, right?

JasonCipriano: so you guys are holding a newly released game to standards for a console two generations removed?
JasonCipriano: and I’m sure both Ubisoft and Nintendo would have some issues with you making comparisons like this - making it seem like it is a “sequel”
GeraldFlannory: nah, it’s just that it’s from the same devs
GeraldFlannory: so one would expect the same quality
JasonCipriano: but that was what? like 9 years ago?
GeraldFlannory: still
StephenTotilo: whatever. it’s clearly a successor.
GeraldFlannory: yup
JasonCipriano: staffing changes
JasonCipriano: I don’t think it is fair to hold new games to standards of a developer that could only be the same in name - and not necessarily talent
JasonCipriano: now - I’m not defending “Nitrobike” - I just think you might want to look at it from a different angle
GeraldFlannory: I feel ya
GeraldFlannory: but like in the cg business, the studio as a whole will get the blame and not the talent
GeraldFlannory: Pixar has new animators all the time yet their quality always remain a high point in animation
GeraldFlannory: so what else came out?
GeraldFlannory: seems like it’s been a slow start to the year
StephenTotilo: There was another new game out this week that I would love to try.
StephenTotilo: “Rail Simulator” from EA. not because it’s my life dream to run model train simulators, but train-driving games are big in Japan and I’d love experiencing every popular genre at least once — just to see what the big deal is
StephenTotilo: But for now, I haven’t played it
GeraldFlannory: I always wanted to try that train simulator series from Japan
StephenTotilo: yeah. I like to go spelunking into new genres
GeraldFlannory: they had one for Wii that came with a control panel train switch
JasonCipriano: I’m fairly certain that’s one genre that wont really break through to the US
GeraldFlannory: of course
StephenTotilo: because of the lack of trains in the US???
GeraldFlannory: because things don’t blow up and stuff LOL!
JasonCipriano: yeah
JasonCipriano: no guns
StephenTotilo: but we do have trains and people who like trains. no reason it can’t find an audience
StephenTotilo: I just don’t think that audience shows at EB

JasonCipriano: I mean — and I could be wrong about this — trains are a more widespread form of transportation in Japan
GeraldFlannory: the train industry was pretty much pioneered here in the States!
JasonCipriano: but it hasn’t evolved much
GeraldFlannory: I think it can find an audience
GeraldFlannory: but it will be a small one
JasonCipriano: we don’t have those fancy trains like they have in europe or asia
StephenTotilo: There was a great Commodore 64 game called “The Train” by Accolade. I loved that game when I was a kid. You could go to the main car and put coal in the engine
StephenTotilo: or you could go to the guns on the roof of one of the cars and shoot down planes
StephenTotilo: I think it was set in WW2
GeraldFlannory: interesting
StephenTotilo: There were also good trains in “Blast Corps”
GeraldFlannory: I used to collect HO scale model trains when I was young
GeraldFlannory: so I would be interested in a train simulator
StephenTotilo: See, we all have trains in our past, an itch waiting to be scratched
JasonCipriano: wasn’t there a Lionel Trains DS game?
StephenTotilo: Not sure. What else are you guys not playing this week? Anything surprising that maybe you’re neglecting from your holiday stack?
GeraldFlannory: well I’ve been going through “Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn”
GeraldFlannory: and that’s taking a lot of my time from other stuff
JasonCipriano: I’m still neglecting holiday games, but my pick of the week comes from the VC - I’m saying no to “Pac-Attack”
StephenTotilo: “Pac-Man CE” was enough Pac-Man for this decade?
GeraldFlannory: yeah
JasonCipriano: no - its a “Tetris“-type clone - and I really hate seeing my favorite characters whored out for bad games
GeraldFlannory: can’t really do much anymore and please the hardcore fans at the same time
JasonCipriano: no its cool - put him in “Mario Kart“… take him golfing … do whatever you want … just make sure the game is good
JasonCipriano: and really, how many hardcore Pac-Man fans are there still out there
StephenTotilo: Gerald, I just started “Fire Emblem” over the weekend. Imported my finished save from “Path of Radiance.”
StephenTotilo: I had been neglecting the game for months while I played other stuff. The only game left below that in my stack of must-play holiday games is “Super Mario Galaxy” which I only gave several hours to
GeraldFlannory: gotcha
GeraldFlannory: well I don’t know but it seems they upped the CPU in “FE”
GeraldFlannory: so you might be on it for a bit!
JasonCipriano: can someone please explain the draw of the “Fire Emblem” games to me
JasonCipriano: aside from a better understanding of Ike, Marth and Roy in “Smash Bros.“?
GeraldFlannory: It has a great story
GeraldFlannory: and tight simplified strategy elements to its gameplay
StephenTotilo: Gerald, I got smoked three times in the intro level alone!
GeraldFlannory: you ain’t seen nothing yet!
GeraldFlannory: they put in mid battle saves for a reason!
StephenTotilo: Cip, do you like “Advance Wars“?
JasonCipriano: until i hit the wall … ya
StephenTotilo: well “FE” is like that
StephenTotilo: except that each unit is a unique character who you can level up
JasonCipriano: hmm … that sounds kinda interesting
StephenTotilo: and, until this new Wii one, if they die in battle they stay dead. you can only bring them back by re-starting a chapter. so you get really attached to them
JasonCipriano: but one of the reasons I like “AW” so much is because it’s portable

StephenTotilo: the death of your characters in an “FE” game is more traumatizing than it is in any other game I’ve ever played
GeraldFlannory: Oh yeah
GeraldFlannory: I’m just amazed at Koei and its “Samurai Warriors” games
StephenTotilo: because you know you’re to blame and often have to decide to let it go (or else you’d be restarting an hour-long mission). nothing like knowing your bad chess move got your mage killed
StephenTotilo: the mage you were so carefully improving mission after mission
StephenTotilo: Gerald, wrap us up by telling us what you’ve been not playing in order to make time for “FE”
JasonCipriano: and I think you just turned me off those games
GeraldFlannory: ha
GeraldFlannory: well I won’t be playing “CSI” for wii
GeraldFlannory: I enjoy the series but I’m not that much of a fan were I have to play the game
JasonCipriano: but I thought you said it looked good
GeraldFlannory: I take that back
JasonCipriano: ha
GeraldFlannory: maybe if it had the polish like the show itself I’d give it a chance
GeraldFlannory: but this looks to go down as another cheap video game tie-in
StephenTotilo: but G, you’re not avoiding any of the major games of last year to focus on “Fire Emblem”?
GeraldFlannory: “Mario,” “BioShock”
GeraldFlannory: I got those in queue right now
JasonCipriano: maybe if it was “CSI: Miami” and had more David Caruso?
GeraldFlannory: truth is, I just got hooked on the “FE” story and characters
GeraldFlannory: so it’s eating my time
JasonCipriano: marth is pretty badass in “Smash Bros. Melee”
GeraldFlannory: next week has some games I might take the time to check out a bit
GeraldFlannory: so I may have a tough time talking about what I’m not playing, cause I’ll be playing them all!
GeraldFlannory: MUAHAHAHAHAH!
StephenTotilo: Well, that it, guys?
JasonCipriano: I think so … ya
StephenTotilo: Nice. and with that, the mail guy just stopped by with 3 more copies of “Harvey Birdman“!
StephenTotilo: later…
JasonCipriano: BIRDMAN!
GeraldFlannory: hit a brotha off with one!
StephenTotilo: sure, I’ll send N’Gai an e-mail right now
JasonCipriano: HAHAHA
JasonCipriano: best response ever
GeraldFlannory: we cool, so it’s all good baby!
JasonCipriano: ha