Last week, word slipped out that SEGA’s Chief Operating Officer Naoya Tsurumi was open to allowing Atlus to develop games based on the company’s “dormant IPs.” While it’s hard to define just what SEGA considers dormant, we have a pretty good idea of the games we’d like to see Atlus develop.
This list isn’t just games that we want to see sequels, reboots or remakes to but games that we think, given Atlus’ skillsets, would work well for them.
5) Streets of Rage 4
Other than Golden Axe, we can’t think of many SEGA titles that would-be developers put their own spin on in an attempt to prove their worth than Streets of Rage. While a few of them have looked like they could be badass, the actual fighting in the games didn’t look like they’d be all that fun for very long.
Enter Vanillaware, the developer of the recently released Dragon’s Crown, which was published by Atlus, on PlayStation 3 and Vita. We think Vanillaware could make Streets of Rage 4 look super awesome AND give it that badass gameplay the series deserves.
4) Space Channel 5: Part 3
In some people’s eyes, Hatsune Miku has dethroned Ulala as SEGA’s queen of pop music, but die heard SEGA Nerds still hold her in our hearts. With Miku’s success however, we think it opens the doors for Ulala to make her triumphant return, and Atlus, or more specfically Dingo, could just be developer to do it. Currently, Dingo is hard at work on the recently announced Persona 4: Dancing All Night after working on the Project DIVA F series.
It’d only make sense if Dingo began development on the next installment of Space Channel 5 after Dancing All Night. This would give SEGA three music/rhythm games in its arsenal and could make for some really awesome cross-overs in the future. Who wouldn’t love to see a duet with Ulala and Miku?!
3) Sonic Chronicles 2
OK, you might think this is a bit of a reach, but hear me out. We don’t think Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood got a fair shake from BioWare as the developer was bought out by Electronic Arts midway through the game’s development cycle, and unfortunately, Sonic Chronicles suffered. We think the game has potential to become a solid RPG series for SEGA if given a second chance, and who better to tackle that than Atlus, the developer of the amazing Persona series?
I’d love to see what Atlus could do with the Sonic universe from a visual standpoint, possibly giving the characters a more anime look. Bring the game back to Nintendo’s insanely popular handhelds, and it’s hard to imagine that it wouldn’t be a hit in Japan and in the West.
2) Sonic the Fighters 2
When I thought of this one, the first thought that came to my head was “Why not?” Given the fact that SEGA’s IP portfolio has greatly expanded since 1996, I definitely think it’s worth a discussion at the very least. Atlus would obviously have the full range of Sonic characters at its disposal but could also add its own to the mix.
Actually, I’d like to see the next game be more wide open to SEGA’s universe, along the lines what Sumo Digital has done with Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed. Hello, Sumo’s scrapped storyline for Racing Transformed, that each character is fighting to give him or her the chance to star in their own game, could make a decent enough reason to make them all kick each other’s ass.
Let Atlus work with Arc System Works, which developed Persona 4 Arena, and SEGA could have a great fighter on its hands.
1) Shining Force 4
I’ve longed wished that SEGA would give us a true Shining Force sequel, not those average Shining Force EXA or Neo games on the PlayStation 2 or some weird handheld game. I’m talking old-school, turn-based strategy gaming at its very best, baby. Looking back, Camelot Software hasn’t worked on a Shining game since Shining III and has since gone worked on the Golden Sun series and Mario Golf and Tennis.
With Camelot seemingly in Nintendo’s pocket, it opens the door for SEGA to give the franchise’s return to a new developer. While I don’t think Atlus has developed any recent SRPGs, it has published several great ones from other Japanese studios, like Yggdra Union, Gungnir and Riviera. So the familiarity, at least at some level is there, and the blueprint for a good SRPG is fairly simple and straightforward.
Visually, I certainly wouldn’t want Atlus to give the characters and “anime” makeover to look like its Persona series, but I would be open to new character art and sprites. With a dearth of RPGs on the PlayStation Vita, it could make for a great handheld and PlayStation Network release. How about some Cross-Buy and Cross-Save action here?
I think the inclusion of Streets of Rage and Space Channel 5 is blasphemous.
Ancient/Overworks (aka Yuzo & Ayano Koshiro and Noriyoshi Oba) have been trying to make SOR4 for decades. Shoving it to Atlas is offensive.
Space Channel 5: If it must be outsourced it should go to Q Entertainment, otherwise Sonic Team has been trying hard to make another entry in the series.
Not really a list of games you want Atlus to develop, considering the only game on that list you want Atlus to develop is Sonic Chronicles 2. And even that’s a pretty bad pick, as Persona and Sonic Chronicles can’t be compared outside of that they’re RPGs. All the other picks are based on games Atlus either only helped out with and published or just published. Vanillaware, Dingo and Arc System Works made lots of games outside of Atlus published ones.
Play some actual Atlus games before making a list of games you want Atlus to make. :V
I see your point, but I’m not sure it’s worth splitting hairs over publisher/developer when it’s just over a pie-in-the-sky wish list. I figure anything goes, really, although I agree with Cube in that it would be very awkward to let an Atlus team take on SoR when so many other worthy contenders have been denied.
I’ll throw my hat in the ring though… How about a Guardian Heroes follow-up by the Code of Princess team? Lots of the same folks on the team. Is that too obvious?
Sure all those companies make games outside of Atlus, but many of them are known for the work they’ve done for Atlus on Atlus-owned properties. In some ways, these companies are synonymous with Atlus, and I would I don’t think Atlus would would be where they’re at today without them.
And you’re wrong, I said that I’d like Atlus to develop the next Shining Force, as well.
SEGA outsources many of its games, but that doesn’t not make them SEGA games, just as the games Atlus didn’t develop doesn’t mean they’re not Atlus games.
The prime three examples I already mentioned are definitely not synonymous with Atlus. They’ve worked with them in the past and/or presently, but they’re well known for work outside of Atlus as well. Vanillaware with Muramasa, Dingo with Project Diva and Arc System Works with Guilty Gear and BlazBlue.
And while games being published by SEGA technically makes them SEGA games, it doesn’t make them SEGA’s studios. Games by Gearbox, Avalanche or even Sumo Digital and Platinum Games can’t be named as examples when listing games that you want developed by SEGA.
So really you should just rename the list “Top 5 SEGA franchises we want to see Atlus or developers vaguely affiliated with Atlus develop”. :V
It sounds like you’re more interested in arguing over semantics rather than the intent of the article. Honestly, I don’t have the care or have the time for that.
If you don’t like my choices, that’s fine, so why don’t you provide a positive contribution by adding some of your own thoughts on what SEGA games you’d like Atlus to make, or … I dunno, do something else.
Pretty good list. My personal wish list is very similar, but I would swap out Shining Force 4 for Skies of Arcadia 2, and Sonic Chronicles 2 for Jet Set Radio 3 (can anyone imagine that running on Catherine’s gorgeous cell-shaded graphics engine? *drools*)
Man, JSR 3 would be great! Awesome pick on that one.