Looking back at the dual soundtracks of Resident Evil

May 23, 2015 by Patrick Kulikowski in Editorial

A bombshell of a news story came out of this week that undoubtedly surprised fans of Resident Evil and Onimusha alike. One of the series’ composers, Mamoru Samuragoch, didn’t actually write any of the music.

Samuragoch (birthname Samuragochi), who was originally thought to have composed the soundtracks to both 1998’s Resident Evil: Director’s Cut DualShock Ver. for PlayStation and 2001’s Onimusha: Warlords for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, has recently admitted through a spokesperson that he had actually hired a ghostwriter to do his work for more than 15 years. The composer has been hailed as “Japan’s Beethoven” by Time Magazine back in 2001 for his purported hearing loss in the late 90s.

The story gets even juicier when the ghostwriter, revealed to be Takashi Niigaki, publicly questioned Samuragoch’s supposed deafness.

Confused vision: Wii U Virtual Console needs to deliver

May 23, 2015 by Patrick Kulikowski in Editorial

By now you’ve probably caught wind of the news emanating out of Nintendo’s investor meeting earlier this week that the Wii U Virtual Console would become home to digital re-releases of Nintendo DS titles.

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering why there was no indication of this for the 3DS. After all, wouldn’t DS games be a better fit for the 3DS’ Virtual Console?

Game publishers should have a deeper connection with fans

May 23, 2015 by Patrick Kulikowski in Editorial

Having an established fanbase is one thing, but creating a more open dialogue with them is a whole other ballgame. And it’s something that more game companies — particularly ones based in Japan, need to make a stronger push for.

One example of increased fan outreach is Capcom and the transformation its USA branch has undergone over the course of eight years. Capcom USA created a website entitled Capcom-Unity, which serves as a hub where fans of the company’s long line of games can read up on its regularly updated news blog, chat about its games in a forum and even use it as a grounds for voicing requests.

This model didn’t come at the drop of the hat. It required a lot of conversations with top executives and one employee’s willingness to take matters into his own hands.

Earthbound on Wii U means anything is possible

May 23, 2015 by Patrick Kulikowski in Editorial

After today’s stunner of an announcement via Nintendo Direct regarding the longed-for re-release of Earthbound on Wii U, I hereby declare that anything is possible.

Okay, maybe not anything, but this sudden acknowledgement of the Earthbound/Mother series’ existence by Nintendo of America came out of left field for a lot of people, myself included. You need only look at the outpouring of happiness from folks on Twitter to know that the company made fans’ days with that single announcement.

That being said, what took them so damn long!? I’ll get to that in a moment, but first, some history.

Hey publishers, offer your soundtracks digitally

May 23, 2015 by Patrick Kulikowski in Editorial

If you ask me, one of the most important aspects of a game (aside from being fun and playable) is whether or not it has good music.

A game’s soundtrack can make or break a game. Without a good soundtrack that instills some sort of joyful, thrilling or even fearful emotion in me I can’t have fond memories of that experience.

Some of us don’t think it’s enough to just hear a great tune while we’re busy blasting through a random encounter, stomping on a Goomba or tossing sonic booms. Damn it, some of us like to walk or drive down the road to the hair-raising ’80s rock euphoria that is the Grandia II battle theme, or the infectiously catchy melodies of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. That’s why we like to purchase videogame soundtracks.

Five things the Wii U needs

May 23, 2015 by Patrick Kulikowski in Editorial

Let’s face it: If Nintendo wants to succeed among its hardcore audience in this new and upcoming console generation, it needs to propel itself into the now with the Wii U.