98 replies to this topic

[Uhobi]

today at work I had to put our remaining copies of NiGHTS: JOD on the clearance rack... that was a hard and painful thing to do. I don't understand why more people don't like it.

[charlie]

That's too bad. How much did you mark it down?? I've already seen places like Future Shop put it on sale, at about 40% off. I'm guessing they were trying to see if it would move any inventory.

I think if you're not a diehard fan, like most people on this site, you're probably not willing to pay fullprice for a game that you're not sure you will like or not. There really aren't any games that are similar in gameplay so you don't really know if you'll like it until you play it.

I think advertising has been pretty weak too, so I'm sure there are people out there that don't even know this game exists. I never hear people talk about it outside this forum, and I've never seen any mention of it on TV. Maybe if it wasn't released around the same time as Mario Galaxy it would've done better, because there are a lot of people who will only buy games they are familiar with.

Just some of my thoughts.

[TRAViS]

People don't want it because:

A. It's a Sega game,
B. Without Sonic,
C. On a system where a majority of the games are shovelware (budget) titles under $30.

This is why Sega Superstars Tennis is going to take off and maybe, MAYBE, rekindle the interest in NiGHTS in casual gamers and move some copies. Although by then most places will probably have them at 20-40% discount...

If it's any consolation, I haven't seen a used copy yet for sale in any GameStop (it's even backordered on the site) so at least the people that are buying them are hanging on to their copies...

[YamiLover13]

In all honesty, the game is fun but feels more like a fan service. Many who are not fans and play the game do not care for it. The gameplay is not as revolutionary as it was back in the day. I have even read some reviews that tell others not to play the game unless they are a fan. Most of the really positive reviews (Like one I read in Nintendo Power) comes from someone who played the old game and is a fan. (Not all though. There are exceptions.)

I love the game, I really do. But the game is not worth that price to several people out there, even after playing the game. (Again, there are exceptions. The game is quite appealing to some newcomers that know nothing about the game.)

Advertising for the game is also a good reason why its not even being tried out by others. People are not going to buy games unless they know what the heck its about or what it is. But this has been mentioned already.

Heck, even as a fan I don't like the game THAT much. Its fun, but I prefer NiD.

Sorry to sound so negative.

[Uhobi]

charlie: we ended up putting it at 30% off. The not sure part doesn't really apply though because play n trade has a demo copy of every game in stock so anyone can try out any game. so far everyone that's tried it has liked it. but most people haven't heard of it so...i just have to suggest it sometimes.

travis: we have one used copy...which also makes me sad...

yamilover: i see what your saying, the part that bugs me get are those who fit the category of NiGHTS fans to a tee and those that already are NiGHTS fans just don't seem to care.

now that i think about it...it might help is one of the guys at work didn't keep telling people how terrible it is just because he doesn't like it. that's bad for business anyway. when you're trying to sell games there should be no such thing as a bad game...

[temjin]

Anyone have official sales data of how well or poorly JoD has sold?

[Amy Rose]

I think it needed more publicity and advertising.
Most of the people that knew it was coming out in the first place were the die hard fans that had been scouring the internet for years looking for news of a sequel. So I don't think it would sell that well to casual gamers.
Also, I think the game itself spent more time giving a nostalgia trip to NiD fans than trying to be a good game in it's own right.
That being said, I do like JoD. I just wonder if I would like it as much if it was my first experience of a NiGHTS game.....

[viperxmns]

I'm just worried that sales are the primary factor in motivating them to bring more stuff over here, like the soundtrack for example, and that JoD hasn't performed well enough to make them do it. I'm hoping that over time more people will steadily buy the game.. after all it's hard to excite people over it who didn't play the original. On the one hand, the Wii gives NiGHTS a lot more exposure, but on the other, NiGHTS meant something entirely different on the Saturn. You could say NiGHTS is the Saturn's own mascot. It's hard for him to compete with Nintendo's IP's.

Plus I still tune in to X-Play now and then to see of they'll actually mention JoD once. I think G4 showed the trailer at one point, which I missed.. I would like to know their thoughts on the game, hopefully for the better.. And as usual, GamePro's been pretty slow on the uptake. They just published in the latest issue about My Dream working with the Wii weather network.

[Nyx]

I don't think it's simply a lack of appeal for the game... I think a lot of people are interested in the game, but are uncomfortable with the price of a Wii.

There are a lot of people who can't -- or don't -- want to buy another gaming system, but are still interested in a lot of the games that come out for it. The same goes for an older system that you can't buy anymore, like the SEGA Saturn -- people want to play the old NiGHTS into Dreams, but they're uneasy about buying the old console for a high price on Ebay.

It's sad because they are beautiful games that people probably want to play, but for one reason or another are unable to -- due to availability, or financial situations.

[TRAViS]

I also think that piracy on the Wii has severely impacted the actual sales of the game. At this very moment I can verify (via isohunt) that there are nearly 1,000 people distributing the PAL version of the game. Closer to the original launch date I remember seeing numbers around 6,000 for the U.S. version.

I never realized just how bad piracy is until it finally affected a game I care a lot about...

And I still can't help but think of how much differently the game would've performed had it been released on PS2 and/or at a lower price point...given how 3 of the 4 control schemes use an analog stick, a port should've been a no-brainer, especially since it looks graphically about on par with a 2007 PS2 title...

[phosphorus]

IMO:

The box art might put off non fans, many people might not be willing to give it a chance (they don't even pick it up and look at it)

If they DO pick it up, more of the same stuff (NiD's box are was much less off putting)

And if they try it before they buy it, it's not really that good.

[Amy Rose]

And I still can't help but think of how much differently the game would've performed had it been released on PS2 and/or at a lower price point...given how 3 of the 4 control schemes use an analog stick, a port should've been a no-brainer, especially since it looks graphically about on par with a 2007 PS2 title...

A good point. A lot more people would have been reached if they had made it a cross platform release, especially as they are releasing NiD on PS2.
It's not as if the control system is in the slightest bit reliant on the Wii remote either, any analog based controller would do.
It's just a shame that Sega aren't releasing it on their own hardware........

[Master D]

I agree with the piracy thing. ive heard from a friend that he had the game and all that and i went to his ouse to play w him and help him out on the gathering of drops and the game was a copy. sega CD and sega saturn were killed by piracy and now Wii, Xbox 360 and maybe PS3 are lossing a lot of money due to it. I used to think that they were to expensive until I took programing class. A simple calculation based on hourly wages and the adding and substracting the taxes from the wage took 2 pages to complete and a lot of bug fixing. Making a game this advanced is way to complicated and a lot of ppl work hard on it, just so some ppl break the securities and get them for free. we all need money and when ppl steal, a worker looses. Has anyone noticed that lately games are becoming less and less elaborated? programers are trying to diminish the cost of games just so piracy dosent get them so hard, at least thats what i think. a couple of years back games were great, Using full power of the systems and limited bugs on them. Programers worked hard to make masterpices out of games, now they just dont care anymore. Games were delayed to make em better and as bug free as possible, but now they rush them. Those that make games now concentrate on making online games and charging ppl for using the server. remember dreamcast? online was free until PSO v2. By then users all over the world knew how to copy a DC game. By the time sega made a fix for that, it was to late...My beloved DC...died. All this is piracys fault. We who buy the games legitimatly, pay the real price for that.

[WOLFNiGHTS2703]

today at work I had to put our remaining copies of NiGHTS: JOD on the clearance rack... that was a hard and painful thing to do. I don't understand why more people don't like it.

Ouch! I feel your pain! It breaks me heart hearin' that!
It's because they don't really know a great game when they see it, games such as halo 3 are WAAAAYY overrated where I live...I paid full price for NiGHTS JOD, and it was totally worth it!

People like games with swearing and nudity and all that rubbish, NiGHTS isn't that type of game, so that's why I'm guessin' alot of people don't like it...( 'cause they SUCK ) This is one of 2007's best titles ever, if you do have a Wii, and don't have NiGHTS JOD...I suggest to everyone...go correct that now!

This game is truly remarkable and visually stunnin'!

[Nemoide]

That is a shame. Even though I do not own a Wii, I would have hoped for the game to do better.

It is Panzer Dragoon Orta all over again!

[Nyclone]

To tell truth, I think the theory about publicity is right. I only bought the game because I had seen it on Sonic DX...

[trueBLUE]

As a Nintendo fan AND a Sega fan, which one would I buy first? Would I buy Mario Galaxy first, or NiGHTS first? I picked Mario Galaxy for these couple of reasons:

- It's Mario, and it's another major platformer game.
- It's developed by a proven studio. (EAD Tokyo)
- It had a pre-order bonus. <- It wasn't anything special, but a gift is still good.

Reality is hard, but I have to tell you guys the honest truth: Sega screwed up. The irony is there, because when you have a Sega game releasing a week or so after a major Nintendo release, the game will be brushed off. Also, a lot of Nintendo fans never experienced NiGHTS Into Dreams (myself being one of them) and a lot of us weren't expecting NiGHTS: JoD to be any good considering Sega Studios USA track record. Why, you ask?

- Recent Sonic games from this particular studio have been below average in quality.
- Sega has this stupid idea of releasing *good* games near major Nintendo releases. This happened with Super Monkey Ball 2 and Super Mario Sunshine (though Sunshine wasn't as good, Monkey Ball 2 was shockingly better then a Mario game, but sales for the former never stood a chance aganist a Nintendo game).
- Despite NiGHTS having a new game, having it at full-price isn't justified. The lack of polish in the game shows that fully.
- I wanted the soundtrack as a god-damn pre-order bonus. Tomoko Sasaki deserves that much, Sega.

Do third party games sell poorly on Wii? Absolutely not. Despite being a Wii-make, Resident Evil 4 was a huge seller on the Wii, and so has RE: Umbrella Chronicles. Sega games also sold more on Nintendo systems then they have on any other system. Jet Grind Radio for X-Box sold less copies of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.

[Innotech]

if you go on Neogaf, you will see a ton of people who were initially interested, but ultimately turned off because of glitches, gameplay direction, or the horrendous cutscenes. As much as I love the game to death and would buy anything else niGHTS related in the US that IIzuka would put out, I can see why a lot of people arent so hot on the game. But thats ok, because it makes the community that does love the game more tight knit than ever. But it doesnt mean Im going to stop spreading the niGHTS love to people. People WILL hear and see the awesomeness of this game. I refuse to give up.
Its a game whose time has come and gone, but for those of us that love it, it wont ever fade away.

[Tsukasa]

It's already faded for me. I hate it. Sonic Team are not the awesome development team they once were. I have no faith in them at all now.

[Zoe]

In my opinion, this was always a risk with resurrecting an 11-year-old series... It's just sad that's it become reality.

[vincentdante]

looks like its doing pretty well over here in the UK though, walked into some Game stores today and saw it at number 2 in their charts still, HMV had it as game of the week. It's a shame it's not so good in the US.

[YamiLover13]

Us Americans are very picky about our games.

I woldn't say I hate the game, but I still don't like it that much. IN fact, I haven't played it in two weeks or so. Maybe longer.... (Maybe if I just let my pians die and not care for them, I would actually be able to have fun in the game. >.< )

But yeah, I agree with all statements above. You know, this is why they didn't want to bring it back for the longest time. When you try to make a sequal to something that is already so good, you run the risk of failing. Still I am happy to have it out. Its still fun and nice to see.

[Tsukasa]

I live in the UK and I haven't seen it on top of any games lists... Most feedback I've heard has been pretty negative. And I'm inclined to agree. NiD was and still is one of my all-time favourite games. JoD is a disappointment.

[vincentdante]

I prefer JOD myself, it's an awesome game in fact I'd say its my fave wii game.

its like NID but with more stuff thrown in for me (actually... that is what it is )

[Tsukasa]

I prefer JOD myself, it's an awesome game in fact I'd say its my fave wii game.

its like NID but with more stuff thrown in for me (actually... that is what it is )

More stuff adding up to score destroying bugs (try opening a chip box and then switching persona's), bad character design, awful story and cutscenes, removing ideya capture and over-simplifying the scoring system. NiGHTS into Dreams is far superior. Oh yes and don't forget the AWFUL VOICES D:)

[vincentdante]

thats only one opinion mate. (except for the known bugs... thats not an opinion lol).

[Innotech]

Hmm, the Japanese only Ps2 NID game seems to have flopped in Japan too. 3500 is the opening day sales. On a title like this, its pretty much first week followed by a steep drop. NiGHTS has completely failed in Japan and it pisses me off. I dont really understand it but I feel like niGHTS has been cheated.

[vincentdante]

thats a real shame, incidentally I have ordered the PS2 remake of play-asia should arrive in a few days.

It's so sad when a really great game flops because its not dark and mature enough etc (you know what fanboys are like). The same thing has happened to many great games of similar artsy appeal Okami, Psychonaughts, Ico are just naming a few.

[iLLViLLAiN]

The way I see it is:

A. It's no where near as good as the first although not terrible just not as good.
B. SEGA sucks at marketing. I barely to never saw a commercial on television.
C. It's up against titles such as Call of Duty 4, Mass Effect, and Super Mario Galaxy.
D. It's on an impossible to find system that is horrifically overpriced because of bundle attachments.


Right now I seriously think they should have polished the game for at least two more months. Also if they put the original NiGHTS in there sales may have boosted at least from the people that played the original.

Hmm, the Japanese only Ps2 NID game seems to have flopped in Japan too. 3500 is the opening day sales. On a title like this, its pretty much first week followed by a steep drop. NiGHTS has completely failed in Japan and it pisses me off. I dont really understand it but I feel like niGHTS has been cheated.

Where's that high demand SEGA?

I also think that piracy on the Wii has severely impacted the actual sales of the game. At this very moment I can verify (via isohunt) that there are nearly 1,000 people distributing the PAL version of the game. Closer to the original launch date I remember seeing numbers around 6,000 for the U.S. version.

I never realized just how bad piracy is until it finally affected a game I care a lot about...

And I still can't help but think of how much differently the game would've performed had it been released on PS2 and/or at a lower price point...given how 3 of the 4 control schemes use an analog stick, a port should've been a no-brainer, especially since it looks graphically about on par with a 2007 PS2 title...

It's so bad that the team that brings gamers Unreal Tournament says they are going to focus more on consoles because PC gaming is being horribly destroyed by piracy. I will admit I used to pirate but I stopped mainly because I was hurting developers. Besides looking at and touching the real thing feels so much better than looking at a file on your computer screen.

[Sk8teland85]

Well it is selling rather well here in the Baltimore and DC area. It is not selling like Super Mario Galaxy but it still is doing rather well overall. I guess it depends on the area.

[Tsukasa]

thats only one opinion mate. (except for the known bugs... thats not an opinion lol).

Not my opinion only though.

[vincentdante]

not the only either I can keep going lol. Ultimatley this will just lead to me eventually saying it doesn't matter anyway as long as I'm enjoying the game etc...

I don't have any nostalgia to the last game (never did never will) hence why I prefer this one. Graphics are better (wii has better hardware), story is better (or at least expanded, deep down its actually the same) and the cutscenes are better (enhanced CGI over the saturns hardware).

Dunno why people hate the character design though, the NiGHTS, Reala, Wizeman look excactly the same just with a new wardrobe in Realas case, and the children look better then Claris and Elliot (in my oppinion) which was your favorite the pink girl or the blue boy with no personalities outside the opening/ending CGI cmon the saturn wasn't capable of much else

Not saying the last game was bad it was great in fact. The problem is nostalgia, imagine these games were released the other way around would NID be better then?

[Lost in Dream]

I like the game. I really do... but the game just seems incomplete kinda like SEGA said get it out this date or we fire sonic team.

[Murasaki Doku]

I like it.

But the only reason I even LOOKED at it in the first place was because of TRiPPY. Years ago, I had seen her fabulous artwork on DeviantART and was fascinated even though I wasn't a fan. Besides that, I only knew that NiGHTS existed was through cameos he had in several Sonic games.

So when I saw NiGHTS on the front cover of Nintendo Power, the first thing I remembered was TRiPPY and her artwork...though it had been so long ago that I had forgotten her deviantART name, it was kind of "that lady that was crazy about this character and drew badass fanart".

But anyway, it's a lot better than what people are giving it credit for. See, I'd been following the Sonic franchise since Sonic Adventure 2, JUST in time to experience the downfall--poor quality, the firing of Ryan Drummond and the hiring of the horrible Jason Griffith, Shadow the Hedgehog....uuuughhh. So I played the game, keeping in mind that it came from the same people who were pulling Sonic down the crapper. In other words, I came into the game expecting it to suck. But it didn't. It was a lot better, and the voice acting was a HELL of a lot better than in the Sonic games. Sure, it's not perfect, but if you buy any game expecting it to be perfect, you're doomed to hate it in the end.

[vincentdante]

I like the game. I really do... but the game just seems incomplete kinda like SEGA said get it out this date or we fire sonic team.

they would never have the guts to actually do that, it would be like cutting of your right hand XD

maybe sonic team should consider going independent again lol

in all seriousness though it was pretty buggy and could have used more time.

[Vix_Chan]

I got the wii game at my local GAME store for £20 (specal offer price for if you bought anything in the store) and i really enjoyed the game, hooked on it infact.
But, if it wasnt for the offer i may not have bought it.
I looked back in GAME today, and it's back up to its normal price of £40.

[Tsukasa]

Not saying the last game was bad it was great in fact. The problem is nostalgia, imagine these games were released the other way around would NID be better then?

Yes, the new characters have the personality of an old boot. The fact that Claris and Ellliot don't have a personality is probably the reason the fanbase loves them so much. You can impose on them the personality you think suits them. Look at Link from the Legend of Zelda games. If they gave him a voice and a "personalty" there would be uproar.
And the original NiGHTS had a lot of polish put into it. Not just on the visual front either.
I would go so far as to say that if you prefer JoD over NiD you really need to go back and play it more. Get into the scoring aspect of it and see then why gamers love it so much.

[vincentdante]

I would go so far as to say that if you prefer JoD over NiD you really need to go back and play it more. Get into the scoring aspect of it and see then why gamers love it so much.

thats a bit far now isnt it? you can't dictate what I should like I fully agree though the last game was much more polished and thinking about my last post I want to take back the personality thing of claris and elliot, I mean thats what the levels were built of after all

I have played NID recently but still prefer JOD because thats just my oppinion I prefer it, I like the extra missions even the on foot sections they weren't bad (not the best but still not sonic 06 bad), I like the level design and the story elements, I like the Dream garden were I can raise my pians, I love hunting for dreamdrops and I like the online features, they are all great features.

the only things I hate about it is the fact that they took the laps out and the before mentioned bugs.

But that is my prefrence and it is fine if you prefer NID but I don't, it was a fantastic game and well polished but times change and it has always bugged me at how short it was. As for the PS2 remake I shall reserve judgement until it arrives I cant wait to see how it has improved.

[iLLViLLAiN]

Well it is selling rather well here in the Baltimore and DC area. It is not selling like Super Mario Galaxy but it still is doing rather well overall. I guess it depends on the area.

Looks I mighta helped out in the Baltimore area then

not the only either I can keep going lol. Ultimatley this will just lead to me eventually saying it doesn't matter anyway as long as I'm enjoying the game etc...

I don't have any nostalgia to the last game (never did never will) hence why I prefer this one. Graphics are better (wii has better hardware), story is better (or at least expanded, deep down its actually the same) and the cutscenes are better (enhanced CGI over the saturns hardware).

Dunno why people hate the character design though, the NiGHTS, Reala, Wizeman look excactly the same just with a new wardrobe in Realas case, and the children look better then Claris and Elliot (in my oppinion) which was your favorite the pink girl or the blue boy with no personalities outside the opening/ending CGI cmon the saturn wasn't capable of much else

Not saying the last game was bad it was great in fact. The problem is nostalgia, imagine these games were released the other way around would NID be better then?

I would have to disagree with some things you said there. NiGHTS's and Wizeman's design aren't the issue. It's Reala's design I dislike. His character is not one who should have pink nails. Besides it comepletely negates the fact that he is supposed to evil so the pink nails really didn't help. Second I felt more connected to those "no personality" characters more than the two British kids. They were virtually the same. I kinda believe SEGA was lazy with their character models. Both had blonde hair and blue eyes. I wondered why they didn't mix them up a bit. For a long time I thought the story would end with both of them being siblings.

[vincentdante]

whats wrong with pink your not homophobic are you XD lol. You can easliy get away with mild colours on a villain look at the joker from Batman. Not that I actually noticed Reala's nails until now tbh nor cared...

anyway once again its all just preference mate.

I disagree that will and helen look the same though a quick google images search shows that william taylor looks more like this http://www.calpine.c...lliamTaylor.jpg