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Sega Unveils OutRun 2 Xbox, Shining Force, 'Explosive Announcement'
Thanks to Gigex for its article revealing Sega has announced an OutRun 2 conversion to Xbox, as "handed off to UK-based [developer] Sumo Digital", which will "support network play for 2 to 4 drivers, along with online [Xbox Live] support for an as yet unknown number of players" - Eurogamer has the first screenshots of the conversion. Elsewhere, 1UP has new details on Sega's Shining Force franchise, as the notable RPG series gets extended, including a "completely original Shining Force strategy-RPG for PS2, developed by Amusement Vision", and the freshly previewed spin-off, Shining Tears, a "top-down 2D action-RPG with computer-controller partners to join the fight." Finally, Sega is extensively hyping an unknown E3 announcement which "will surprise the gaming world."
...so, what do you guys think this is? As much as another Sega console would rock, I don't think it's likely. In fact, I don't think anybody thinks it's likely. But hey, this announcement is supposed to suprise us all, right? Idunno - it sounds like to much hype to be just a game...
The original Shinning force is my favorite game of all time.
It's a combination RPG and Turn based strategy that is just spectacular.
Pick up the rom and play until you get past the battle with the marionette. (About 3 hours) It's well worth a look, the music becomes captivating and the story is quite interesting though obviously a little simple.
If Shenmue III is announced as an Xbox exclusive, I think my brain might explode in an obsessive/moralistic paradox of "Must Play Shenmue" and "Must not buy Xbox". If instead the announcement is that Shenmue III-VI are all on the way as Dreamcast2 exclusives, my brain will just explode with happiness. :D
I can think of only one thing that would warrant this extensive hyping: the return of Alex Kidd.
I bet Sony will have a better special announcement and they will have to cancel there's half way through. Hahahahaha *badoom chssh*
Hacker Media
Outrun 2, can't wait that game. I have been playing the orginal with Shenmue IIs bonus disk with dreamcast and it's awesome. But to be honest those screenshots don't look as good as the arcade verson.
The DC2 is obv. the first thing that comes to mind, but I highly doubt that's it, as while it would definitely be surprising, a console takes many years to develop, meaning they'd have to have started on it around the time they decided to focus exclusively on software as a third party -- which makes no sense.
/sweet/ for all the obvious reasons, but Nintendo probably has the least deep pockets of the three, so it's less likely. But I don't think the other two are very probable, either, though, so I guess it'll actually be what they said -- a surprise.
The only other alternatives I can think of are that (a) they're being bought out by someone, or (b) they're becoming a second party to someone (essentially the same thing). A Sega-Nintendo merger would be
Work is punishment for failing to procrastinate effectively.
That would be cool and be an x-box live game. Very cool. I can only dream.
How about DC portable? Dozens of DreamCast games are WindowsCE-based, then it's not unnatural for Sega to go handheld with WindowsCE.
In roughly reverse order of probability:
It's not a console---they wouldn't be announcing for PS2 or XBox if it was.
It's not exclusivity for either---obviously, given the previous.
It may be a handheld---a shrunken version of the HK pirate Treamcast. If anyone's stupid enough to try to launch a handheld between the GBA, DS, and PSP, it's Sega.
It may be a new arcade platform, possibly with a home enthusiast version a la Neo-Geo---Sammy owns bits of Sega, all of SNK, the Neo-Geo itself is dying, and Sega is still heavily involved in the arcade business.
It may be something like Nintendo's "megaton" announcement---A game with dense appeal to the one target audience the quote was aimed at, and little to others. Candidates: New Sonic, new Shenmue, new Panzer Dragoon, English-language Sakura Taisen, new Phantasy Star.
Arcade developer Sammy owns a controlling share of Sega. Sammy came out with the Atomiswave arcade hardware this year, to cycle out the aging NeoGeo system. NeoGeo had a console system come out with its hardware (even if the games cost several hundred dollars a piece). I can see an Atomiswave-based console from sega.
The Braying and Neighing of Barnyard Animals Follows.
Could it be that secret game that sega was working on last summer in the midwest? There has been no news on it since last june. A Survival Horror game? Sega workers took pictures of everything in the town. Lightswitches, floors, cars, house shingles, etc. "The result was a nine-day trip to Carbondale for the Tokyo-based team to capture those touches of realism and e-mail them back home for the new game. On Monday, head designer Shinichi Ogasawara led the team through police headquarters. They recorded close-ups of manila folders crammed onto shelves, the computer console in the emergency dispatcher's room, and the measuring chart that hangs behind suspects in mug shots to display their height. " http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/07/01/ news/local_illinois/8476a93db17d9d6486256d55007dcf e0.txt
http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/videogame_news/apg ame_carbon06-30-03.htm
There has been no news on it since last june.
A Survival Horror game?
Sega workers took pictures of everything in the town. Lightswitches, floors, cars, house shingles, etc.
"The result was a nine-day trip to Carbondale for the Tokyo-based team to capture those touches of realism and e-mail them back home for the new game. On Monday, head designer Shinichi Ogasawara led the team through police headquarters.
They recorded close-ups of manila folders crammed onto shelves, the computer console in the emergency dispatcher's room, and the measuring chart that hangs behind suspects in mug shots to display their height. "
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/07/01/ news/local_illinois/8476a93db17d9d6486256d55007dcf e0.txt
http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/videogame_news/apg ame_carbon06-30-03.htm
Or maybe not, exactelly because it would not be that surprising - Takashi Iizuka said in a recent interview : "I promise that as long as I'm with Sega, I will create Nights again... the more I hear from the fans about their love for the game, the more reasons I have to consider it as my next project." But anyway, this certainly would be awesome news!
Circumcision is child abuse.
Hey, I can hope,can't I? >_>
What about Propeller Arena, the game for DC that never saw the light of day because of 9/11 (it features arcade-style air combat) ??
Are they going to develop another gaming console? Dreamcast 2 anyone? We all know how well the original Dreamcast helped them financially.