Though North America still has a little bit longer to wait before it receives Bravely Second: End Layer, the game has been out in Europe for a couple days. In the lead up to its release, the game took some heat for localisation changes made for the western release where the Tomahawk class was changed to the Cowboy class. It seems that's not all the change that the western version has been subject to, as the sidequest system has received some tweaks, too.
In the Japanese version of the game, there are some sidequests that have branching paths, where the player is required to make a decision and pick one side or the other. One way leads to a "Bad" ending and the other leads to a "Good" ending. Evidently, this is not the case in the version that Europe just received; either path ultimately has the same "Good" ending, effectively removing the consequences of the player's choice. Naturally, this is to be taken with a grain of salt -- as this information comes via forum users that claim to have played both versions -- but it wouldn't be entirely surprising if this is actually the case.
What do you think? Are you disappointed in this change? Why do you think Sqaure Enix decided to change it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source gbatemp.net, via gamefaqs.com]
Comments 169
Why does NoA have to even mess up the European games?! How dare they push their imperial translation practices into Europe, darn those evil Americans.
I am joking of course, who knows, lets hear what is really going on before we see this blow out of proportions.
I'm always on the side of this is not a big deal and doesn't effect the game ie boob sliders and outfit changes. This however is disgusting and I will not buy it.
It is one thing to localize a game and remove sexual themes to adapt it to another region and it is a totally different thing to change the actual game itself. I hope that this is not true.
Salt please - this info tastes a little funky. I need further proof before I believe this. There's no need to "censor" something like this - if this is true, it sounds more like a bug in the game than an intentional change.
Uh oh, oooooh lord, heeeere we go. More censorship and anger. Glad I only play Fire Emblem out of the two of these, I can't stand 2 censorship dramas in my communities, even if I didnt care about the Fates one
What else could possibly be taken out of this game? Even the Art Book for this game has been censored!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrTjs6Y67Z4
@mjharper I don't know what to think of this. On one hand, this game has already been subject to localization changes, and it's no huge stretch to assume this is also true.
But, on the other hand, why on Earth would they remove negative endings? My understanding is that certain characters live or die based on the outcomes, so did they just assume that western gamers couldn't handle the deaths or something? If this rumor is true, it really baffles me.
@dadajo It's the same thing, really, just in a different scale and form (if true). As the kids might say, #slipperyslope.
Rule no1 of localisation
Don't mess with the gameplay
I'm not a Bravely fan, but this just makes me even more glad about my decision to go kaizoku on Nintendo of Europe. Thank you guys at NoE for pushing me over the edge with your treatment of Fire Emblem fans in this region - it certainly feels better on this side.
And...Here we go again. =/ There isn't even direct proof of this, and yet I'm sure people will still be up in arms over it.
I can live with this change, its not the end of earth.
I have been rather neutral on this subject since first made aware of the changes to FE: Fates and the Xenoblade stuff. At this rate, though, all of these different "changes" seem to be part of a potentially concerning trend.
Does anyone know who actually handled the localization for Bravely? From what I could find, Nintendo is publishing, so I presume they did. Would it have been NoA or NoE implementing these changes, or a combination of the two?
@DeanDandelion Actually, from what I understand, it's a localization team hired by SE called Binari Sonori that handled the first game.
Anyway, this is so stupid if true, wtf is even...
I have been playing the game, and while not having repeated for see what happens when choosing the other option, they push you a lot over ethical questions.
Let people die thirsty in the desert and find a new energy source for the humanity, or let people drink water but prevent the progress of new energy forms?
Those are points of view. You decide what's good or bad.
just localize my sidequests up fam
AT LEAST WE GOT THAT SUPER MARIO ALL STARS BOIIIII
Why do we keep getting "localization" changes..... If this is true I refuse to buy it. I'm still preoccupied with fire emblem for the foreseeable future anyway.
I swear, all the games I've wanted lately have been censored. Fatal frame 5, xenoblade x, fire emblem fates, and now bravely second.
hmm i think this is false i just played the Kikyo or Heinkel's 2 times then compared it to a Japanese play-though it seemed the same.
i'll say more once i'm done with chapter 5 but i'll leave it there for no spoilers
Not a matter for me since I never planned to buy the game, but if they really removed those bad endings then probably at least one of them had some material they had to censorship and/or localize, but they didn't manage to simply alter.
Of course I expect it to be something we'll find silly and pointless to censorship or localize, but that's a different story XD
@BakaKnight i'll try all option and compare them to a you-tube Japanese play of the game. but from a quick look though i don't see much different only amiee so far, but that's pretty much it. i don't think much was altered with her other than to avoid a backlash most likely. though they got one either way lol.
@MitchVogel do you know what one or is it all of them? i played one of the side missions and turned auto save off to replay it and compared it to japans play-though via youtube. seems to add up no other scene was there, possible the wording changed but that could be error on the intent on how it was read to begin with.
Really what side story got a bad ending and a good one?! Rumour or not I scared I made some wrong choices and I get the bad ending :0
@AishiVeen well i could say something... but don't worry i played both versions unless it's later in the game then i'll report back, but from a little reading... nah i wont say just keep playing. it's kinda spoiler area so i'll stay quiet.
I'll wait for confirmation before reacting to this since it sounds ridiculous and unbelievable.
IF this is true, then I won't get this game (unless I finally get round to playing Bravely Default and end up really loving that game). Having choices in games can be brilliant, and the game will be less fun if they limit these choices.
Localization has less meaning every time I hear it.
It'll soon be defined as "changed random crap for ya"
I'm not gonna get upset unless
it's confirmed.
I haven't played much yet but I've enjoyed the game as much as Bravely Default so far. I'm not really interested in localization changes. They happen. For some reason they just seem to gather more attention nowadays. If it weren't for the Internet, no one would know and no one would care.
Can't whoever reviewed this for NintendoLife just confirm or deny it?
@dadajo
Why can you understand that? Changing sexual themes for a region is rididulous. It's based on absolutely nothing except trying to avoid a few crazy people in the media. There's no evidence that the actual audience in the west likes sexual stuff removed. This is something that's just been asserted and never demonstrated.
@stipey only if they seen the Japanese version also. it's hard compare without that.
@kenrulei No idea on the specifics, it seemed like it was all sidequests, though. It'd be interesting to see if this is really true, I'm pretty curious.
Not entirely sure why'd someone would lie about this but I'll wait for some confirmation I guess.. If it did happen that's very disappointing as it wasn't inappropriate so I guess it's a difficulty thing
@MitchVogel well the one i tried seemed identical no missing scenes when i compared them. i'll try with the next one also. see if there any changes, of cause it could be the words this person is meaning. but it's normal that things are changed or made to make sense in another language over the original. books and movies are the same in that aspect.
@MitchVogel
Well they've already assumed western gamers can't handle cleavage. It's not a big jump from that to [insert anything remotely controversial].
@Dezzy there's a reason why, when they have them in they are attacked by certain groups, some even result to death threats.
@kenrulei Claiming death threats have been made over cleavage? I think you just demonstrated @Dezzy 's point about baseless assertions.
@Fath read up on stuff it's happened over that alone. i try to ignore all the drama so i wont say any more on it.
@kenrulei
What's the evidence that they receive death threats?
And even if they did, thousands of people receive death threats every day on the internet. 99.9% of them can be dismissed immediately.
Selling Pitchforks and lit torches. PM me for details.
@Dezzy doesn't mean them threats do not effect the people who get them. why do you think devs are not putting x content in some games anymore, cause they get people go to far with no repercussions of the actions. they get oh i was joking, but the difference is this. reading text you can miss read it, compared to what someone says to you, if you write "i'm going to kill you" in text that can be taken very seriously but said aloud your tone alters it.
Good old nanny state Nintendo, at it again!
(If true)
@kenrulei
Well people need to acclimatise better to the modern internet. If someone just says "I'm going to kill you", you need the intelligence to realise that's not a serious threat. If you go to the police with something that trivial, they'll dismiss it immediately, as they should.
But I'm still waiting for the evidence that someone received death threats over this?
is it ironic the side chapter i'm on is about gender equality right now? again wont say much but i will test both outcomes and compare it to the japans version.
@Dezzy but if you go to police they will take more seriously than you'd think, because it is a death threat.
@kenrulei yeah but surely they know if there were side effects or not to their choices?
This is the slippery slope, first they remove costumes and then Nintendo localizes games and removes actual story content.
Removing story aspects is absurd.
Imagine if Shin Megami Tensei IV only had 1 ending instead of the 4 endings you can choose just because Nintendo felt that the "kids" that would be buying a T or M rated game aimed at JRPG fans would be sad by the bad ending in a game...
This is sickening.
costumes and enemy changes
artbook art removals
now removal of story endings.
What is going on?
@stipey if the reviewer played the game to completion maybe, but at times i know i i've read x reviewer played say 30 hours and wrote the reviews. not saying that's on this site but i've seen it in the past on others.
This is the only change with the game I would find disappointing. I haven't dug into my copy yet but as someone who enjoys visual novels sometimes half the fun is seeing how bad an ending you can get, or getting a quick reality check from a game when you think you're doing everything right. If I can't possibly fail then what's the point? Where's my motivation to think about my actions if I get the same outcome regardless?
@MissHelenJune kinda like in bd 1 the twist, that was shock but cleverly had much foreshadowing about it when you look at clues again.
Costumes censored ? Check
Native Americans switched for Cowboys ? Check
Artbook censored ? Check
3D models altered (Hip / Chestbones removed) ? Check
Dialogue altered ? Check
Gameplay content cut ? Check
Well, guess ill be saving some money here. This is the reason why people got angry at Fire Emblem. By defending stuff like that, we get "localizations" like this. And i dont need a crystal ball to predict that if these things keep on selling well, this trend will only become worse.
@Einherjar top be fair playing b2nd right now and it's not affected anything i've seen, like theirs something missing here feelings. the cowboy switch was weird possibly pointless even. the dialogue thing is one of them things though, maybe it makes sense in the native language but to another it wouldn't make sense. or even maybe it was miss read in native language, some words in Japanese can mean more than one thing after all.
I'm actually okay with this; I hate having one of my choices in something as crucial to the game as that being blocked off by a negative consequence that I don't want to suffer through despite wanting the class.
Of course, it helps that I can get all the classes, eventually, including the ones I skip the first time, but I'd hate having to skip on a class that's more useful early on because of a bad end attached to it.
@kenrulei Again, for me, its the principle of things.
The more excuses people find for this kind of "localisation", the more stuff will be altered later on.
The freakin "slippery slope fallacy" is live and in full effect here.
Default had a few cosmetic changes and a handfull of lines toned down. So did FE Awakening. Pantyshots removed, a small number of lines toned down.
No one said a thing.
Their sequels ? Both more heavily censored, content cut, scripts partially completely altered.
Lets see what happens if this time, no one bats an eye again.
@Einherjar i see your point, there a few things really shouldn't be in the games to begin with though unless the aim is for a mature audience then yeah that's fine.
I'm actually quite glad I didn't buy this.
I really don't understand the huge fuzz about clothing cencoring and stuff. I mean, just how cencored at least US tv has been ... always. So you just want to see underage (preteen) girl in very little clothing... okay ummm yes. I mean, I couldn't care less, but it is bit creepy. And "it's just a game" doesn't make it less creepy.
Boobslider removing was bit disappointed (female player here )
Removing bad endings are... well stupid, idiotic and makes no sense. Life ain't candyfloss and rainbows and unicorns. I do understand European strange laws like how MiiPlaza game purchase differs from NA one but yea.
@kenrulei I have a very different opinion on that, but i get why people dont care about certain stuff getting cut.
Like i said time and time again, its the priciple of things.
If they can cut away all they want, if they can rewrite the script at a whim and no one bats an eye, the original artists work is pretty much lost for an entire audience.
And lets face it, the mature audience thing...not gonna work.
Its no secret that games like Call of Duty and co are heavily played by underaged kids, even though the games have a clear adult rating.
The whole "kids games for kids" thing is a fluke. And i, personally, even think that sheltering kids too much is a bad idea in general. Lets take the most harmless thing these games have in commom when ot comes to censorship: Bikinis.
Why go to such lengths to censor them in games, when it takes a stroll through town to see billboards plastered with Bikini ads, underwear models etc ? They are on TV, in magazines etc.
Why do people feel the need to censor something so mundane and normal ?
As for adult themes. I dont think that two rather hard and "hardcore" RPG games cater towards what children would like to play. And the audience they appeal to should be able to cope with themes like sexuality, loss and war. I mean, its the name of the game here. Its not all sunshine and rainbows.
I mean, just look at some early sub plots of Default:
In the desert city, you have corporate fraud, political fraud, blackmailing, hired assassins, hired thugs, slave labour, starvation. All very real and adult themes.
i don't know if you can call these bad endings but they are different not the same. just tested another of the endings and they are different but again i can't say this was a bad ending. one got what they wanted and the other didn't. maybe it's not really bad ending as some say but the whole black/white thing again. if you played bd1 you know the black/white look in the game (no it's not racist before someone who hasn't played it tries to say it is)
And lets not forget the pervert sage and the Bravo Bikini shortly thereafter!
@Einherjar that kinda thing is in bravely second also though but i can't say more without spoilers of cause...
@PigmaskFan ah yes the sage and ringabell that scene was funny as hell XD. rest assured it seems the same level as bd 1, humor and the darkness... but i need to play more first after all these games have that point where stuff is wtf lol
I generally think people heavily overreact to localization as being censorship, like seriously who cares about petting or more revealing outfits, but this is the kind of change that really is bogus if true. Not a Bravely Default fan but i hope for the sake of those who are that this ends up being unsubstantiated.
"The game is better that way, anyway" said every Nintendo fanboi
@kenrulei So why change it then ? Where comes the need to change alternating paths come from ? Why cut "bad decisions" out, if in other places, the same mature themes still exist ? Thats the thing i dont get.
@Kevlar44 Ive heard from various sources that it is actually true.
But this "who cares about" mentality ultimately leads to this.
Because "who cares" right ?
Thats why people "overreacted", not because of the matter at hand, but because of the mudslide that might follow all of this.
And like is said, if you compare Fates and Second with their predecessors, the mudslide is in full force.
Both political talk and swearing are against the site rules (which you should read up on )
~Waluigi
@MitchVogel
That isn't quite how the branching paths work, a complete explanation here would be going into major plot spoilers, but basically you're supposed to get end A once you beat them, but in this EU version that "end A" isn't there, you get the other end straight away, so far there has only been one exception in which you do get "end A" just like the Japanese version.
I'm getting this regardless, but changing an ending when there was 2. That's just wrong because that is changing the story. I don't know if this is true but this is when localization goes to far. More info is needed to spark controversy.
I already knew this, it sucks.however has anyone noticed that fire emblem fates is missing dialogue?
Why do people even waste time looking this stuff up? How about enjoying what you're given and not always glamouring for the few pixels or lines of dialogue that may have been altered in the localization process.
The game has been fun, the translated version has been charmingly written, even in the supposedly censored sidequest parts.. Though I suppose people really just want literal translations nowadays instead of having localizers actually doing their jobs.
If this is true about the bad ending being cut from the game, then this is just plain wrong, and a big middle finger to Western fans of the series.
I can understand certain costumes being cut or altered, character age's being changed, for people who might be offended because of sexual reference's. But to cut out additional ending's, therefore changing the outcome of a story, is crossing the line in my opinion.
This to me is not localisation, but Censorship, and people have a right to express their opinion, because to me the Western World in general has become too PC.
We now have two JRPG games which have been butchered over here in the West, ie Fire Emblem Fates, and now Bravely Second.
This really needs to stop.
@Thegentleman If by "missing dialogue" you mean roughly 50% of the original script gone, than yes, yes people noticed and supposedly, didnt care.
@Expa0 The "why" here is the difference between blindly consuming media and showing interest in it.
I mean, just transfer the topic from games to political journalism.
They alter a story and people defend it with "Who even wastes time looking up what really happens ? Just take it for granted and stop worrying" No one in their right mind would do that.
And if youre passionate about something, be it books, films or games, you look a little deeper into it than just opening your skull, shoving it in and be done with it.
Also, the reverse also holds true: "Why do people even care changing that stuff ? How about just enjoying what you were given"
@NintendoFanBoy16 This doesn't bode well for my beloved Genei Ibunroku #FE...
@whodatninja i dunno altus usually have that kinda thing there games to begin with, look at persona 4 everyone forgets rise's shadows is a pole dancer pretty much and in very little.
@kenrulei Yup, but they werent Nintendo published. Remember, Bravely is a SquareEnix game, but published by Nintendo in the west. All we can hope for is, that Atlus can self publish it and has full controll over the license.
The SMT mother series is known for tackling adult themes, especially sexuality, self identity and belief. If this gets localized by the same team, it will lose its identy completely.
When Square-Enix finish a product they ask for consumer feedback afew weeks post release, one complaint was that it was not always entirely obvious if a side-quest's decision would result in a good/bad ending. Theory is, when your playing such a large game many players are unlikely to re-play the entire scenario, so what the localisation team did was try to make the experience as satisfying as possible for the likely one playthrough... yes it was a hatchet job, yes the costume and tomahawk class scenario are unfortunate, but they do not retract from an otherwise fantastic game. Strange how the boobtastic adventures of Senran Kagura and Project x zone dont hit the flesh editor button? Probably because it was Square Enix who made the decision to make the cuts, not Nintendo. On a side note, localisations are often edited across all platforms, why is Nintendo taking all the flak recently?
@Andyv01 it's cool hate on Nintendo haven't you heard?
@Andyv01 also this was one thing i was thinking about the bad ends could have put people off or people didn't replay not realizing there was a good version. i don't mind the cut the games still enjoyable and you can't tell there missing tbh unless you knew of them. (yeah i was reading up this morning on it lol)
@Einherjar
I think there is a bit of a difference between altering things in political journalism versus video games, but w/e.
The game still has the japanese text as an option, so all of the supposedly changed/removed dialogue is still in the game in its original form. So start firing up those google translators I guess.
@Tobias95 To be fair, there isn't anything in the world of videogames that would be the "end of earth"
but people can still be mad about things.
@Expa0 Of course, but thats not what my example was about.
I just can't believe it. There is no need to center a bad ending. At all!
@LegendOfPokemon well it's square who cut it not Nintendo makes sense if it was issue reported in japan, plus it's not really needed in the game, i'm playing it right now. you still have to pick a side and you can't get the other asterisk after picking it. though you might be able to get it later in it seems, can't confirm that yet though, i'm not that far yet XD leveling up the jobs i have a bunch right now lol.
When you say good ending or bad ending, you just mean the side quest's outcome right? There aren't alternate game endings depending on the paths you choose or anything is there?
@Baker1000 i'm doubtful on that but when i get there i'll say at min grinding up a few jobs lol. i doubt they'll do the default thing again, probably why it's stripped from the title all together.
pfff...when will they learn not to treat us like idiots, just put subtitles in the game and release it,all this localisation nonsense,the existence of that word alone is insulting.
@Lilith93 blame the loud few not the company's, and who knows maybe the cuts make the game more enjoyable? japan critics might have nagged about them, so it makes sense to remove the complained about parts before sending it out again, than to hear the same things again. then getting that they didn't listen?
Cowboys instead of Tomahawks... because white stereotypes are ok but not minorities?
@FantasiaWHT well think about it that would had caused a big argument, still will mind you they'll now say they removed the x person to make controversy. it's a no one wins scenario in the end.
for what it's worth Amiee is pretty cool as cowgirl type that part was a enjoyable experience but...no i best stop spoilers lol.
All of these issues on localisation/censorship and tabboos etc could so easily be dealt with if they simply polled the western audience to see what they are and aren't ok with.
This constant attempt of various localizers to decide for people what is and isn't ok is insulting, infatanlising and just plain stupid.
@Dezzy you would get a far worse reception why, because white knights would fill out said things with no intention of even buying the games. in fact you'd see them wanting more things cut that someone take offence too. and this day and age people nit pick on the silliest of things.
@kenrulei good point I just have to brave it get it brave it lol man I'm bad at jokes:)
@AishiVeen might have worked better as brave and default it.
i'm still having blast playing the game, the extra things added really help the game. and i didn't think they could get better in gameplay terms after the 1st game was so good.
That does sound like "us" westerners: "we" can't handle consequences. We rather lie down and go with the flow, complaining on why we're drowning and going downhill, and arguing on which side the grass is greener, than stand up, pick a side, and go uphill. If we have to face how we make victims through bad choices or inaction, we get angry and shoot the messenger.
Saddest part? I'm not even joking.
@kenrulei oh that work too well!
@Shambo not really as japan complained about it too it seems.
@kenrulei
Not at all. "White knights" as you put it, along with all moral authoritarians, are a very small minority in the population. They're just massively over-represented in the media. Which is why this sort of thing happens too much. If you put each of these various issues to a vote, I'm fairly confident the majority would vote to just leave all of these things as they were in the Japanese version.
Where's all the snotty censorship apologist comments? Guess I better pick up the slack.
"The game is better this way."
"This isn't censorship, it's localization."
"Only a sociopath would want to make the choices that lead to the bad endings anyway."
"Definitive edition confirmed."
"People complaining about this don't want anything changed from their pure Japanese original."
@KomrathDE
What laws in europe and the US are actionable on this sort of thing? You can't just sue people cos you dislike something.
@Dezzy that can depend some go to extremes, go look it up people have made change.org to try to ban anime... yeah i'm not kidding you.
It's cute to see some of the same people who were mocking anger over "localization changes" in other games get annoyed about this and complain.
Wow! That word censorship gets thrown around so easily now that people seem to forget what it's really all about.
Censorship goes on everyday. If you don't believe that, here's an example. Whenever you think something but don't say it, that's a form of censorship: Self-censorship. It's what helps keep society civil.
Anyway, this sounds pretty far from censorship. It could just as easily be a balancing choice. The developers could have received feedback from too many players complaining about the sidequests that the developers decided to tweak these things before the international release. Maybe they even felt it would be too difficult for western gamers to understand, so it was dumbed done. These things happen all the time in game development.
You don't have to like it. I personally don't like it, but that doesn't make it "Censorship!". This isn't Fahrenheit 451 everybody.
Now as far as the skimpy, cleavage-bearing outfits on underage girls, and the gratuitous panty shots, that has more to do with American society and government views. That is closer to censorship. More like self-censorship,though, because Nintendo and Square-Enix didn't decide to remove it because they were told to, but because they knew it could cause problems with government (e.g. the ESRB which is the industry's form of self-regulation to appease government), and problems with the general public that sees sexuality as something to hide from the youth. And let's face it, videogames are still viewed as a kid's hobby rather than the massive entertainment market it really is.
My point is that you can't really blame the developers for their choices. It just makes good business sense. If you want change, it's going to have to come from somewhere else.
If you don't like it, vote with your wallet. While you get your titillation and your deep choice-driven sidequests elsewhere, I'll be enjoying some Brave Defaults.
@Dezzy I never said I supposed supported removal of sexual themes just that I understood why it happens. Like it or not the West (specifically the USA which is where I live) has never been a big fan of sexual themes. Culturally it is more fine to talk about violence in a social public setting than it is for anything having to do with sex.
Heck just talking with friends from other cultures you can see the difference easily from what is taboo and what is allowed and the USA at least from what I have seen is super strict on it. We even see this in Hollywood movies where generally audiences respond better to a violent scene over a sexual one. There is a reason why growing up many of us were told to cover our eyes during sexual scenes where nothing happens while being able to watch gruesome scenes. Obviously upbringing and many other factors go into this example though I think the average belief of America is that.
I understand these companies want to try to make their games more appealing for a Western audience as a result because they don't want to deal with higher age ratings or having their customers feel uncomfortable.
After they changed the Tomohawk class I knew that there was more BS to come. I'm gonna save myself from the stress of caring and just not buying the game :/ I do still really want that artbook though.
On the one hand, I'm sick of all these games being changed.
On the other hand, many people do indeed over-react.
Aww man look at all the whiney boycotters with their I'm not buying it if the boobies, butts, touch screen perv mode story nudity additions are removed so I can't get my jollies through a video game. Quit whining, people; when did censoring something become the reason to act like an immature imbecile? No wonder they are censoring this stuff; Americans are as immature as teenagers in the bra section at Walmart. If these things give you a reason to cry and boycot a game, you're a immature pansy and not a true gamer. Play the game! If you want to see boobies and butts all day and touch girls then get a wife. Totes worth it.
I decided not to support any more Bravely Default games after I bought the original and found out certain costumes had been censored. Same reason I boycotted Project Zero, Xenoblade Chronicles X and won't be buying Fire Emblem Fates either. It's not that I'm desperate to see the things they removed - of course I'm not - but it's the principle of it. We truly are far down a slippery slope of minority political views being imposed on us.
@Einherjar Because Puritanism has not left Westerners and their societies, even if we won't admit it. We're still populated and run by a lot of people wearing pilgrim outfits and pitchforks going on witch hunts. "Sex and outsiders are bad, but violence and killing if it suits our narrow world view is okay!"
@Zach777 If that's someone's motivation for engaging in relationships, then they are infinitely worse people than those who keep to themselves and talk about fictional media characters being censored.
@PlywoodStick
There is certainly more to a relationship than that I don't think I said otherwise. Relate to people all you want in the bounds of a relationship, friend. Boycotting video games for reasons of censorship is juvenile.
This is actually a lot tougher to believe than the clearly Puritan forms of censorship used elsewhere. The only other instance I can think of from the top of my head that resembles this is the censored Streets of Rage 3 worst ending. In the Western versions, it's said that planted bombs go off and destroy most of a city. In the Japanese version, a new type of nuclear bomb was actually used on that city (and others), which has a far more grim and Cold War style "bad ending" sort of connotation. I could actually understand censorship based on cultural sensitivity. (But then, Japan is the one who got nuked before, so eh)
Other than occasional things like that, this sort of censorship is unheard of. Even dating back to the 90s, western SNES titles like Lufia 2, Breath of Fire 2, and more pulled no punches as to the consequences of failure. (Or even the reality of sacrifices made for success.) I'll have to wait and see for this one. Westerners are known for being Puritans, not sissies.
@Zach777 "If you want to see boobies and butts all day and touch girls then get a wife. Totes worth it."
That's basically saying that if a man wants a toy to play with, get into a relationship. "Girls" is plural, and a common term of those seeking conquests in bachelorhood, even though "a wife" is monogamous and not about sexual contact as much as physical/spiritual contact. The way you said it came off wrong.
@PlywoodStick As much as it pains me, yes, i do think so too.
While beach volleyball games get blasted with critique over "sexism" (what are beach volleyball players supposed to wear anyways ?), war games get applauded for being "realistic".
While realistic nowadays means "look, we have a sub engine dedicated to guts and gore"
@PlywoodStick
Point taken; I see how I miss ordered my thoughts before putting it to a sentence. My aim was for the monogamous version of a relationship; one man, one woman for life direction rather than the fratboy conquest of females.
@TheY So?
Disappointing .
My guess is that Square Enix realized Europe no longer buys Nintendo related stuff, so to save money they didn't bother localizing all the side stuff.
@XCWarrior far from it, apparently if you played the japan version the 1st time through you get one version, then you had to replay to see more. it seems this was not liked even in japan, so probably they made it so you don't have to keep replaying to see more in the western versions. aka cut the fat off poor endings likely non cannon also.
@dadajo
Do remember that we're talking about as innocent things as a few inches of cleavage or a boob slider in Xenoblade.
You make it sound like Nintendo had started having porn in their games. Nothing they've censored so far was too much for the US at all.
@Dezzy I think you are overanalyzing my comment. I'm just saying I understand Nintendo's concern especially since this is the same company that censored the heck out of their games in the West during the 80s and 90s. Nintendo has always been stubborn in their ways and this won't change anytime soon though it has improved.
@kenrulei
Then if that's the case, surely we as consumers should be given the option to be able to replay the game for multiple endings if we want to.
I'll admit that i'm a diehard Nintendo Fanboy, hence the username lol. But the way Nintendo published games have been going lately in terms of localization and censorship over here in the West, i'm really considering only buying second hand, or just boycotting them altogether.
I hate paying full price for a game knowing that we have an inferior version of it, to that of another country.
Although i don't agree with it, i can see why there are so many people out there who have hacked 3DS's so they can play import games, which can then be patched with US/EU language.
Oh, God... No more - Please!
You know given this site's love of pointing out every little localization change, I'm surprised no one here's flipped over the VC version of Pokemon Yellow and its changes with Jynx, which had its sprite recolored in the US VC version to reflect its redesign, which was a result of similar stuff to all the complaints on both ends we see today. Thanks Serebii for pointing it out to me on the site.
http://serebii.net/yellow/virtualconsole.shtml
@whodatninja @nintendomasterr
Nintendo didn't localize this. Binary Sonori did, and Square Enix is the one calling the shots.
Why the hell would you change a story element in a flipping JRPG? Who in the living hell localize this for Christ sake!? It's one thing to remove costumes that aren't even that ssxy, but it's a who different thing when you remove story elements! What the hell is wrong with you Square Enix?
I knew it would happen and was waiting for it. The recent wave of censorship has now spread into non-sexual territory. We were told we couldn't handle boobs and people agreed so now it's been decided we can't handle consequences either. Buckle up, the slope just gets ever more slippery from here. Can't wait for censored blood to make a comeback.
Well complaining won't do anything to stop all this slippery slope garbage. Anybody want to squad up and make the most boundary pushing Nintendo exclusive games the ESRB will allow? If they're going to start changing our games, then we'll just make our own!
@ASonic3582 The VC versions are the same as the original releases, right down to the glitches as well. Nobody is flipping over that because it was known about for years by now.
This is just awful to hear... If this is true, there's literally no valid reason for getting this game other than being some die-hard fan of Square Enix and/or this series (which is a garbage reason). Censorship like this is way over the line.
@faint Likewise, I have no need for boob sliders or skimpy outfits or petting someone's face and making them go 'oooooh' but this is actually really annoying if its true.
Why can't America have boobs and an alternative ending? What is up with that?
and I am more than 75% done with Conquest. I wish they did not cut that stylus face thing. It does feel like there is something missing.
How come Atlus has edgier RPGs?
long story short i had played the uk version and japan. sidequest mission supposed to let you choose between A or B which will result in a bad end in which you kill the other party. then when you replay it later you can choose differ and result in good end C. in uk IT JUMP STRAIGHT TO C. there are ALSO dialogue in which you saw the character mature as well which also removed. i will return my UK copy i felt betrayed, clothing censored is fine but not when it come to game content
Does Nintendo think people are idiots and can't handle failure? I'm sure the 2 kids that play this game won't cry if they got a "Bad" end.
because society nowadays can't handle losing.
@NintendoFanBoy16 you do know boycotting it will only mean if bravely 3rd is announced it wouldn't come out anywhere but japan right? that's worse than cutting out the things even japan didn't like. also who's to say they won't patch it in especially now it's out.
@binhle94 cause none of this is Nintendo send your tweets and messages to you know square enix.
@iamDTS sqaureenix removed this stuff not Nintendo ,they will most likely patch it in to fix the issues because of the backlash. but for what it's worth people who played the japan version had a survey, and they negative about the bad endings because some didn't know you could get the other endings later, or didn't care to replay the game just to see the other things.
wtf!!! I would have expected this of NoA but not NoE. We still don't know much about this, so it could just be a rumor started on some forum.
But if it is true, this is one of the dumbest things ever and another good reason why we should demand region-free consoles. Grrrrrr, NoA!!!!!! (>_< )
@Utena-mobile it was square enix who cut the content not Nintendo btw.
@kenrulei i did not say who responsible i just don't like it so i will return the game. UK version make the consequence of your action not matter any more, also it lost some character development as well. for an rpg losing game plot is something i really don't like. this is on the same level of annoyance like dark souls 1 got nerf for western released when the idea of the game is difficulty.
however if they correct this in the future (for braverly second) i will buy the game again even at full price. like dark souls prepare to die edition. i don't want thing to be dumb down.
@River3636 because they know there fans can handle it, but square/Nintendo probably was scared abut the internets views. or cruelty to animals maybe?
@kenrulei the ending had nothing to do with animal cruelty. either choice you end up fighting boss.
@binhle94 um one of the side stories has one that counts but i don't wanna put spoilers.
@binhle94 also them groups wouldn't used the context. just that x died in a game when x lives who is human. best way i can put it with no spoilers though... everyone's probably read about the ending by now.
@kenrulei dude I play it before twice in jap to get the good end. as long as you play twice thing will be differ. so what the point to removed it, it suck out the enjoyment and replay ability of the game. and they just jump straight to good end then there will be no moment where people felt emotional. no reason to go back. one play it felt sad so I play again seeing if I can make a differ. so in my eyes it just boss fight since eventually I will get the good end. but to flat out cut straight to it is something I'm not approved. that why I say I felt betrayed and losing game plot
@binhle94 true but most people wouldn't replay it, most quit when the 1st game began the looping tbh. i stuck with it but i can see why people wouldn't want to replay just to see some other scenes. this killed breath of fire also, look up the game... i think it was dragon quarter, a ps2 game and yeah it didn't go over so well there either.
but controversial make game memorable like danganronpa or zero escape. i loved them so much because it more than just a game it question a person moral and such. i just boost up the jp version again sure it some what dealing with sensitive issue . but hey revolutionary. and it not like the main enjoy doing this kinda thing so it not cruelty (not like he like killing people/animal) and beside it not like it went south fast like "school days" that game.... Beside gamer now is much more differ than before.
Very likely false information. I've played the game. And the sidequests are all ethical dilemmas without a "right" or "wrong" answer. There are only consequences. I've seen both endings on a couple of the sidequests. And they are not close to being the same endings. The sidequests do not have "good" and "bad" endings.
@Android21 because you did not play the jap version there is a good and bad end not for the game but for sidequest, if you play uk only no matter which choice you make a or b at the end nothing matter . so no matter how you choose now every one live but in jap this will result in people die
Wtf?!?!D: Hope they don't do this in America too, But they are pretty censor happy over here it seems. :
@binhle94 I was talking about the side quest. All of the sidequests have two endings. And neither of the side quest endings are good or bad. They are just different endings depending on which side the player choose. All of the side quests in this game are meant to be ethical dilemmas.
It's true I have not seen the japanese scenes. So I don't know if they are any different. So if you have a link to some video footage from the japanese version sidequests, please link so I can educate myself.
@dadajo
Just because something's happened before doesn't make it more rational.
What you're saying is equivalent to saying "remember, people have always died of cancer". It says nothing about whether it's good or not.
@Dezzy Kinda using extreme examples there.
Either way I think we have the same ideals just different levels of acceptance of them and obviously at this point neither of us are going to move from the original points we made (turning this into a pointless argument between us). It has been two days so I think it is time to end this and carry on our merry ways.
@dadajo awesome avatar btw XD
@kenrulei Thanks?
Is there any confirmation to this thing yet?
Other news sites have only sited the forum posts according to Destructoid:
"What I found was that outlets covering these changes all pointed to the same GameFAQs post"
No reputable site has exactly done their own research (why won't you NintendoLife?).
Destructoid also points to another forum post which says:
"According to another poster, these changes could be unintended. "Strangely, the journal in the game basically explains the bad ending, as if that was the one you got when you've really seen the good ending. It remains to be seen whether this is a bug.""
Changing the Native American-like Tomahawk to a cowboy-esque Hawkeye is horrible enough ("white washing" like that is simply unacceptable) but changing the story and quest progressions so much would just be mad.
@Android21
"Very likely false information. I've played the game. And the sidequests are all ethical dilemmas without a "right" or "wrong" answer. There are only consequences. I've seen both endings on a couple of the sidequests. And they are not close to being the same endings. The sidequests do not have "good" and "bad" endings."
"I was talking about the side quest. All of the sidequests have two endings. And neither of the side quest endings are good or bad. They are just different endings depending on which side the player choose. All of the side quests in this game are meant to be ethical dilemmas. It's true I have not seen the japanese scenes. So I don't know if they are any different."
I hope you are right!
@binhle94 Did you personally play both the Japanese and the UK versions?
@Expa0 I think its a matter of people just wanting to get what the original creator meant it to be.
Imagine listening to a brand new album from an artist across the pond you really love, and the whole thing being altered for some stupid arbitrary reason. You're not on the same page as those people that have the unaltered version. Basically you're not able to form a fully informed opinion on the thing you love.
It's just a bastardisation and I really hate being treated like a retard by some clueless company execs who made those decisions. I'm sure we Europeans can take any subject matter.
The average age of a gamer nowadays? 30-35 years. C'mon! Children play tomodachi and animal crossing, no kid will play a complex, story heavy RPG cause there just isn't the immediate fun they're after in there (have a 9 year old in-house so I know what I'm talking about).
The problem is that such an ignorant approach ("let's just enjoy what is being given to us") leads to the problem escalation - in 15years time (if this trend goes on) only the titles will remain the same, you'll get just a freaking different dumbed down game just because you live in Europe.
As I've said before GIVE US WHAT THE ORIGINAL CREATOR INTENDED IT TO BE for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alright. So after watching two let's plays of the japanese version of the first sidequest. I can see what people mean. There is a slight change which would be hard to explain without spoiling. But now I understand what people mean by good and bad end.
@dadajo
It's called a Reductio Ad Absurdum. Take the logic someone has used and show that it leads to absurdities when taken to the extreme (and is therefore not a valid argument).
@LoveSugoi You saw that tickets are about to go on sale correct? Two shows in NYC! One show in LA! I'm trying to decide if I'm pathetic enough to go see them twice... Can NOT wait! I do have a buddy in CA that has been complaining that I don't visit...oh boy this may get expensive.
@Ryu_Niiyama
Yes, I've heard! I'll be going to the LA show since it's closer to where my friend lives (I got him into Perfume a while back so he knows what the deal is and is pretty excited himself). I'm cringing thinking about my poor wallet though. The concert, food, and board aren't even issues, it's mainly the plane ticket. Those cross country fares are no joke. D-:
@LoveSugoi As an East coast person I understand. I'm going to pitch LA to a buddy of mine just because I've yet to go to Cali but I know I'm driving to NYC. I can not contain the squee! I went to ticketmaster to check the dates and I'm sure I spent at least two minutes going "Itshappeningitshapeningitshappening!" Heck I think I'm just as excited for you as I am for myself! Always happy to see a fellow fan going to see them. It is a bucket list type experience.
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