No More Heroes

[pedrocasilva]

EDIT: Petition link here:

 

-> http://www.petitiononline.com/nmh3r03s/petition.html

 

E-mail for complaints here:

 

-> [email protected]

 

Contribute to make a difference, please.

 

 

I find this extremely frustrating, and normally i wouldn't bother emailing anyone about it. But i feel passionately about this game, to the point of emailing them (and Grasshopper). Even to the point of posting on here for the first time. For those that are interested in what i have to say about No More Heroes being published in Europe without the Gore, this is what i had to say:

 

Dear Richard,

 

This isn't something I would usually do, I’m very sceptical about consumers trying to influence the decisions made by companies. Money is the only thing that influences decisions. But it seems something I’m very passionate about will not be published in the form I was expecting it to be. I am referring to the Nintendo Wii game you will be publishing in Europe next February called no more heroes. A game I have been following for some time now. I’ve recently heard its being published with the blood and gore removed, like the Japanese version rather than the US version.

 

Having played through Killer 7, I have a feel for the aesthetic style the developers employed, part of that aesthetic was the depiction of violence and excessive use of blood. Killer 7 was controversial for a number of reasons, but the most interesting was the reaction from the video game industry. Members of the industry were split on the games noir minimalist art style. I found the game to introduce an art aesthetic to depictions of violence in videogames as a whole. Rather than trying to contend with countless other developers trying to achieve a level of realism, Grasshopper went for a unique idiosyncratic style, truly standing out amongst the crowds.

 

No more heroes continues this trend, but its relevance could be lost if the violence is censored. This may not be as much of an issue in Japan, whose videogame preferences clearly vary to our own. RPG’s and other popular genres in Japan don’t depend on realistic depictions of violence. But in Europe (perhaps excluding Germany) huge popularity of FPS and sandbox game (ala GTA), the violent aesthetic of videogames has become a sensibility amongst seasoned gamers. A game that questions that aesthetic, and who delivers its satisfaction through exaggerated anime perhaps even Avant-Garde style. Has the opportunity to bring into question the 'norms' of the industry, by standout amongst the crowd as 'ART'.

 

I'm unsure as to the reasoning behind this decision, but there is a definite ignorance to the potential impact this game could make. Perhaps the censor’s reaction to manhunt, and the obvious comparisons to rockstar. Perhaps the assumed family demographic of the Wii audience. But this game stretches beyond that. It’s a game that has gamers talking, and people who otherwise wouldn't hold an interest in the Wii are turning heads. Not only because it’s an 'Adult' game appearing on the Wii, because it questions the violent aesthetic of Videogames.

 

You have the opportunity to standout, please don’t waste it, because I want to enjoy it. If you have little influence whether to publish No More Heroes in Europe as the Japanese or US version, please forward this email to who might, or let me know who to contact.

 

Thank you for listening,

Chris.

Welcome to our forums C.H. And that e-mail was awesomely written, I couldn't possibly convey it better than you did.

[Marshmellow]

I haven't read the discuscion yet about this game, but I just read the article in the new Nintendo Power, and all I can say is, FINALLY! A game for the Wii that actually looks good, I know I will be picking this one up for sure!

[Shino]

I think all this " Video game is art" stuff will go on def ears.

[C.H]

Welcome to our forums C.H. And that e-mail was awesomely written, I couldn't possibly convey it better than you did.

 

Thanks for reading my post, I thought it was going to get swept by.

 

I think all this " Video game is art" stuff will go on def ears.

 

Well, the definition of Art itself is loose a term, and quite subjective. Historically it’s normally been Elites declaring what is and isn't Art, but today in the age of the consumer. Art is much more open to public opinion. Don't forget, Film wasn't accepted as an Art form for decades. While there are still debates as to what films are art and what films aren’t, ideas of Art have had to broaden to include Film. I personally see this happening with Videogames eventually. Not all Videogames, and they may face an uphill battle (like the film industry). Killer 7 and No More Heroes (though I have not played NMH, based on what I know and have seen of the game) stand out. Not everyone may agree with me, and interestingly, probably not all of the industry, because it doesn’t represent the aesthetic and idea of a videogame people want to impose upon on industry.

[LazyBoy]

C.H. welcome the boards, always good to see someone around here who truly understands the brilliance of Suda51's work. That e-mail was brilliant, and had I been more level headed I might have said similar things. Anyway, hope you hang around, the board needs good members these days.

[mcj metroid]

i don't understand surely it's actuall worse not having blood in it. Imagine slashing someone with a sword and no blood coming out. Kids would think it doesn't hurt cause there is no blood:)

[C.H]

Thanks for the praise Lazyboy.

 

I do encourge everyone who is interested in this game to let their feelings be known. With over two months until its release, there's still plenty of time for the game to be changed.

[ShadowV7]

Posted a news story about this on the front page so hopefully people who visit the site will help out.

[Dante]

We haven't made a decision based on certification. We have decided to publish the same version as our parent company in Japan.

 

It remains absolutely fantastic to play.

 

Martin Defries

Rising Star Games

http://www.risingstargames.com

 

They just being lazy.

[Guest Maase]

i don't understand surely it's actuall worse not having blood in it. Imagine slashing someone with a sword and no blood coming out. Kids would think it doesn't hurt cause there is no blood:)

 

LOOOOOOOOL.

 

Good point.

 

Then, game's with any type of Violence have to be stopped, or else we will have pshycokillers in the world

[Noku]

I'm too outraged to form a coherent reply.

 

Petition signed, short mail sent to IGN for their insight.

[pedrocasilva]

that's it, I'm gonna spam their e-mail at [email protected] (spam them too)

 

And since the petition was left in the previous page... here it is again:

 

-> http://www.petitiononline.com/nmh3r03s/petition.html

 

Sign, please.

[Noku]

that's it, I'm gonna spam their e-mail at [email protected] (spam them too)

 

And since the petition was left in the previous page... here it is again:

 

-> http://www.petitiononline.com/nmh3r03s/petition.html

 

Sign, please.

 

Not to sound like a pussy or nothing, but isn't puposefully spamming illegal?

[ShadowV7]

On the main site about the censorship, I mentioned about doing the petition and sending e-mails and provided links in the comment section.

 

I really hope we can make this work.

[Gio001]

I've emailed and signed the petition. Basically saying this was a defenite buy for me a thousands of others till they decided to censor it.

[Hellfire]

To be honest I think spamming isn't going to get anything done, they're just doing that to avoid the game to be banned so that we can actually play it.

[ShadowV7]

I would of thought it would just get a 15 rating tops. It's just a bit of blood that will be added and that's not that bad. And anyway America is getting it uncensored and it's not banned or anything.

[flameboy]

tbh and I will likely get my ass kicked for this, but it doesn't really bother me. The blood isn't the main reason for wanting this game and if it has the cool pixel effect I think the japanese version is using instead then it may actually be in fitting with the games style more. I mean look at the GTA games despite their relatively violent themes the game doesn't actually contain that much blood.

[pedrocasilva]

Not to sound like a pussy or nothing, but isn't puposefully spamming illegal?

the spam I was reffering to is another e-mail to their list of complaints; I was holding out on writting one before, but that gave me the urge to do it, and so I did.

 

Not the kind off spam to be filtered, but the fact that we're mass-complaining about the same thing counts as spamming for me, and that's okay as long as they understand.

[Funktion]

I'm still buying this game on day one, since I'm really looking forward to it, but this situation is extremely disappointing because the blood splashes look pretty awesome (like a bizarre cartoon) and fit well with the style of the game.

 

I'll surely have this in mind on future releases by this publisher, and you can be sure I'll avoid them.

 

Well, just one more situation where the fact that the Wii isn't region free just plain sucks...

I'll be damned if on the next generation of home consoles I'll buy a Nintendo console in Europe.

[steggy]

I've signed the petition and sent an email.

 

If the game is released without the blood I won't buy it, hey it might be cutting my nose off to spite my face but I can be a stubborn b*stard when I want to be.

[Guest Maase]

You're overeacting.

 

Camon, you like a game just because his blood? Are you guys sadistic?

[Cube]

According to NGamer, the Euro/Japan version actually looks better. They say that it feels much better that your enemies are broken apart from the power of your beam katana.

[Guest Jordan]

Apparently no one wants NMH..

http://kotaku.com/gaming/suda51/mini+skirt-or-not-no-more-customers-331771.php

 

[steggy]

You're overeacting.

 

Camon, you like a game just because his blood? Are you guys sadistic?

 

Yeah maybe I am overreacting a little, but I really liked the OTT style and shock value of the art style in this game. As with Killer7.

 

Plus I like to throw my toys out of the pram whenever we get an inferior version than NA. This sort of treatment really f**ks me off.

 

Besides the publishers will probably only listen with there wallet's anyway, so saying I won't buy would be the best way to get noticed. And I don't want to make myself a lier do I?