Suda 51 - Image Conscious As Ever.

Suda 51 has been talking about a follow up to No More Heroes.  Now, the Wii may have sold millions of units but its library of titles is minuscule if you want something more than family-orientated shovelware.  NMH was one of the few titles of 2008 that offered something to hardcore gamers.

While I applaud Suda51's dedication to the Wii, I can't help but feel that he's doing it for the wrong reasons.  It seems to me like he's more concerned with maintaining his image as an oddball outsider, not wanting to make a great game for the console.

For example:

"One of the main reasons why we're back on Wii is because of the controller. When we released the first one on Wii, you had this feeling just finished with moving the controller; it was really good.

So, if we released it on Xbox 360, for example, we'd have to rethink this feeling. I wanted to keep the game's controller gimmick, so that's why the fighting was more fitting on Wii, rather than on other platforms."

Gimmick huh?  No More Heroes makes such bad use of the Wii-Mote that to claim that it's one of the reasons that you're staying with the console is ludicrous.  I don't want to rant about Suda51, but I'm not sure that he's the sort of developer that the Wii needs.  

Update:  It occurs to me that making poor use of the Wii controller isn't exactly compelling evidence for damning Suda51.

My problem with Suda51 is that he seems to be selling games based on his reputation and unlike people like Warren Spector, Will Wright or Gabe Newell, he doesn't a long list of amazing games to his name.  There is absolutely no reason that he couldn't develop games for the Xbox 360 or the PS3, but by sticking with the Wii, he maintains a mystique that he is outside the normal sphere of game development and that his games are somehow much closer to 'art' than anyone elses.

As an example, NMH is repetitive and badly designed, with a plot that makes no sense whatsoever and a thoroughly loathsome main character; but of course, the game is satirical.

I'm sorry Mr. 51, but no, it isn't.

Actually, that's not exactly fair.  It certainly tries to be satirical, but rather than making digs at the hubris of modern games, it indulges in them, and then expects us to be impressed at how perceptive it is.  I'm sorry, but you don't get any points for that.  If you want to make games that take the piss out of other games, you have to be able to make better games than the competition.

On reflection, it's not just the Wii that can do without Suda51, I think that gaming in general would be better off without him.