Overrated Imports

[JFLY]

Definitely Majyuuou for the Super Famicom. The game play is slow and the guy you control is this teeny-tiny Lemmings sized sprite (you can't even see the bullets coming out of his gun). Yeah, the graphics are nice and colorful and the control is decent, but I find Mystic Defender a much better alternative for the your gaming dollar. It plays much faster, the graphics are nice (especially for a early Genesis/Mega Drive game), and there is a naked girl at the end.

[zetastrike]

I've never played Taroumaru and probably never will, but Joe made it look like a pretty by the numbers 2D action game. I don't see it as worth infinity dollars.

[o.pwuaioc]

I've never played Taroumaru and probably never will, but Joe made it look like a pretty by the numbers 2D action game. I don't see it as worth infinity dollars.

$450 last time I looked. I welcome the price. Let those who have a hard-on spend their money on that so they don't drive up games I actually want to buy. Like Earthbound.

To answer op, besides Taroumaru and Radiant Silvergun, I would say SNES Dracula X is way overrated.

[j_factor]

I have to say Rendering Ranger R2. This game was supposed to be some sort of lost masterpiece of run and guns, but it's really average at best. The graphics in particular get hyperbolic praise, yet I don't find them that impressive. I don't think it's a better game than Doom Troopers.

[The Coop]

I would say SNES Dracula X is way overrated.

Overrated? Most of the time I see anyone talk about it, the thing's being called a poor port of the PCE game. I don't think I've ever read a glowing review of it, now that I think about it.

[goldenband]

I have to say Rendering Ranger R2. This game was supposed to be some sort of lost masterpiece of run and guns, but it's really average at best. The graphics in particular get hyperbolic praise, yet I don't find them that impressive. I don't think it's a better game than Doom Troopers.

Considering that Doom Troopers is a wretched embarrassment of a game (or at least the Genesis version is), that's a pretty harsh criticism! I played RRR2 a bit some years back -- thought it was flashy, but wasn't enraptured by the gameplay.

[o.pwuaioc]

Overrated? Most of the time I see anyone talk about it, the thing's being called a poor port of the PCE game. I don't think I've ever read a glowing review of it, now that I think about it.

This might prove contentious, but I think the PCE game is rather overrated, too.

[The Coop]

This might prove contentious, but I think the PCE game is rather overrated, too.

Well now you're just being silly

[Jeckidy]

MUSHA is one game I never felt a priority to purchase even before the price shot up. I remember seeing it both loose and complete multiple times and never really feeling obliged to pick it up. If I do find it for a bargain in the future, it will be to sell it. When I first tried it on an emulator years ago I thought it was decent but not good enough to warrant a purchase. Of course, since it had a US release and I am a US resident, it is hardly an 'import' by our standard, but to our overseas friends, you'd best be warned.

I must admit, many of the imports mentioned are good, but it's hard to deny that the price vs. quality of the game doesn't undermine it. So yes, price does often factor into it.

[GriskaGyoran]

Considering that Doom Troopers is a wretched embarrassment of a game (or at least the Genesis version is), that's a pretty harsh criticism! I played RRR2 a bit some years back -- thought it was flashy, but wasn't enraptured by the gameplay.

I never had an issue with the game. Well actually I did, the invisible mines on level 2 were a disaster.

[xelement5x]

This might prove contentious, but I think the PCE game is rather overrated, too.

Say whaaaaaat?!

[Moirai]

I wonder if Japanese people ever import american stuff that was never released there, like the Atari 7800 or Colecovision.

[QuickSciFi]

RPGs are my favorite genre. But I just don't get why anyone would import them. It requires fluency in the language.

I'd import action games like Alien Soldier, or shmups like Darwin 4081. But RPGs? I just don't see the appeal.

[j_factor]

I wonder if Japanese people ever import american stuff that was never released there, like the Atari 7800 or Colecovision.

Sure, probably about as often as people in America import something like a PC-98.

[Jeckidy]

I second that. I started importing RPGs and visual novels, because I was studying japanese. I consider myself somewhat serious in my studies, though maybe not investing enough in long sessions like I should be doing. However, I realized that I don't play that many RPGs in english either so I stopped doing that and sold most of them off. Visual novels I can get into, because they're more laid back and I'm an active reader. But I am not actively collecting text-intensive games at the moment.

As for japanese people collecting western games, I saw a Mega Drive fansite called Mega Steel Empire where the guy reviewed a few western exclusives for the system. There's the belief about "Yo ge, Kuso ge" (western game, shit game) in some circles but there are still those who see past the cultural disdain against western games. With current western games becoming more accepted in Japan, it's something that's gradually being upturned in contemporary japanese gaming.