Post#23 » Sat Sep 16, 2017 11:39 am
I disagree. I think cost should be a criticism. Of course effort and cost are a factor, but it borders on collector exploitation at this point.
'4x4 Jam' is currently free with in-app purchases on Android, and it's only an okay game. 'Ganryu' is an expensive cart, but if we're talking quality, which we were (maybe you didn't fully read my previous post), is not a very good game. 'Breakers' is not a good fighter.
'Flashback,' as I stated, is a good game with improvements on Dreamcast to make it (arguably) the best version of that game. But the PC game and 16-bit carts are only around $10, and the remastered version is coming Switch, which I bet is at the very least the same as the DC version and most likely cheaper (obviously there's a premium for a physical version).
In regards to 'In the Line of Fire,' that was a wholly original Dreamcast game and not a port. The Kickstarter was unsuccessful not because of the game itself, but how the Kickstarter was launched and ran (very, very little info unless you were already aware of the project prior to the Kickstarter). Also, don't forget about 'Xenocider.' That game is a fully 3D polygonal, original game for the Dreamcast that as of now isn't coming out on any other platform.
And again, as I said in my previous post, these lesser quality releases may very well be a stepping stone for JoshProd to establish itself as the go-to company for publishing physical DC games in order to get bigger name games ported to the DC (or have newer games release on DC alongside current platforms), and that would be fine. Limited Run Games did the same publishing strategy. The difference between JoshProd and LRG is that LRG has consistently published critical well received games (both by critics and gamers), and they sell them for only $10 over original download price to cover physical manufacturing costs. The latter obviously doesn't apply in the same way for Dreamcast games, but the choice of game quality should.
But so far it hasn't. And despite Dreamcast collectors, myself including, being used to paying a premium for newly released DC games, I think I speak for many when I say it's going a little too far and we aren't going to take those high prices for lower quality games for much longer.