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Hello everyone- it’s been a while. Been busy lately with life, health and the new Wolverine game. Rest assured, there is plenty to address here, so let’s get to it.
Earlier this month, during the fall Nintendo Direct; a myriad of games were announced. Among them (my top picks are Metroid Ravenous, Kirby and the World Beyond, a native port of GOTG Encore, Switch 2 editions for Pikmin 4 and Hyrule Warriors; and especially the Ocarina of Time remake as the centerpiece of the Zelda Direct), there were updates from Level-5. While the announcements in question were initially well-received, the further details from their own Level-5 Vision soured fans’ mood considerably. Now that some time has passed, I thought I would go over it all from my perspective. Here is a look at the curious case of modern Level-5.
It started innocuous enough, with the update on Professor Layton and the New World of Steam being largely well-received ahead of its winter release. Moreover, the announcement that followed was an even bigger surprise- though some were not sure, the choice they went with at least made basic sense. It was a full remake of Yo-kai Watch 2 on Switch 2; which will also see release on PS5 and PC via Steam. This version will contain aspects from all previous releases alongside a host of new content. The Japanese name for this version is “Hado,” meaning “new and shiny.” The wordplay was even worked into the English name, “Haunted Domain.” For the sake of argument, and since it is going to be in HD, I’m going to call it Yo-Kai Watch 2 HD from this point onward.
Though the news was received fairly positively at first, it didn’t take long for people to wonder if it was too good to be true. Sure enough, the Level-5 Vision that followed made this a classic “monkey’s paw” wish. Though the presentation was given the title “Dreams,” as I segue into this portion, it turned into more of a PR nightmare.
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| DLSS5 On (Left), DLSS5 Off (Right) |
On top of more details about the titles I just mentioned, the presentation featured updates related to the upcoming DECA Police and Holy Horror Mansion; both games I think have potential. There are even remakes of both Snack World and the original Professor Layton and a new Inazumua Eleven game coming. Still, the overall enthusiasm was dampened by the flagrant use of AI generated content; with an avatar of Akihiro Hino being the most egregious.
One of Hino’s aims is to reportedly offset the time to develop each title. However, the increased complexity of modern hardware; combined with several games facing delays (with some not having release dates at all) don’t support that conclusion.
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| Not exactly the words that come to mind based on the reception so far. |
After facing criticism for the decision (this being the latest in a number of AI experiments for the company), they attempted to address the matter with the following statement on their X/Twitter account.
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| Courtesy: Level-5/Akihiro Hino |
Though the tweet did attempt to explain and apologize for the situation, the deflective wording used did not endear Hino to many. Even in Japan, which has a less visible amount of detractors of AI than in the West; it was the subject of further criticism and ridicule. Even with the assurances given (and the games’ releasing on Steam requiring them to disclose the usage and percentage of AI), fans would not back down. As it became clear that the issue would not go away (hardly the first video game company this year to face heat for unpopular decisions), Hino issued a second statement that was posted on their website and social feeds.
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| Courtesy: Level-5 |
Despite the issue continuing to cast a shadow over everything Level-5 is currently working on; this statement was at least better-received. While Hino has been relatively open about his desire to get into AI agents, the affair has become the latest and most prominent blemish on Level-5’s reputation. I still think that both DECA Police and Holy Horror Mansion look interesting, but this response to the presentation has made me reluctant to pick up anything from them at launch. Given how this company was once seen as a bastion of quality, it’s highly disheartening to see that sold out for a few data tokens.
If they can keep their usage out of the final games (those involved in the upcoming Crazy Taxi revival have maintained it was only used in early concepts), then it might be possible to turn things around. All the same, I will always prefer the imperfections of a human touch over the plastic sheen of a chat prompt. Having something that I can enjoy despite a subjective flaw is a far greater value to me than having ChatGPT trying to objectively pander to my desires. Consequently, I have no personal ill will towards Hino or any of the developers at Level-5; and if their upcoming games do find success as anime cross-media brands, I will be sure to let you know.
That is all for now. Happy Autumnal equinox to those observing, take care.
