What Are Your Unpopular Gaming Opinions? (Ver. 2)

[Quillion]

Persona lost the niche medal long time ago since P5, so I don't see why it should be a problem, I don't think the next games (no-spin offs) would take a completely different direction now that the games are multiplatform.
I mean, even if they aren't the main ones, Persona had multiplatform games in the past:

I am genuinely confused as to how the series will even be slightly different now that it’s on other consoles too. I really don’t see how that decision will change anything about how the games how the aesthetic/art direction will be different at all. It’s not like the aesthetic of the persona games is a thing that can only happen on playstation

It's not the aesthetic I'm worried about, it's gameplay and theming.

The only JRPGs that Nintendo users like are those that hearken back to a simpler, older time in gamig.

The only Japanese games that Xbox users like are those with the uniquely Japanese things scrubbed out.

Combine the two, and a Persona 6 made with multiplatform audience in mind will just be blandly cultureless and simplistic.

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

It's not the aesthetic I'm worried about, it's gameplay and theming.

The only JRPGs that Nintendo users like are those that hearken back to a simpler, older time in gamig.

The only Japanese games that Xbox users like are those with the uniquely Japanese things scrubbed out.

Combine the two, and a Persona 6 made with multiplatform audience in mind will just be blandly cultureless and simplistic.

There are plenty of games that were successful on nintendo and xbox and go against those ideas: Xenoblade Chronicles, and the Shin Megami Tensei games after 3 are on nintendo. Those games maybe have some references to older games but really do their own thing and are the opposite of simple. And these games ended up being very successful.

Xbox got like all the final fantasy’s and Yakuza: Like A Dragon which are obviously very… not western in tone and they did very good on the system so I don’t see how xbox owners would want just western games in ways playstation owners do not. And if Sega thought xbox owners didn’t care about Japanese culture in games why would they put persona on xbox in the first place? Or the aforementioned yakuza like a dragon?

I just don’t see any evidence for atlus wanting to change anything about the gameplay to pander to users of those other consoles and even if they did, why would they do it in that way? I don’t even really think there are examples of any company changing things about the way they develop their games when they know it might get released on a different console with different audiences.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

It's not the aesthetic I'm worried about, it's gameplay and theming.

The only JRPGs that Nintendo users like are those that hearken back to a simpler, older time in gamig.

The only Japanese games that Xbox users like are those with the uniquely Japanese things scrubbed out.

Combine the two, and a Persona 6 made with multiplatform audience in mind will just be blandly cultureless and simplistic.

Imagine that Atlus knows about their publics

Just like CoH said, isn't like there aren't games in Nintendo consoles similar to Persona, heck, SMT still has a record to almost be on Nintendo consoles exclusively alongside other spin offs like Persona Q or Devil Survivor (not so sure about this one).

I don't see why Atlus would care for what the console specific public cares. Specially since is a multiplatform game so focusing on things of a console specific public is stupid.

 

[Quillion]

don’t even really think there are examples of any company changing things about the way they develop their games when they know it might get released on a different console with different audiences.

What about Capcom's PS3/360 "western" push that sent their reputation down the toilet in that gen?

I don't see why Atlus would care for what the console specific public cares. Specially since is a multiplatform game so focusing on things of a console specific public is stupid.

It would be like releasing an arthouse film to commercial cinemas or marketing a gun-heavy action movie to RomCom fans. Studios and creatives in all media need to know their audience.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

What about Capcom's PS3/360 "western" push that sent their reputation down the toilet in that gen?

I mean, more than the consoles they where tried to appeal to a region (Occident).

It would be like releasing an arthouse film to commercial cinemas or marketing a gun-heavy action movie to RomCom fans. Studios and creatives in all media need to know their audience.

Exactly, and their audiencies isn't the general Nintendo audience, the general Xbox audience or even the general Playstation audience, their audience is the JRPG's fans.

 

[Quillion]

Exactly, and their audiencies isn't the general Nintendo audience, the general Xbox audience or even the general Playstation audience, their audience is the JRPG's fans.

But those JRPG fans will inevitably have their tastes influenced by whatever else, JRPG or not, is on their platform of choice.

 

[PeridotGX]

I don't know if I like the way gaming industry is going, we're very rapidly approaching a point where PC has, for all intents and purposes, a monopoly over consoles. Microsoft is already bringing all their games to PC, and Sony is flirting with the idea. I wouldn't be surprised if within the coming years Sony has a more stable strategy, be it day-and-date or a consistent 6-month or so delay between release. When it comes time for the PS6 and the Xbox whatever, why would anyone buy them? Why buy a system that can only play Halo, or only play God of War, when you could buy both? And when console sales start to recede, those companies are going to try and recoup profits by going even harder on PC. It's an endless loop, and it only ends once they decide that producing Playstations and Xboxes are more trouble that it's worth. And while Microsoft would be mostly fine in this scenario (they still own Windows after all), Sony would take a massive hit, start making fewer games. As for Nintendo, as much of a hardass as they can be, I don't know how long they would survive being the only console on the market, especially if they stay underpowered (AKA easy to emulate).

And while this might not sound bad to many people... it is to me. I hate PC gaming. I hate the idea of playing games on a mouse and keyboard, and i hate the ton of setup that PC gamers seem to salivate over. I only do it when absolutely necessary, playing Deltarune chapters as they come out (to avoid spoilers), playing the online Pokemon TCG game (which is PC only and debatably doesn't count), and very rarely emulating games. Why would I want to play video games on the same system I write essays and make memes on? I plan on going into Computer Science, so there would literally be no separation of my job and my primary hobby as well. How would I relax if I'm always essentially on the job? And even if I am exaggerating the doom of consoles, and they do exist despite being outclassed, how do I live with that? How do I live with the knowledge that I made the wrong choice, that my way of living is objectively inferior?

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

But those JRPG fans will inevitably have their tastes influenced by whatever else, JRPG or not, is on their platform of choice.

And that's why mutliplaforming is good since instead of worring because you need to have three consoles to play what you want you can buy just one because it has the controls you like more or anything not related to the third party catalogue!

 

[MasterCheef]

i HATE most of the retro reps. seems to be highly unpopular.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

I don't know if I like the way gaming industry is going, we're very rapidly approaching a point where PC has, for all intents and purposes, a monopoly over consoles. Microsoft is already bringing all their games to PC, and Sony is flirting with the idea. I wouldn't be surprised if within the coming years Sony has a more stable strategy, be it day-and-date or a consistent 6-month or so delay between release. When it comes time for the PS6 and the Xbox whatever, why would anyone buy them? Why buy a system that can only play Halo, or only play God of War, when you could buy both? And when console sales start to recede, those companies are going to try and recoup profits by going even harder on PC. It's an endless loop, and it only ends once they decide that producing Playstations and Xboxes are more trouble that it's worth. And while Microsoft would be mostly fine in this scenario (they still own Windows after all), Sony would take a massive hit, start making fewer games. As for Nintendo, as much of a hardass as they can be, I don't know how long they would survive being the only console on the market, especially if they stay underpowered (AKA easy to emulate).

And while this might not sound bad to many people... it is to me. I hate PC gaming. I hate the idea of playing games on a mouse and keyboard, and i hate the ton of setup that PC gamers seem to salivate over. I only do it when absolutely necessary, playing Deltarune chapters as they come out (to avoid spoilers), playing the online Pokemon TCG game (which is PC only and debatably doesn't count), and very rarely emulating games. Why would I want to play video games on the same system I write essays and make memes on? I plan on going into Computer Science, so there would literally be no separation of my job and my primary hobby as well. How would I relax if I'm always essentially on the job? And even if I am exaggerating the doom of consoles, and they do exist despite being outclassed, how do I live with that? How do I live with the knowledge that I made the wrong choice, that my way of living is objectively inferior?

About this, tbh I also don't like too much play on keyboard (even if, well, the pc has compactibility with controls) but for me at least is necessary because buying games in consoles is HARD, if you want to buy a game here expect that it would cost 10-40$ more than in any other place (I see a copy of FF7 on Switch (no,no the version that includes the other games, just FF7) at 50$, and no, buying in Amazon or other place isn't an option because the cost of deliver is almost the same than the extra price they add here. Steam is just far more accesible and cheaper. If the consoles doesn't has that type of accesibility for the games then I think they are """dying""" by their own fault.

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

What about Capcom's PS3/360 "western" push that sent their reputation down the toilet in that gen?

I believe that’s more because of a shift in priorities for the games industry and increased populariy of videogames in the west, I don’t think it really has to do with consoles and we definitely aren’t seeing that shift now. If anything the opposite is happening, seeing as how Xbox is becoming more and more popular in Japan.

 

[Quillion]

I don't know if I like the way gaming industry is going, we're very rapidly approaching a point where PC has, for all intents and purposes, a monopoly over consoles. Microsoft is already bringing all their games to PC, and Sony is flirting with the idea. I wouldn't be surprised if within the coming years Sony has a more stable strategy, be it day-and-date or a consistent 6-month or so delay between release. When it comes time for the PS6 and the Xbox whatever, why would anyone buy them? Why buy a system that can only play Halo, or only play God of War, when you could buy both? And when console sales start to recede, those companies are going to try and recoup profits by going even harder on PC. It's an endless loop, and it only ends once they decide that producing Playstations and Xboxes are more trouble that it's worth. And while Microsoft would be mostly fine in this scenario (they still own Windows after all), Sony would take a massive hit, start making fewer games. As for Nintendo, as much of a hardass as they can be, I don't know how long they would survive being the only console on the market, especially if they stay underpowered (AKA easy to emulate).

And while this might not sound bad to many people... it is to me. I hate PC gaming. I hate the idea of playing games on a mouse and keyboard, and i hate the ton of setup that PC gamers seem to salivate over. I only do it when absolutely necessary, playing Deltarune chapters as they come out (to avoid spoilers), playing the online Pokemon TCG game (which is PC only and debatably doesn't count), and very rarely emulating games. Why would I want to play video games on the same system I write essays and make memes on? I plan on going into Computer Science, so there would literally be no separation of my job and my primary hobby as well. How would I relax if I'm always essentially on the job? And even if I am exaggerating the doom of consoles, and they do exist despite being outclassed, how do I live with that? How do I live with the knowledge that I made the wrong choice, that my way of living is objectively inferior?

I know this is sacrilege to serious PC gamers, but I prefer gaming laptops that can go with recommended specs that I can move around and connect to a TV for a comfortable console-like experience.

If I have to trade mobility for the ability to upgrade a desktop over and over again, no thanks.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

I know this is sacrilege to serious PC gamers, but I prefer gaming laptops that can go with recommended specs that I can move around and connect to a TV for a comfortable console-like experience.

If I have to trade mobility for the ability to upgrade a desktop over and over again, no thanks.

I have a "laptop gaming" (it has an AMD graphic card idk I aren't the expert in these things, is an ASUS if you know more you can make yourself an idea with that), I have it more for my work but I also have some games. I would say that I consider a laptop gaming better than a regular computer if you aren't too into modern games (or you have a console for run the modern games you want) but if you want to have those hard-requiring games and you don't want a console/you want to only have one device then a desktop computer is definitively better.

 

[Quillion]

I have a "laptop gaming" (it has an AMD graphic card idk I aren't the expert in these things, is an ASUS if you know more you can make yourself an idea with that), I have it more for my work but I also have some games. I would say that I consider a laptop gaming better than a regular computer if you aren't too into modern games (or you have a console for run the modern games you want) but if you want to have those hard-requiring games and you don't want a console/you want to only have one device then a desktop computer is definitively better.

I know I have to avoid the really super-taxing games on a laptop. But really, with consoles perpetually being below PC and a lot of publishers and developers keeping console ports in mind, how many current-gen games will be super-taxing to computers on recommended?

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

I was more talking about run the game that running in good. Unlike a computer you don't need to worry for all the components to run the game good, the console is supposed to handle it by default. Either way there are some games that at least I can't run without a potato mod that would make it look like a SNES game (Guilty Gear Strive, KOF XV, DMC 5, DOOM Eternal), idk, maybe my laptop is just ****.

 

[Baysha]

Games shouldn't be over 2.5 GB.
I love using left click to jump in 3D games.

I don't know if I like the way gaming industry is going, we're very rapidly approaching a point where PC has, for all intents and purposes, a monopoly over consoles. Microsoft is already bringing all their games to PC, and Sony is flirting with the idea. I wouldn't be surprised if within the coming years Sony has a more stable strategy, be it day-and-date or a consistent 6-month or so delay between release. When it comes time for the PS6 and the Xbox whatever, why would anyone buy them? Why buy a system that can only play Halo, or only play God of War, when you could buy both? And when console sales start to recede, those companies are going to try and recoup profits by going even harder on PC. It's an endless loop, and it only ends once they decide that producing Playstations and Xboxes are more trouble that it's worth. And while Microsoft would be mostly fine in this scenario (they still own Windows after all), Sony would take a massive hit, start making fewer games. As for Nintendo, as much of a hardass as they can be, I don't know how long they would survive being the only console on the market, especially if they stay underpowered (AKA easy to emulate).

And while this might not sound bad to many people... it is to me. I hate PC gaming. I hate the idea of playing games on a mouse and keyboard, and i hate the ton of setup that PC gamers seem to salivate over. I only do it when absolutely necessary, playing Deltarune chapters as they come out (to avoid spoilers), playing the online Pokemon TCG game (which is PC only and debatably doesn't count), and very rarely emulating games. Why would I want to play video games on the same system I write essays and make memes on? I plan on going into Computer Science, so there would literally be no separation of my job and my primary hobby as well. How would I relax if I'm always essentially on the job? And even if I am exaggerating the doom of consoles, and they do exist despite being outclassed, how do I live with that? How do I live with the knowledge that I made the wrong choice, that my way of living is objectively inferior?

I feel like this is too much of a "doomer" take. People will still buy consoles because of at least two factors: their price and their easiness. And I say this as someone who prefers PC gaming, consoles aren't "inferior," far from it. Consoles are just a different way of play. Some PCs that people use for gaming are even less powerful than consoles. You can easily turn your outlook on its head. Why buy an expensive computer that's a pain to setup when you could buy a cheaper console that works right out of the gate? Just so games can look slightly prettier? Even then, you are definitely not alone in your preference, many other people with your opinions are out there. If there weren't, I feel PCs would've "replaced" consoles long ago.

 

[Quillion]

I feel like this is too much of a "doomer" take. People will still buy consoles because of at least two factors: their price and their easiness. And I say this as someone who prefers PC gaming, consoles aren't "inferior," far from it. Consoles are just a different way of play. Some PCs that people use for gaming are even less powerful than consoles. You can easily turn your outlook on its head. Why buy an expensive computer that's a pain to setup when you could buy a cheaper console that works right out of the gate? Just so games can look slightly prettier? Even then, you are definitely not alone in your preference, many other people with your opinions are out there. If there weren't, I feel PCs would've "replaced" consoles long ago.

This is a good summary as to why I've grown to prefer gaming laptops. It won't have the upgradability of a desktop nor the plug-n-play nature of a console, but I find it a nice enough compromise that can do some of the key advantages of both desktop and console well.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

At least in consideration to what we know, I consider the FF7R retelling far more interesing than the og story (not meaning that FF7 vanilla story is bad, very far from that, but I'm digging more on what direction FF7R is trying to point), I hope this opinion don't gets horrible outdated after the release of Rebirth tho.

 

[fogbadge]

I don’t think gaming generations should be divided by company rather than years. Meaning we are in Nintendos 7th console generation rather than whatever number the whole thing is up to

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

I like the name “Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves “ better than “Garou: Mark of the Wolves”

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

I dont care if there is no Nintendo Direct for the rest of the year, Splatoon 3, Three Hopes, the Pokémon game and especially Xenoblade 3 are already solid games so I dont see why people think "Nintendo needs to reléase another big game".

 

[Qwerty UIOP]

Queen Elizabeth is a man.
Prince Charles is a ******.
Winston Churchill was full of ****.
Shakespeare is French

Abraham Lincoln got in Smash Bros tho

 

[Quillion]

Third-party exclusives aren't a bad thing. In a lot of cases, they're actually a good thing.

Limiting the platforms that a game has in mind will free up resources that can go towards make the game on its lonesome better.

Making a game for multiple platforms will add more cost to development and therefore the publisher might force the developer to give the game more "mass appeal" to compensate.
----
Also, more companies need to take action/refuse to take action just to spite people who are overly demanding.

The only exception is something where the fans demand something that was originally planned but was forced to be scrapped (e.g. Mass Effect 3 and its original ending).

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

I agree with the second one, and more or less with the first one, I consider exclusivity of third party not a bad thing, but I don't see why they should be "forced" to the "mass appeal" since most of the time excepting when it's a brand new IP the developers just stick with their general audience that could or couldn't be concentrated in a particular device (I don't see, for example, a difference between Modern DOOM games to the classic ones in terms of appeal even if the modern games are multiplaform while the classic ones where planned in first time to PC only).

 

[Janx_uwu]

Third-party exclusives aren't a bad thing. In a lot of cases, they're actually a good thing.

Limiting the platforms that a game has in mind will free up resources that can go towards make the game on its lonesome better.

Making a game for multiple platforms will add more cost to development and therefore the publisher might force the developer to give the game more "mass appeal" to compensate.

Main thing I hate is when an established third-party series has a new installment that's console-exclusive. Not really an unpopular opinion just felt like I should say it.

 

[Quillion]

I agree with the second one, and more or less with the first one, I consider exclusivity of third party not a bad thing, but I don't see why they should be "forced" to the "mass appeal" since most of the time excepting when it's a brand new IP the developers just stick with their general audience that could or couldn't be concentrated in a particular device (I don't see, for example, a difference between Modern DOOM games to the classic ones in terms of appeal even if the modern games are multiplaform while the classic ones where planned in first time to PC only).

The "general audience" issue is part of the reason why a lot of modern big-name games nowadays are bland, unoriginal, repetitive, and/or unfocused.

Here's something we discussed on another thread:

I don't think you get it, I don't dislike open world games for being repetitive, I dislike that they aren't repetitive. That they aren't letting you perfect just one skill.

Understandable; I've been thinking for a while now that modern open world games are trying to be every genre at once (even ones that don't make sense like interactive movies) in an effort to reach the widest audiences possible, and therefore failing to be any of those genres.

The "general audience" approach is making a lot of games nowadays try to appeal to so many different groups at once by having an open world, shooting elements, melee combat, collection quests, crafting, experience-and-stats systems, "interactive movie" stories, stealth, and platforming all in one game. And like I said, because they try to please everyone, they fail to please everyone.

Companies in general (outside of video games even) need to know that if you want to please everyone, you should please different people at different times, not please everyone at the same time.
----

Main thing I hate is when an established third-party series has a new installment that's console-exclusive. Not really an unpopular opinion just felt like I should say it.

Admittedly I agree. I can't exactly forgive Capcom for thinking making Street Fighter 5 a PlayStation exclusive would be a good idea in the long run.

Still though, an established third-party exclusive series going multiplatform can be equally bad for the reasons I stated.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

The "general audience" approach is making a lot of games nowadays try to appeal to so many different groups at once by having an open world, shooting elements, melee combat, collection quests, crafting, experience-and-stats systems, "interactive movie" stories, stealth, and platforming all in one game. And like I said, because they try to please everyone, they fail to please everyone.

Companies in general (outside of video games even) need to know that if you want to please everyone, you should please different people at different times, not please everyone at the same time.

I don't really know when multiplaforming became the synonym of "please everyone", you can be a fan of a particular game and not have the same console maybe because you did play it on another console but then you didn't had the money for buy two of them and the other one looked more interesing or or you just became interesed for the original game but like before you just don't have money for buy two consoles.

Sure the more mainstream games are every day more homogenous (is that the word?), open world, skill tree, long cinematics with some quick time events, a billion of things to do yet most of them are just filling, etc (ejem ejem Forbidden West ejem) but that doesn't mean that it's a problem of become multiplaforming, in fact, the Forbidden West example is from a game that, at least atm it's Play Station exclusive.

 

[Quillion]

I don't really know when multiplaforming became the synonym of "please everyone", you can be a fan of a particular game and not have the same console maybe because you did play it on another console but then you didn't had the money for buy two of them and the other one looked more interesing or or you just became interesed for the original game but like before you just don't have money for buy two consoles.

Sure the more mainstream games are every day more homogenous (is that the word?), open world, skill tree, long cinematics with some quick time events, a billion of things to do yet most of them are just filling, etc (ejem ejem Forbidden West ejem) but that doesn't mean that it's a problem of become multiplaforming, in fact, the Forbidden West example is from a game that, at least atm it's Play Station exclusive.

Touché. I do hear sometimes that PlayStation Studios' current offerings are doing little more than imitating the excesses of modern AAA games, yet those are obviously PlayStation exclusive.

 

[fogbadge]

homogenous (is that the word?)

I believe so, yes

 

[ssbashworld]

Really conflicted on Nier Automata making it to switch. Feels like too little too late yet & a couple costumes & owning a physical copy does not feel like enough to sell me. Yet it is one of my favorite games & part of me wants to support since I still want to see the series expand to other platforms such as replicant on switch (do own it but havent played it yet) or any of the drakengard games to other platforms since i am really interested in checking them out at some point.

 

[Quillion]

Really conflicted on Nier Automata making it to switch. Feels like too little too late yet & a couple costumes & owning a physical copy does not feel like enough to sell me. Yet it is one of my favorite games & part of me wants to support since I still want to see the series expand to other platforms such as replicant on switch (do own it but havent played it yet) or any of the drakengard games to other platforms since i am really interested in checking them out at some point.

Yeah TBH, both Squeenix and Atlus are wasting their time and money with Nier Automata and Persona series ports. The Switch clearly doesn't have the right audience for those sorts of games.

And yet when Squeenix brings Kingdom Hearts to Switch, which matches the console's demographic, they make an awful cloud port.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

Yeah TBH, both Squeenix and Atlus are wasting their time and money with Nier Automata and Persona series ports. The Switch clearly doesn't have the right audience for those sorts of games.

And yet when Squeenix brings Kingdom Hearts to Switch, which matches the console's demographic, they make an awful cloud port.

I think a major problem of the comparison is treat the Nintendo demography has universal, when clearly Japanese's tastes are different and I think they are very happy to play these games portable (that that's the other thing, Japaneses loves portable consoles).

 

[Quillion]

I think a major problem of the comparison is treat the Nintendo demography has universal, when clearly Japanese's tastes are different and I think they are very happy to play these games portable (that that's the other thing, Japaneses loves portable consoles).

Do you mean that Nintendo's demographic can appreciate more styles of games than PlayStation and Xbox users?

 

[Baysha]

Yeah TBH, both Squeenix and Atlus are wasting their time and money with Nier Automata and Persona series ports. The Switch clearly doesn't have the right audience for those sorts of games.

And yet when Squeenix brings Kingdom Hearts to Switch, which matches the console's demographic, they make an awful cloud port.

Honestly, I was surprised when I learned Persona 5 wasn't on Switch. It just kinda felt like it fit.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

Do you mean that Nintendo's demographic can appreciate more styles of games than PlayStation and Xbox users?

No, I mean that the audiences of all companies varies between a lot of things like the countries, here where I live most people only buy Playstation for play Fortnite and FIFA, they don't care a **** about Persona, Nier, etc. You can't generalize a demography based on just one thing.

 

[Quillion]

[REDACTED]; I highly regret this post.

 

[Baysha]

How does it fit? Both it and Nier are far too complex and philosophical for Nintendo users to comprehend.

Bruh, what is this console-war-era ****? People who own Nintendo systems can think about philosophy. Anyway, since this is a "state your unpopular opinions" thread and not a "argue with other people about their unpopular opinions" thread, I will exit this conversation before it can spiral out of control.

 

[Perkilator]

On the talk of ports, I’m surprised the Dead Rising Triple Pack (which has Dead Rising 1, Dead Rising 2 and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record) was never ported to Switch (or at least the first two games by themselves).

 

[Quillion]

When people accuse open world games of not gelling well with linear stories.

Don't get me wrong, I do agree with that, but people who make that accusation act like "do story, stall story and do own thing, resume story" is somehow worse than "watch cutscene, fight your way down pathway, watch cutscene." Both are very stop-and-go ways to deliver both gameplay and story, and they both highlight the weakness of using conventional storytelling in video games.

 

[Infinity Sorcerer]

Not completely unpopular but that I personally feel just very stupid, SNK shouldn't have do the KOF XII sprites.

A lot of people loves does sprites, they call them beautiful and the best sprites they even seen but the thing is that the main reason why KOF XII ended being crap was EXACTLY THOSE SPRITES, they where too hard to do taking months doing a single character, and apart of that the sprites are made to be seeing in a big size (like how they are showed in KOF XII, looking like the old sprites of Art of Fighting), but when they where shrinked in KOF XIII they look very blur and bad (particulary the faces, most of them look ass).

I don't say that they should use the same sprites of all life, in fact I think it would be worse since it would make the game look lame even with great mechanics, just try to do sprites adjusted to their time and budget. Maybe something like BlazBlue's sprites that looks neat and don't take that much to develop having already in mind doing them in a medium size would not only allow KOF XII to not be KOF XII but also include those characters that where completely vanished just for the sake of have the classic dudes.