The Last Story director believes The Last Story's visuals don't suffer from not being on an HD console. Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy believes HD visuals aren't necessary to create a visually stunning game.
Speaking during the latest Iwata Asks discussion, Sakaguchi said: "To be honest, I think that the HD images which have become mainstream in the TV industry are, for me personally, still rather over the top for the world of video games.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata responded: "While it's necessary to be able to fully utilise those graphical capabilities in the future, if it can take up all of a developer's time, other aspects of the game end up being neglected."
To which Sakaguchi replied: "I agree. I was really averse to allowing the quality of the graphics to drop just because we were working on Wii, which doesn't have HD graphics. I do really think that, in the end, what we've created can hold its own against other hardware. We've successfully implemented the texture of rocks and water, for instance. The other important area is the motion."
Summing up what he's achieved on Wii, Sakaguchi said: "I think the graphics have a beauty that's almost photographic. Rather than everything being clear and sharp, there are shadows in the background and slightly blurred elements that actually lend the graphics the feel of a photograph. I think that we achieved the perfect balance because this game was on Wii."
Do you agree? Do you think The Last Story is one of the best looking Wii games?
I like the look of The Last Story and it most definitely proves that you don't need loads of power just to play a pretty game. But...I still want Wii U.
The art style of The Last Story does look great from the trailers i have seen. I can't wait for the 24th February so i can see more!
I agree with his point and I'm sure the Last Story will be excellent despite lacking HD visuals, but it seems ironic Mr Final Fantasy is saying that visuals aren't important when FF games have looked consistently brilliant. That would be like the Zelda developers turning round and saying sound design isn't all that...
I agree to a certain point. Concentrating just on graphics does sound like a bad move most of the time. This game does look beautiful on Wii.
BUT - Graphics are an important factor. I have both an Xbox 360 and a Wii, and if a game is released on both consoles I would usually buy it on xbox 360 as I'd be guaranteed better quality graphics. Same with Last Story, I'd rather play it in HD than in the low quality output that the Wii is limited to, but since that is not an option I'll have to accept it in 480p
Sakaguchi hasn't been at all involved with a FF game since XI (and then he was hardly involved), and hasn't directed a title in the series since V, so it's not particularly hypocritical him saying that really
If nothing else his viewpoint shows a lot of promise for the game. People with true creativity can make do without HD and work a masterpiece that surpasses many HD games. This is one of the marks of a true gaming genius.
The thing with HD is, yes it's pretty but its own strength can be used to become its greatest weakness in some respects; as in developers focus so much on it and deem that the eye candy will be enough to win sales - thus they neglect more important factors.
This certainly isn't the case with all games and it's best when we get the best of both worlds, but there is a lot of HD junk out there...
Now, now Sakaguchi: you clearly have worked wonders with SD, and I agree that art style is nine-tenths of a good looking game, but in the right hands a higher resolution doesn't make a game look worse in anyway, just sharper and, well, higher-res. Someone who diverts artistic resources simply for a HD picture is the same lazy kind of person who would bother milking the most from the Wii anyhow. Care and attention makes any game look awesome regardless of what NUMBERp it uses (like Skyward Sword or the Galaxy twins), but a sprinkle of HD makes them look a tiny bit better.
Good developers make great looking games that *should* look as good as the hosting console can muster, and props for doing just this (seemingly) with Last Story!