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PS2 classic 'Onimusha: Warlords' will be remastered for modern platforms
Stop me if you've heard this before: One of Capcom's defining series during the PlayStation 2 era is getting remastered for modern hardware. No, it's not Resident Evil (again), this time it's Onimusha: Warlords. The port features widescreen display options, fixed camera angles, countless sword fights and remastered visuals throughout (characters, cinematics and environments, according to the PlayStation Blog). So, a bit of the new with the familiar.
Capcom has 'no plans' to take action against fraudulent composer
Capcom does not plan to take action regarding composer Mamoru Samuragochi's recent admission that he outsourced his credited Onimusha and Resident Evil: Director's Cut soundtracks to a third party, the company confirmed in a statement to Eurogamer this week. "We at Capcom were truly surprised by Samuragochi's recent admission," a Capcom spokesperson told Eurogamer. "However, as both soundtracks involved are no longer in circulation, we have no plans to take action of any kind." Samuragochi admitted to hiring a ghost composer to create the majority of his credited work over the past two decades, citing a degenerative condition affecting his hearing. The admitted ghost composer, Takashi Niigaki, later claimed that Samuragochi lied about his hearing loss, alleging that the composer "cannot even write musical scores." Samuragochi addressed Niigaki's allegations earlier this week, claiming that his hearing partially returned within the past few years. "In recent years I have started to be able to hear a little bit more than before... since about three years ago I can hear words if people speak clearly and slowly into my ears," Samuragochi said in a written statement. "It is true that I received a certificate proving I had a hearing disorder and that I couldn't hear anything up until three years ago." [Image: AFP]
Teacher claiming to be Resident Evil ghost composer says Samuragochi isn't deaf
Part-time music teacher Takashi Niigaki said during a televised press conference in Tokyo that he was the ghost composer for Mamoru Samuragochi, the musician credited with scoring Resident Evil and Onimusha, among numerous famous symphonies. Samuragochi, known as "Japan's Beethoven," admitted this week to hiring a ghost composer as far back as 1996, a move he attributed to degenerative hearing loss that left him deaf by age 35. During the hour-long press conference, Niigaki said he didn't believe Samuragochi was deaf, and he "cannot even write musical scores." "I've never felt he was deaf ever since we met," Niigaki said, as reported by AFP. "We carry on normal conversations. I don't think he is (handicapped). At first he acted to me also as if he had suffered hearing loss, but he stopped doing so eventually. He told me, after the music for the video games was unveiled, that he would continue to play the role (of a deaf person)." Niigaki said he had been paid 7 million yen ($70,000) over 20 years of working with Samuragochi, during which he composed 20 pieces. Niigaki said he tried to end this working relationship "a few times," but he claimed Samuragochi threatened suicide if Niigaki stopped composing for him. When Niigaki learned a Winter Olympic hopeful, Daisuke Takahashi, would figure skate to a piece credited to Samuragochi, Niigaki severed ties, he said. "I am an accomplice of Samuragochi because I continued composing just as he demanded, although I knew he was deceiving people," Niigaki said. [Image: AFP, Yoshikazu Tsuno]
Resident Evil, Onimusha soundtrack creator hired a ghost composer
Japanese musician Mamoru Samuragochi has admitted to hiring a ghost composer to assist in scoring the soundtracks for Onimusha, Resident Evil: Director's Cut, and other works that he previously claimed to have written himself. Samuragochi, whom Time magazine once described as a "digital-age Beethoven," suffers from a degenerative hearing condition that worsened as demand for his composing talents increased around 1996. The condition led Samuragochi to commission an unnamed artist to compose more than half of his credited work in the years since. Samuragochi continued to claim credit for commissioned music after becoming completely deaf at the age of 35. His notable commissioned works include "Symphony No.1, Hiroshima" and a sonata accompanying figure skater Daisuke Takahashi at the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. "Samuragochi is deeply sorry as he has betrayed fans and disappointed others," reads a statement issued by Samuragochi's lawyers. "He knows he could not possibly make any excuse for what he has done." [Image: Capcom]
Capcom explains absence of new Dino Crisis and Onimusha titles
To say Onimusha and Dino Crisis are on the back burner at Capcom could be an understatement. They're probably not even at Capcom and likely at the appliance store, sitting in the back playing cards, waiting to deliver the actual oven. In short: we haven't seen 'em and we're not sure when we will again. Capcom's VP of strategic planning and business development, Christian Svensson, provided IGN with some insight into Capcom's two franchises. You see, while earlier entries in those franchises were successful, later iterations weren't. According to the company, each provide their own set of challenges: Onimusha is a brand that resonates with Japanese audiences, but Capcom's pushing for more Westernized games right now, while Dino Crisis has the unfortunate problem of nobody at the company having "a burning desire" to "light that franchise back up again." One thing we would've liked to see Svennson discuss is DmC: Devil May Cry. Ninja Theory's reboot doesn't just have the future of that particular franchise riding on it, but could determine how other companies handle -- or don't handle -- revitalizing an older brand for a new audience.
Capcom dates Clock Tower, Onimusha movies
This past Tuesday marked Capcom's 25th anniversary -- my how the time flies. However, instead of celebrating by taking body shots off of Kristin Kreuk, the company commemorated the milestone by attaching dates to upcoming film versions of two of its existing franchises.According to a post on Capcom's US blog, the adaptation of popular action-adventure series Onimusha is expected make its theatrical debut in 2011, with Silent Hill's Christophe Gans still attached to direct. Capcom also anticipates Clock Tower to take a giant pair of scissors to the big screen as early as next year, this one being helmed by The Hills Have Eyes II's Martin Weisz. Now join us won't you as we hold hands and blow out the candles on Capcom's birthday cake. And don't forget to make a wish for at least one of these to not be box office poison.
Onimusha film starts production in April, Tekken poster revealed
After the Great Terror Wars, governments fell ... Seven corporations rose from the ashes to rule all men ... Together they were known as The Iron Fist ... The mightiest of which was ... TekkenThat's the tag line featured above a metallic, bloody capital 'T' for the Tekken movie, revealed via ComingSoon.Net. Can't you just feel the drama building through the indulgent use of ellipses?The film news site also revealed that production on the Onimusha adaptation is expected to begin in April 2008, with Silent Hill director Christophe Gans at the helm. Despite a bashing from critics, the Silent Hill film managed to gross $97 million worldwide. Will Gans be able to attract that big of an audience again? He might need a helping hand from the writers who developed the seminal Tekken movie poster ...
Next-gen Onimusha, MegaMan Legends, and RE5 discussed
Keiji Inafune is a brilliant mastermind. Not only did he create MegaMan, but he's mulling over the possibility of making a next-gen Onimusha title, reviving the amazing MegaMan Legends franchise, and goes on to talk a bit about the changes made in Resident Evil 5. While every single one of those games deserves their own time in the sun, we're going to squash them together in bullet list form and let you decide who to dote over. Inafune wants to make MegaMan Legends 3 awfully bad -- moreso than Onimusha and perhaps RE5, but since management won't give him funding, he has to wait until he climbs the ladder a little more. If an Onimusha sequel is created, Inafune wants to go back to actor-based characters instead of the fictional characters from Dawn of Dreams. In the same vein, Inafune wants to make an Onimusha with a female lead character, but he's told it would not sell, so it has been denied him these many years! We are sad at hearing this. As for Resident Evil 5, light is the new source of fear instead of dark. Inafune and gang (including a good number of people from the defunct Clover studios) want to find ways to utilize light to scare people. How realistically it can be used, etc. It seems like it could work. It's hard to see in a house if you've been out in the blazing desert sun for a few hours. Who knows what lurks within! We hope Inafune gets more sway in Capcom's happenings, because we want to see some amazing games that we know developers are willing to work on. The above three are probably the ones we're looking forward to the most from Capcom, partially because we don't fully believe they'll be happening anytime soon. It's sad, but true. Which of these three would you love to have fall into your hands tomorrow morning?
Podcast Rodeo for June 10: There's A Tear in My Ear
As you can see, the old man died tragically in a fire, sacrificing not only his life but his bitchin' Grados for a stock clip art iPod in the blaze. But hey, the Rodeo continues to bravely soldier on without him. Audio ahoy! The Weekly Geek: We were originally going to write something mean about TWG after host Chris complained about being not included in the Rodeo. Infuriatingly though, we ended up really liking the show, spoiling our plans entirely. If you like to hear grown men ranting about Shrek, we think you'll like it too. Press Start: After an extended absence, Ky-Ky Baby (Mr. Orland if you're nasty) and his harem of two game experts talk about the slow decline of the retail games industry. To some of you? A relief. To the more materialistic of you? An 18:48 horror show. Listen at your own peril.
Gans to direct Onimusha film
Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill director Christophe Gans will be manning the chair for a film based on Onimusha, Capcom's popular action-adventure franchise. Silent Hill had a successful weekend, and if it continues to perform well at the box office, Gans is under contract to direct its sequel. This means the Onimusha flick could be a few years off. Hopefully, Brotherhood wasn't a fluke, and Gans will deliver another top notch action thriller, samurai style. There's no mention of Onimusha 3's Jean Reno appearing in the film, but adding Brotherhood's Monica Belucci to the cast wouldn't hurt. [via 1UP]
Capcom and Ubisoft partner to port to PC
As suspected, Capcom's mega-hit Resident Evil 4 will be making its way, from its roots on the Gamecube and subsequently the PS2, to the PC. It's not going alone though: Capcom's Onimusha 3 and Devil May Cry 3 will be along for the ride, and Ubisoft will be handling the distribution of all three titles. Hopefully the games will enjoy a high-res makeover before their release, instead of standard-definition ports with PS2 textures. Here's the part where both companies gush about how thrilled -- errr, apologies, it appears they are both excited, not thrilled -- to be working with one another on this historic event. Ubisoft: "Ubisoft is excited to be bringing three of the industry's most innovative titles, including Resident Evil 4... to PC gamers around the world." Capcom: "Capcom is excited to be taking advantage of Ubisoft's global distribution network to deliver our hottest titles for gamers around the world to play and enjoy," This can be roughly translated the following way: A corporate boardroom. Afternoon. Two anthropomorphised corporations sit across a meeting table; their hands almost touching, their eyes locked. UBISOFT: I'm so excited! Think about it: your games, my distribution. We're perfect for each other. CAPCOM: No, I'm way more excited to be working with you! You're French... and sophisticated. UBISOFT: You're sweet, but really, I'm soooo excited. I can't wait to get your games out to gamers to game with all around the world. CAPCOM: I'm excited infinity plus one! [Thanks, JamesO]
