Is the Sega Saturn overrated?

[pakopako]

I don't think american fans of Ursei Yatsura are particularly rare...
At least among anime fandom that is.

The ones who probably own the entire series on LD are.

Also, the Saturn version (of Ogre Battle), unlike the SNES and PSX counterparts, was voiced. Any time you had a character (with talking head) speak, they actually spoke. (No idea why the PSX version didn't do that.)

I've owned the PS1 US version, JP Saturn version and played the US SNES version, but never tried the JP PS1 version. Does the JP PS1 version have no voices? The Saturn version only came out a month or two later I think. Maybe Sega struck a deal?

Good point; I've never tried the JP version of either Ogre game on the PS1, but it seems strange that they would strip the audio track out of the US version given how popular Japanese VO was at the time and how the first game was even labeled "Limited Edition".

[Breetai]

The obscure games like Panzer Dragoon, Nights into Dreams, Virtual On, and Silhouette Mirage were simply not seen in any form or mimic on the other two consoles. Castlevania Symphony of the Night was ported to the Saturn with improved 2D graphics, a larger castle, and a character selection (and for some reason, that alone has influenced people to buy one.)

Silhouette Mirage is on the PS1, and actually had a North American release a couple years after the JP Saturn version courtesy of Working Designs. Silhouette Mirage is also available on the PSP and PS3 as a download.

As for SotN, yes it did have a couple extra areas (well, technically four) and a playable Maria and selectable Richter from the start. I would not say the graphics are improved. I'd say the graphics are a little bit worse. It was a direct port from the PS1 and was not really optimized for the Saturn. As a result, the graphics are slightly distorted. Additionally, some of the graphical affects present in the PS1 version are absent in the Saturn version. This include a lack of transparencies (it is especially noticeable in the water sections as when Alucard is in mist form), some less impressive magical effects, and completely lacks the depictions of Alucard changing forms. The Saturn version is good, and worth playing for diehard SotN fans because of the extra areas and a playable Maria, but it really isn't worth going out of your way to get if you are happy with another version of SotN that you might own. Personally, I actually slightly prefer the PS1 version.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Didn't the Saturn version of SOTN also have lots of slowdown?

[Breetai]

Didn't the Saturn version of SOTN also have lots of slowdown?

From what I remember, it had some slowdown in places where there was none in the PS1 version, but, in some places, NO slowdown in places where there was slowdown in the PS1 version.

I figure they just cancel each other out.

[valgalder]

I also remember the Saturn version having a bunch of new items, and a third hand to equip stuff. The new areas weren't amazing, but they were a cool addition. Yeah as somebody mentioned it was pretty weird about the slowdown issues compared to the PS1 version are different.. loading times and menu responsivenessis also a tiny bit slower. It's unfortunate because if this game was done by Konami themselves and not outsourced to another smaller team, they could have potentially optimized this game to be much better than the PS1 version, but unfortunately the opposite happened.

I can't exactly remember, but did the saturn version have added music as well? When it came out, I didn't mind that the Saturn one didn't have the polished graphical effects of the PS1 version, but now looking back, I'd rather play the PS1 version. One thing I do like about the Saturn one though is the japanese voice acting is much cooler sounding than the ridiculously cheesy english voices.

[Breetai]

I can't exactly remember, but did the saturn version have added music as well? When it came out, I didn't mind that the Saturn one didn't have the polished graphical effects of the PS1 version, but now looking back, I'd rather play the PS1 version. One thing I do like about the Saturn one though is the japanese voice acting is much cooler sounding than the ridiculously cheesy english voices.

Well, the extra areas had different music. There was also a sound test feature, and I am pretty darn sure the remixed music on the Saturn version is not in the PS1 version. So, that's pretty cool.

You can also get Japanese voice acting on the JP PS1 version.

[dunpeal2064]

The ps1 version of Silouette Mirage is terrible compared to the original. Working designs totally screwed it by upping the amount of gold you need to do certain things.

At a point in the game, you are just farming tiny bits of gold for way too long. It wasn't like this in the original saturn version, the game was much more balanced.

Not to beef on WD, I love some of their works, mostly the rpgs. They didn't do shmup-esk games quite so well.

[pakopako]

Yeah as somebody mentioned it was pretty weird about the slowdown issues compared to the PS1 version are different... It's unfortunate because if this game was done by Konami themselves and not outsourced to another smaller team, they could have potentially optimized this game to be much better than the PS1 version, but unfortunately the opposite happened.

As Breetai said, the Saturn version tries to use the "3D sprites" the PS version used... with lesser success. Not sure how the process of creating sprites on 3D objects is, so I really can't say why Konami didn't rip the objects apart to obtain a pure 2D object.