I feel kind of bad for Haley Joel Osment. Every time he starts a conversation with somebody, they instinctively shout back, "Just shut up and let me play the game already!" You couldn't stop yourself... after playing a few hours of Kingdom Hearts, it would just jump right out of your mouth.
Needless to say, I probably won't be getting Kingdom Hearts III. That unique blend of Square-Enix's worst game design impulses and Disney's twee characters and aggressive self-promotion just doesn't appeal to me.
In less self-indulgent news, Nintendo of America president Reginald Fils-Aime is set to retire from the company, replaced with Doug (looks through notes)... Bowser? Wow Nintendo, that's a little on the nose, isn't it?
Anyway. I've had big disagreements with Reggie in the past. Years ago, he suggested that indie games (like Cave Story, Undertale, Read Only Memories, etc.) were beneath Nintendo's notice, comparing them to American Idol contestants. These days, indie games are the new industry darling thanks to their fresh ideas and low production costs, while AAA titles by big studios have an odd habit of re-materializing in the budget bins of dollar stores. Looks like you made the wrong call on that one, Reg.
Nevertheless, as corporate mouthpieces go, Reginald Fils-Aimes was one of the better ones. With his rallying cry of "I'm about kicking ass and taking names, and Nintendo is about making games," he did more to make Nintendo relevant to Americans in the 21st century than anyone else at the company. Plus he was always a good sport about Nintendo's zany promotions, playing a ruthless robot in one E3 sketch and a Muppet in another.
Reginald Fils-Aime left an indelible mark on the company, and he'll be missed. Maybe not as much as the late Satoru Iwata, but his absence will be hard to ignore.
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