Tokyo Pedestrian is already considered to be one of the best games of all time, and this may very well be its new definitive version. Everything that was good about the original has been enhanced for the sequel and this new version is nothing short of a near-perfect new version of the beloved and iconic game. Ten years since the original was released, the 2024 version delivers much more than even the most outlandish expectations. Both the streetscapes and the NPCs are the result of meticulous research conducted in various parts of Tokyo’s must-visit areas.
“We always had plans for an updated version,” explained chief developer, Grant Swanbourne. “We were simply waiting for the right time. Tokyo is hot at the moment. Everything about the place is hot… except the fashions worn by the young women. Christ! Have they all been watching Anne of Green Gables or something!? Anyway, our marketing department demanded that we drop everything and put all of our resources into this game. The results tend to reflect this. What we have here is the best game of the decade so far, and it’s going to be big, too.”
The goal is still the same; negotiating the streets of Tokyo in order to get to an important meeting on time. What isn’t the same, however, are the obstacles; a quiet street can quickly be transformed by a busload of Chinese tourists wielding fat suitcases, a family of overweight westerners getting excited over some oriental architecture will slow you down, while e-scooters ridden by irresponsible, inconsiderate, indecisive knuckleheads swerve left and right.
Elsewhere, thanks to the shrinking pool of available funds in the maintenance budget, crumbling sidewalks lie in wait, ready to trip up the young go-getter in a hurry. YouTubers pop up regularly, mainly white guys asking Japanese girls what they think of white guys. Japanese TV crews are also out and about asking westerners, but not Asians, what they like about Japan. Interestingly, they don’t ask tourists what they don’t like about Japan.
Not everyone is thrilled with the game, however. Allen Tunks, an Emeritus Sociology Professor at Ushikome University, has expressed concern at the apparent viewing of everyday people going about their spiritually unfulfilling lives as obstacles to be negotiated. “Rather than getting points for avoiding these people on the street, I’d like to see points awarded for interaction,” said the 78 year old intellectual. “Doing something helpful like pointing the way to the nearest McDonald’s or politely advising a 45 year old woman that her underwear is visible and nobody wants to see it. These are the kinds of things that ought to be rewarded.”
Tunks also addressed the term, “Non-Player Character”, which has been described as offensive in some circles. “I guess, in terms of the actual game, the phrase is appropriate. It’s when people use the term to describe real people, though; that’s where it becomes a concern. Like it or not, we are all in this world together, and we need to recognise that we all have the right to participate in life’s great adventure.
“Nobody deserves to be regarded as a non-player character,” continued the elderly homosexual. “Having said that, my life would be a whole lot better if my ex-boyfriend’s new boyfriend had been less of a participant in the action at that club in Shinjuku a few years ago. It’s tough with the three of us living under the same roof. And to think we were just going out for a couple of cocktails…”
Whatever your thoughts on non-playing characters, it must be said that Tokyo Pedestrian 2 has added a great selection of characters that weren’t as frequently seen when the original was released. We’re talking about westerners sporting ridiculous tattoos, western women proudly showing off too much cleavage, and the ubiquitous smartphone zombies walking in a way that invites a shoulder check (which the game allows you to dish out). Credit to the designers; they have their collective finger on the pulse of Tokyo.
It has to be said that the entire creative team behind Tokyo Pedestrian 2 have really done their homework, and it’s led to one of the best games that I’ve played in months. It’s a journey through a modern city with great dialogue and it can be a lot of fun, especially when you stuff up someone’s live stream from Shibuya (tears earn bonus points). Hopefully this will inspire players to take a look at their own cities with a fresh perspective, rather than to inspire more people to fly to Japan and add to the ever increasing tsunami of tourists.
In exciting news, a Saitama version of the game is expected depending on the sales performance of Tokyo Pedestrian 2. The relevant online forums are already abuzz about the game which is set to feature a slightly different fare, with rogue Kurdish families having amped-up conversations on the street at midnight, debt-burdened rev heads in illegally modified hotrods, and sour-faced hookers from The Philippines and China.
