In the wacky world of localization, it can be rather tricky to get across certain words and phrases, especially when you're taking a Japanese game and translating it into English. Both languages have a lot of intricacies that don't quite match the other, and you could get a translation that could drastically alter the meaning of an entire game, such was the case with Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.
Thankfully, localization has come along leaps and bounds in the past decade or so, but not enough for Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii. In a recent interview with Famitsu (translated by Automaton), Horii and Paranormasight series director Takanari Ishiyama talked a little bit about localization, with the latter worried about his choice of words in the recently released Mermaid's Curse.
"When it comes to English, the flavor tends to get lost in many ways," says Horii. "Things inevitably end up sounding simplistic. I’ve come to accept that English is a simple language, so there’s no helping it."
In a way, Horii is correct. During the conversation, Ishiyama brings up the fact that the Japanese have many words for when people refer to themselves, such as 'boku', 'watashi', and 'ore'. All of...
