Games With GOOD Localization/Translations?

[Nidstang]

Something I've been becoming increasingly more aware of is how many games (primarily Japanese games) are victim to bad localization that changes the script, dialogue, tone, characterization, and even plot when being translated into English. Games like Unicorn Overlord, Like A Dragon, and Eiyuden Chronicle this year alone (as well as infamous examples like Valkyria Chronicles, the recent Fire Emblem games, Final Fantasy Tactics, and all the Woolsey translations) are often brought up as examples of BAD localization.

But what about games with universally agreed upon GOOD localization? Games with accurate translations, with minimal changes to dialogue, script, and characterization? Whether official or fan translated mods/rom hacks, I'm curious what is out there.

I'm aware of retranslation mods/hacks for Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy VI that improve upon the games, making them more accurate. What else is out there?

[Midnight Sky ✨🌙✨]

Ironically, the spanish dub for DmC Devil May Cry is liked because of things like changing the tone.

FFXIV has good localization and everything is about consistent across en and jp as far as I'm aware. Granted, I never looked into it, but I usually don't have to in order to hear complaints about it and no one complains about it. They even got better voice actors for everyone in the expansions so you know they care.

[Masque]

Sega Genesis -- Zero Wing

Flawless.

[Defective Dopamine Pez Dispenser]

There are different schools of thought on this, so it really depends on which camp one falls into.

One camp will argue that localization isn't about wholly accurate translation of tone or context, because the entire purpose of localization isn't merely translation, but adaptation for different markets. It isn't called translation after all, it's called localization. Emphasis on the root word local. Many publishers and even the devs themselves will intentionally pursue that kind of localization approach precisely because they don't want a perfect one to one translation of the experience from one market to another.

Even if that means a starkly different feeling game, they figure, well, you have the original audio and subtitles (in many instances at least, though not all obviously) if one seeks the original experience. They don't view it as "censorship," so much as reinterpretation for different audiences. And that's a perfectly valid way to approach localization.

The other camp will argue that that approach commodifies and trivializes artistic vision and original intent, treating them as mere instruments to sell a product, and segmenting the lens through which the global market as a whole perceives the work. They will argue that the only acceptable localization is a perfect one to one translation of both content, tone, and context, cultural sensitivities and market differences be damned. Even if that has potential sales or other consequences.

Many will even go so far as to call departures from that censorship, even if it was completely voluntary and done by the IP owner. And that's a perfectly valid way to view localization as well.

And a lot of which camp one lands in will come down to what version of something they experienced first. This goes beyond narrative and translation, too. Entire game identities can change this way. Look at Doki Doki Panic being repurposed into SMB2 in North America. Two completely different audiences view those games in two completely different ways. There's a whole generation in one region for whom SMB2 is its own, distinct, unique experience, even though that wasn't the case fundamentally.

A lot of it just comes down to that.

[Sixtyfivekills]

Unicorn Overlord bad?


I just began playing and everyone's talking in ancient and royal way, kind of what I'd expect from a game set in that era.

[Fake]

FFIII
Yeah, I went there.

[sleeps]

Publicado originalmente por Midnight Carnival Snack:

Ironically, the spanish dub for DmC Devil May Cry is liked because of things like changing the tone.

FFXIV has good localization and everything is about consistent across en and jp as far as I'm aware. Granted, I never looked into it, but I usually don't have to in order to hear complaints about it and no one complains about it. They even got better voice actors for everyone in the expansions so you know they care.

dmc dmc spanish pretty much got the same treatment as the anime ghost stories in english dub. when you have nothing to lose, you got a comedy masterpiece.

[Arvaos]

Publicado originalmente por Midnight Carnival Snack:

Ironically, the spanish dub for DmC Devil May Cry is liked because of things like changing the tone.

FFXIV has good localization and everything is about consistent across en and jp as far as I'm aware. Granted, I never looked into it, but I usually don't have to in order to hear complaints about it and no one complains about it. They even got better voice actors for everyone in the expansions so you know they care.

Now I'm going to try DmC in Spanish.

[Nidstang]

Publicado originalmente por Sixtyfivekills:

Unicorn Overlord bad?


I just began playing and everyone's talking in ancient and royal way, kind of what I'd expect from a game set in that era.

Yea, Unicorn Overlord has been shown to be incredibly inaccurate to the Japanese version of the game in terms of dialogue and characterization.

I'm also personally not a fan of overly "flowery" dialogue either (I prefer the original Final Fantasy Tactics as opposed to The War Of The Lions for example, despite the original also having mistranslations). But I suppose that's subjective.

This video does a good job breaking down Unicorn Overlord's localization issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk_D7lV9Eiw

[Nidstang]

Publicado originalmente por Fake:

FFIII
Yeah, I went there.

Which Final Fantasy III though? lol

[Delta]

Without a doubt, Left 4 Dead has great localization.

[Der tüddelige Fußgänger]

While it's not for English.
Portal 2 and Celeste both have perfect German translations.

Glados and wheatley don't lose any of their personality in German and the humor works perfectly.
Meanwhile Celeste still has beautiful German dialogue. It's just a pleasure to read.

I cannot really talk about any other language. I recently switched all my games to Spanish as I want to improve there and I am not an English native, so I couldn't probably make out all the finer wording anyway.

[Midnight Sky ✨🌙✨]

Publicado originalmente por Aikido:

There are different schools of thought on this, so it really depends on which camp one falls into.

One camp will argue that localization isn't about wholly accurate translation of tone or context, because the entire purpose of localization isn't merely translation, but adaptation for different markets. It isn't called translation after all, it's called localization. Emphasis on the root word local. Many publishers and even the devs themselves will intentionally pursue that kind of localization approach precisely because they don't want a perfect one to one translation of the experience from one market to another.

I have a good examples of changing things for other markets.

In Splatoon 2. There's a mode called Salmon Run where you work for a company (Grizz Co.) who's boss (Mr. Grizz) acts very differently in jp and en. In Japan he's fairly nice to the players but in English he's more mean. The point is that the company that runs the mode is supposed to be shady and both versions actually convey this in a way that makes sense. In Japan, shady companies put up a front where they're act like a nice place to work at to lure in new employees. The localization completely changes it, but what they change it to conveys the same idea.

Then Splatoon 3 walked back on this and made Grizz a lot less mean in English, technically making it more true to the original but at the cost of the entire point of Grizz Co. Incidentally making it a good example of how literal translations don't always work.