Enslaved Sequel Isn't Happening

[Throwitawaynow]

Good, that game was really really bad. No, you shouldn't be making a sequel. It sold poorly for a reason, it was a bad game.

 

[Dapper Ninja]

"Enslaved should have done better. Right now we should have been doing a sequel and perfecting that sequel and doing what franchises do, which is get better over time."

I really hate this mindset that every single game demands a sequel regardless of its content. I never played Enslaved because it seemed really average, but I don't think it's the sort of thing that could need, or even have, a sequel. I wish more developers would just stick to making high-quality, self-contained games, and then leaving them alone.

The game's failure at retail consequently kept Ninja Theory from achieving its goal of expanding the studio's size. Antoniades' intention was to split the developer into two smaller teams. "But now we get another chance with DMC,"

But if it means DMC would never exist, I'd be the first person to demand a sequel to whatever the hell Ninja Theory wanted be made instead.

 

[Scrustle]

That's a shame, I really enjoyed the game. But no surprises that there is no sequel, it just didn't sell. It's totally criminal that it didn't sell and really doesn't give my much confidence in the future of the industry when stuff like this happens. I also hope the DmC does well, or else it looks like it might be curtains for Ninja Theory, which would be a sad day. And gathering from the general reaction of DmC so far things don't look good...

 

[sgt. soap mctavish]

THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T END THE GAME ON A BLOODY CLIFFHANGER!

 

[emeraldrafael]

I... didnt really care for enslaved one way or the other, though Im not exactly coloured surprised, I will say that.

 

[Joshimodo]

That's a shame. It was a fun game, but the second half dragged on like crazy, and the ending was dreadful.

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

After failing to meet expectations at retail, the Enslaved series is finished before it could even start.

....Enslaved: Odyssey to the West sold so poorly that a sequel is out of the question.

Ninja Theory co-founder Tameem Antoniades believes "Enslaved should have done better. Right now we should have been doing a sequel and perfecting that sequel and doing what franchises do, which is get better over time."

This the attitude that I genuinely feel maybe the one downfall of this industry; that anything successful needs to be a series. This happens in no other medium; no ones eagerly awaiting the sequel to Se7en, no one want's Fight Club (the book of the film) to turn into a glob trotting adventure series, yet if anything even does remotely well in this medium we all just wait for the inevitable sequel trailer leak.

I think you are kinda missing the point with this one. While what you say does apply to quite a few crappy games that sell far more than they should, this was not that case. Too many games in fact, like this, have had potential sequels shut down before they could even start due to low sales, or just publishers who expect too much from it. They didn't want to do the sequel because the game did well, the sequel they wanted to do, died because the game didn't do good enough.

My problem is with the attitude that the devs were already wanted a sequel before the game even came out.

 

[AlexiVolkov]

After failing to meet expectations at retail, the Enslaved series is finished before it could even start.

....Enslaved: Odyssey to the West sold so poorly that a sequel is out of the question.

Ninja Theory co-founder Tameem Antoniades believes "Enslaved should have done better. Right now we should have been doing a sequel and perfecting that sequel and doing what franchises do, which is get better over time."

This the attitude that I genuinely feel maybe the one downfall of this industry; that anything successful needs to be a series. This happens in no other medium; no ones eagerly awaiting the sequel to Se7en, no one want's Fight Club (the book of the film) to turn into a glob trotting adventure series, yet if anything even does remotely well in this medium we all just wait for the inevitable sequel trailer leak.

I think you are kinda missing the point with this one. While what you say does apply to quite a few crappy games that sell far more than they should, this was not that case. Too many games in fact, like this, have had potential sequels shut down before they could even start due to low sales, or just publishers who expect too much from it. They didn't want to do the sequel because the game did well, the sequel they wanted to do, died because the game didn't do good enough.

My problem is with the attitude that the devs were already wanted a sequel before the game even came out.

See I don't get why that is a problem. The devs created a game where they felt the story was worth continuing and wanted to make more. Should all games then simply be one and dones? What is wrong with wanting to have a progressing arc like a series of books?

If we were talking about your bland-o vision generic shooters that we have, then yes I agree that the clone-o-matic franchises are going too far. But to say that its a bad thing for devs to create a universe or re-imagine a book and want to do more than a single chapter, is kinda counter productive. This isn't a publisher coming out and saying, "Hey this sold well so lets make a new one every year!" This is a dev saying, "We really liked working on this game, we love the story and the fans do to so we want to continue the story." That is not bad, in fact that is great. It is just sad that the game sold so poorly that the publishers have killed the sequel before it could happen.

 

[Valdus]

New's Flash Ninja Theory, DMC fans didn't "sabotage" your work. Your work sucks, that why it doesn't sell. If you want me to spend my money on your products you better make them actually worth having.

Lose the superioty complex - when you do something decent for a change then "maybe" you can get away with a little arrogence, until then stop acting like you're some special snow flake and accept that you're made of the same shit as everyone else.

 

[Hawk of Battle]

I can't really say I'm surprised, they don't seem like a particularly good studio really. They've made 2 sub-par games that didn't sell well, and their next project has pissed off half the fanbase with all their changes.

I don't foresee Ninja Theory lasting much longer to be honest.

 

[Aprilgold]

Can't say I'm too saddened by this. While I appreciate and support the idea of videogame as storytelling device, that's no excuse for the gameplay itself being poor. If you're going to put the gameplay second, maybe you shouldn't be making a videogame at all.

Thus why I never bought it, because ANY game that puts control out of the players hands does not deserve my money.

To Enslaved Develoment team, if you fuck up Devil May Cry, then I will happily oblige to punch you all through the internet webs and say "NEXT TIME YOU FUCK UP A CAPCOM GAME, IT WILL BE YOUR NUTS! Or your ovaries, for the ladies."

This the attitude that I genuinely feel maybe the one downfall of this industry; that anything successful needs to be a series. This happens in no other medium; no ones eagerly awaiting the sequel to Se7en, no one want's Fight Club (the book of the film) to turn into a glob trotting adventure series, yet if anything even does remotely well in this medium we all just wait for the inevitable sequel trailer leak.

I blame Publishers, Publishers milk anything good, even when it turns sour.

Thanks to all you people who bought the game used, or never bought it at all, I get no sequel?!
I am upset with all of you, and I am not sending you any birthday or holiday cards!

But we are going to get more of the Devil May Cry crap?!?! Words cannot express my disappointment with you all.

Sorry, I didn't buy it simply on the fact of 'CINEMATIC' was a bloody selling point, I want gameplay, not watch the NPC's have all the bloody fun. Also, Devil May Cry is good, unless you personally hate satan, but I'm alright with that, Devil May Cry is like the early rock of the gaming industry, sure those more clean games will hate them, but Devil May Cry does what it wants.

And apparently thats crying.

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

After failing to meet expectations at retail, the Enslaved series is finished before it could even start.

....Enslaved: Odyssey to the West sold so poorly that a sequel is out of the question.

Ninja Theory co-founder Tameem Antoniades believes "Enslaved should have done better. Right now we should have been doing a sequel and perfecting that sequel and doing what franchises do, which is get better over time."

This the attitude that I genuinely feel maybe the one downfall of this industry; that anything successful needs to be a series. This happens in no other medium; no ones eagerly awaiting the sequel to Se7en, no one want's Fight Club (the book of the film) to turn into a glob trotting adventure series, yet if anything even does remotely well in this medium we all just wait for the inevitable sequel trailer leak.

I think you are kinda missing the point with this one. While what you say does apply to quite a few crappy games that sell far more than they should, this was not that case. Too many games in fact, like this, have had potential sequels shut down before they could even start due to low sales, or just publishers who expect too much from it. They didn't want to do the sequel because the game did well, the sequel they wanted to do, died because the game didn't do good enough.

My problem is with the attitude that the devs were already wanted a sequel before the game even came out.

See I don't get why that is a problem. The devs created a game where they felt the story was worth continuing and wanted to make more. Should all games then simply be one and dones? What is wrong with wanting to have a progressing arc like a series of books?

If we were talking about your bland-o vision generic shooters that we have, then yes I agree that the clone-o-matic franchises are going too far. But to say that its a bad thing for devs to create a universe or re-imagine a book and want to do more than a single chapter, is kinda counter productive. This isn't a publisher coming out and saying, "Hey this sold well so lets make a new one every year!" This is a dev saying, "We really liked working on this game, we love the story and the fans do to so we want to continue the story." That is not bad, in fact that is great. It is just sad that the game sold so poorly that the publishers have killed the sequel before it could happen.

Fair point, but I don't think this is true of Enslaved. The game functions as a stand alone entity, I don't see how a sequel could come out of it or even why it needs one. Maybe I have a fairly romanticised view on this, but really in my mind Ninja Theory should have been focusing on a new IP whether the game succeeded or not. It just seemed a little strange that we're lamenting a sequel to something that never hinted at one (please feel free to point out if it did though, I may have missed on something).

 

[dimensional]

Hmmm well I quite like Ninja Theory and bought both Enslaved and Heavenly sword. Enslaved as much as I liked the characterization and acting just felt really average in the gameplay and story departmant same with Heavenly sword actually but I enjoyed that one more as the bosses personalities were just pure win absolutely loved general Flying Fox which sort of made up for the cringe worthy play twang twang lines.

Im not too upset about not expanding on Enslaved, the universe didnt feel rich enough to me but I do think this studio could accomplish great things (their games certainly have a differentiating feel to them) and hopefully with a little help from Capcom that will happen with the new DMC.

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

A pity. I am actually looking forward for DMC to see how they handle Dante, but given the fan reaction to the trailers i dont think DMC will be the their turning point sales-wise.

 

[dimensional]

mmm well I quite like Ninja Theory and bought both Enslaved and Heavenly sword. Enslaved as much as I liked the characterization and acting just felt really average in the gameplay and story departmant same with Heavenly sword actually but I enjoyed that one more as the bosses personalities were just pure win absolutely loved general Flying Fox which sort of made up for the cringe worthy play twang twang lines.

Im not too upset about not expanding on Enslaved, the universe didnt feel rich enough to me but I do think this studio could accomplish great things (their games certainly have a differentiating feel to them) and hopefully with a little help from Capcom that will happen with the new DMC.

edit: great a double post sorry.

 

[TheDooD]

This is as expected with Ninja Theory they don't make the greatest games. It's really polarizing people either hate their games and work or they love it. I can't stand they make the combat so damn horrid and their stories make'em seem like they're trying too hard.

 

[Cat of Doom]

A real shame, I really liked this game. I found the game play fun, and really enjoyed the story.

THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T END THE GAME ON A BLOODY CLIFFHANGER!

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Qhartb]

Too bad. Enslaved was pretty good (though I sort of wish I rented instead of bought), and Heavenly Sword was really good (that one I rented, beat, then bought so I could share it). Their games have a lot of personality. I hope DMC does well so they can keep making games.

edit: Agreed that the ending of Enslaved was weak.

 

[mastiffchild]

And this is why you don't write a fucking character-piece, and then switch your focus to some very crunkily handled themes that are pulled out of nowhere 3/4 of the way through, whilst failing to properly address the character arcs.

Anyway: game was alright, dialogue was well-written, acting was fantastic.

Well, I concur on the acting and dialogue-even agree that some of the writing made great characters 'til it fell apart a little. However, I can't agree that the game part was "alright" because I felt they totally left the "game" out of the package. Platforming was non-existent in terms of ANY challenge or fun and combat felt terribly dull and a bit facile to me leaving VERY little of actual gaming merit in Enslaved.

Overall, I think the let down on the gameplay front just blew the effort in getting much of the other stuff right, which was a shame but not deserving of sympathy when they cried about HS sales and profits bearing nothing about the fact Sony saved them, and the game, from totally failing before launch in mind. HS HAD gameplay but they thought a multiplat game would magically sell better purely because there are more potential customers regardless of a lack of any challenge or any sense of quality interaction with the game world they'd invested so much time in getting right?

 

[MitchyD]

Why a sequel? I feel sorry for the poor sales, being a fun game; but I would be more interested in another work using what they learned from Enslaved, than a mere sequel.

I hope DMC delivers.