Support NeoGAF

[SovanJedi]

Excellent.

Konami is toxic.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[VariantX]

Can't blame him. Konami seems to be doing nothing with him at the moment. Kojima seems to be the only one doing stuff besides the people working on those soccer games.

 

[rvy]

Finally! Can't for his next project.

 

[Graphics Horse]

Can't blame him. Konami seems to be doing nothing with him at the moment.

Those toilets don't clean themselves.

 

[arttq]

They're primarily a social-mobile company these days that has a few leftover console series.

Plus arcade division (mainly bemani).

 

[DSix]

This will be tough for him, he wont be able to go and ripp all the sprites from past castlevania games anymore.

 

[Sendou]

Excellent news. Bad for Castlevania though. That franchise went through a quick death.

 

[Tain]

Huh. I'm in the mood for another Igarashi Castlevania game, but the Castlevania setting and asset pool (lol) is a huge part of the appeal of those. Anything new has a lot to live up to, at least aesthetically.

 

[brandonh83]

I wouldn't mind arc system works being given a shot at it, but I'm thinking the bean counters at Konami aren't looking too fondly at the brand right now.

I would like to think that they took into consideration the reviews, the fact that a lot of people were already put off by that style of Castlevania, and so on. It didn't sell well, but it's not the fault of the brand. Only a fucking moron would look at Lords of Shadow 2's sales and think "welp no one wants Castlevania anymore I guess..."

It would be like judging the quality of the ALIEN series based on the income of Alien vs. Predator (had that been a box office flop, but I don't think it was sadly). I'm sure better analogies exist, but I just woke up.

 

[Holykael1]

Guys I am positive about this as anyone else.. But the soul and essence of the Castlevania franchise is still trapped within Konami..
DEM SOUNDTRACKS, DEM LORE, DEM ATMOSPHERE.

If he can get atleast the composer on board..I will be 100% behind his projects.

 

[LeleSocho]

I wouldn't put it over any of the ClassicVania games except Simon's Quest. It's a great game, don't get me wrong, but it only stands out so much because of what came before it. Increasing the difficulty and breaking up the map into more linear fragments was the first major gameplay shift away from SotN, and it's telling that they're both steps back towards the classic series.

Can you not turn this thread a Classicvania vs Metroidvania thread? Thank you very much.

 

[warheat1990]

RIP metroidvania

 

[Peff]

I thought this was about Metal Gear.

This generation Konami has treated four franchises as major: Silent Hill, Castlevania, PES and Metal Gear. The first two are dead, PES has lost A LOT of ground to FIFA and Metal Gear... well, we'll find out soon.

 

[Frost_Ace]

Nintendo should buy the Castlevania rights from them

 

[Jarmel]

Excellent.

Konami is toxic.

Pretty much all major Japanese publishers are toxic at this point.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

On one side this means no more metroidvania.

On other side means more Igavania style games with possibly Yamane's godlike music.

So I'm happy.

 

[brandonh83]

This generation Konami has treated four franchises as major: Silent Hill, Castlevania, PES and Metal Gear. The first two are dead, PES has lost A LOT of ground to FIFA and Metal Gear... well, we'll find out soon.

I was asking him how Kojima/Konami was screwing up Metal Gear specifically though.

 

[chicagocubsfan]

Man Konami is going to sell of MGS to Capcom isn't it?

 

[Petrae]

Good for Igarashi to get away, even if he takes what would have been a familiar future for the Castlevania series with him.

Not that Konami cares about Castlevania, anyway. Poor sales performance for Lords of Shadow series should be the impetus Konami needs to bury it. It'll go into the cellar, along with Contra, Gradius, and other once-popular IP that Konami no longer bothers with.

 

[Eusis]

Nintendo should buy the Castlevania rights from them

Then we lose Symphony of the Night and could only get it again with a Nintendo port, which they may not bother with. Fuck that.

 

[massoluk]

Surprised at the response in this thread.

People are aware IGA was brought in fairly late as a programmer on Symphony of the Night and was bumped up to Assistant Producer when it was practically done, right? His contribution to the game was minimal at best.

That's new. I read the opposite everywhere that he's Assistant Producer in name only, and that Sotn was his baby more than anyone else.

 

[Silky]

Surprised at the response in this thread.

People are aware IGA was brought in fairly late as a programmer on Symphony of the Night and was bumped up to Assistant Producer when it was practically done, right? His contribution to the game was minimal at best.

He's basically been riding on that game's popularity by repeatedly creating sloppier and sloppier clones of it on handhelds while flailing desperately at transitioning the series to 3-D (which the N64 games, of which he had no involvement, did better). The guy was more than happy to take full credit for turning a horror-themed tough-as-nails platformer franchise into a series of increasingly bland anime adventure games.

Don't get me wrong, Konami is a shithole, but expecting Igarashi's work to suddenly get good now? Not gonna happen. Expect the worst of the SotN Clones with none of the Castlevania charm.

But. Order of Ecclesia was the bomb

 

[Uncle Rupee]

Guys I am positive about this as anyone else.. But the soul and essence of the Castlevania franchise is still trapped within Konami..
DEM SOUNDTRACKS, DEM LORE, DEM ATMOSPHERE.

If he can get atleast the composer on board..I will be 100% behind his projects.

Yamane has already worked on non-Konami projects such as Skull Girls, so I picture her leaving to become a contract-for-hire composer next. It's not like she'll have much work at Konami any more.
edit: oh, she's already done so. Good for her!

 

[Just take it with you.]

Guys I am positive about this as anyone else.. But the soul and essence of the Castlevania franchise is still trapped within Konami..
DEM SOUNDTRACKS, DEM LORE, DEM ATMOSPHERE.

If he can get atleast the composer on board..I will be 100% behind his projects.

Well, Michiru Yamane left Konami herself a while ago, so I doubt there'll be much issue getting her onboard.

 

[akidnamededdy]

I was asking him how Kojima/Konami was screwing up Metal Gear specifically though.

Other than "buy our $30 demo, the actual game may be out in a year or so"?

Spoiler

note: I am still totally buying their $30 demo

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Huh. I'm in the mood for another Igarashi Castlevania game, but the Castlevania setting and asset pool (lol) is a huge part of the appeal of those. Anything new has a lot to live up to, at least aesthetically.

I know what you mean. I really hope he can get Michiru Yamane on-board, as the music is a huge part of the appeal for me. She is independent, so I could see it happening.

And it'd be amazing to get Yamane's music, unrestricted by shitty GBA/DS sound hardware, for a change.

 

[Ravidrath]

Oh man, I am so happy this is finally happening.

Wonder if he's planning on crowdfunding or what?

 

[RobFox64tm]

Well this kills any chance of seeing a new Castlevania game I'd actually want again in the future, but this is definitely for the best. The man was completely cock blocked by Konami and deserved much better than that. I'm anxious to see his future projects.

 

[Tom_Cody]

2D "Castlevania-inspired" Kickstarter incoming?

Spoiler

would back

I look forward to backing this as well.

 

[boclfon479]

I'd totally support him doing a 2nd party Super Metroid Fusion game.

Step 1) succeed and make your own company.

Step 2) become Nintendo affiliated 2nd party

Step 3) be the studio to make more amazing 2d metroid games

Step 4)?????

Step 5) profit

 

[VariantX]

Yamane has already worked on non-Konami projects such as Skull Girls, so I picture her leaving to become a contract-for-hire composer next. It's not like she'll have much work at Konami any more.

SG was initially published by konami.

 

[Tain]

I wouldn't mind arc system works being given a shot at it

oh my god, I would lose all of my shit if Arc System Works announced an Uprising-style action-focused Castlevania game

 

[Epcott]

My sadistic side wants Kojima to leave with everyone else, just to see how quickly Konami implodes (or if they can sustain on PES).

I'll certainly buy whatever Iga is cooking up. Without the legacy of an IP holding him back, I'm anxious to see what he can deliver.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

I wouldn't put it over any of the ClassicVania games except Simon's Quest. It's a great game, don't get me wrong, but it only stands out so much because of what came before it. Increasing the difficulty and breaking up the map into more linear fragments was the first major gameplay shift away from SotN, and it's telling that they're both steps back towards the classic series.

imo

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=102741479&postcount=104

But at the least, it was the best game he was in charge of as well as the most recent game with a real budget that he was in charge of, and I would buy future games in that vein. It was neither part of what you call "sloppier and sloppier clones" or "increasingly bland anime adventure games". Hell, I'd say Portrait of Ruin is the only title that truly deserves those comments. He gets flak for that game and rightly so, but everything else he worked on apart from those weird xbox & wii games were lots of fun

 

[Salaadin]

why would Kojima leave? He has his own studio, and despite what he constantly says about moving on, all he seemingly wants to do is make MGS games so he's pretty much set.

He wants to do new things but, as he says it, he isn't allowed to. I don't see him leaving but if he does, I hope w he can somehow take mgs with him.

 

[turnbuckle]

Excellent news.

I would kickstart an embarassing amount towards a new Igavaniesque project.

 

[sörine]

I'm there day one for the inevitable Kickstarter. He should team with M2 to make it.

 

[Nirolak]

Pretty much all major Japanese publishers are toxic at this point.

As a whole I'm not going to disagree here, but Konami is like extra super bad.

But. Order of Ecclesia was the bomb

So true.

 

[brandonh83]

Other than "buy our $30 demo, the actual game may be out in a year or so"?

Spoiler

note: I am still totally buying their $30 demo

It's $30 for new gen, $20 digital for last gen if you don't want to fork out the extra $10 for new gen pretty, is about an hour long, has several extra side ops missions that are supposed to be about as long as the main mission, trophies/achievements, online leaderboards, DLC missions, etc.

That's a hell of a demo! I bet most Metal Gear fans will likely sink about as much as, if not more time into it than a 5-6 hour shooter at twice the price.

 

[pants]

This is the best news ever.

.

Glorious Koji has come to vanquish the horrible night

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

It's $30 for new gen, $20 digital for last gen if you don't want to fork out the extra $10 for new gen pretty, is about an hour long, has several extra side ops missions that are supposed to be about as long as the main mission, trophies/achievements, online leaderboards, DLC missions, etc.

That's a hell of a demo!

Not for $20-30, it isn't. I'm still buying it, like an idiot, but let's not pretend like we're being anything but gouged by it.

 

[The Boat]

Good news, just hope he doesn't end up doing mobile games.

 

[kmax]

How so?

I'm referring to their decision to split Metal Gear Solid V and sell the demo sized version separately from the main game for a premium. They're within their right to do that, but I think the whole thing reek of crowdfunding. This is after all one of the biggest publishers out there.

The company's toxic, indeed.

 

[Grief.exe]

So in for a kickstarter for this.

Probably follow the Mighty No 9 model with PC first then other consoles to follow. The majority of Kickstarter gaming projects follow this model as a rule, most even don't bother with console versions, but Iga's 'vanias were all console iterations.

 

[rockman zx]

I'm not his biggest fan but it takes guts to get out from a big company. If he goes to kickstarter with a Metroidvania, I will support it.

 

[Anth0ny]

Happy he's been able to finally escape the dungeon.

I'd like to see Iga's Mighty no. 9.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Inafune

Igarashi

...Ito next?

So in for a kickstarter for this.

Probably follow the Mighty No 9 model, with PC first then other consoles to follow.

3DS or burst

 

[GeekyDad]

This is the best news ever.

^This.

Go full on the Inafune route and give us a new Igavania!

 

[Shion]

Order of Ecclesia formula
+ Interconnected overworld
+ Art by Ayami Kojima
+ OST by Michiru Yamane

Do it, Iga.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Order of Ecclesia formula
+ Interconnected overworld
+ Art by Ayami Kojima
+ OST by Michiru Yamane

Do it, Iga.

+ 2D beautiful sprites