More Nordic Diablo? More Resident Evil in space? More movies on games consoles? It could only be Rumor Killers, this week with Jennifer Allen.
Too Human 2 on the way?
Last week Too Human developer Silicon Knights posted up an advert on the Gamasutra jobs board, looking for a game designer who is adept at delivering game elements such as “combat, UI, inventory, progression, levels, NPC actions, play balance and reward schemes”. It also mentioned the need for familiarity with fantasy and science fiction, as well as the role-playing genre. Ring any bells? It sure has for me, as well as for the rest of the Internet rumor mill.
The original Too Human had quite a hard time upon its release; it had been hyped up to ridiculous levels of expectation after being delayed over and over, and the game never really stood a chance. Now, I’m happy to go on record and say that I didn’t think it was too bad. Sure, it had a lot of flaws to it, and was nowhere from being a game of the year, but I think its main crime was simply being overhyped, and just not as good as the hype made it out to be. It’s a problem that’s afflicted many games, and mostly everything from Lionhead instantly to mind. I suspect Denis Dyack, founder and president of Silicon Knights is secretly Peter Molyneux in disguise. They both seem to have very similar ways of hyping up their product to ridiculous levels, both bringing hype to the point where players just can’t help but be disappointed by how the end product turns out, bringing about the inevitable backlash (also, have you seen Dyack and Molyneux in the same room, ever? Didn’t think so – Ed.). Having said all that, all credit to Dyack for fighting the NeoGAF onslaught against Too Human.
Supposedly Too Human achieved a huge number of pre-orders, but ultimately sold quite badly, likely causing the loss of a number of jobs at Silicon Knights not long after its release. So is a sequel to Too Human really possible? Well, a Canadian press release suggests otherwise, claiming the new title from the developer to be Sirens in the Maelstrom. Whether this is a subtitle for Too Human 2, or even accurate, is still in question, but Too Human 2: Sirens in the Maelstrom is certainly one possibility. But would customers want to risk $60 on a sequel to a game that got lambasted from nearly all corners? Also, the first game had huge backing from Microsoft, including huge adverts to putting screenshots on the back of Xbox 360 console boxes, but I cant’ see Microsoft doing that again, given that they would probably rather brush Too Human under the carpet and concentrate on their more popular exclusives and strong RPG line-up.
Despite these concerns, I suspect it would be riskier for Silicon Knights to come up with an entirely new IP and try to sell it than to make a Too Human sequel. It’s a tough one to call, but as to whatever the developer has up its sleeve, it has to be good to make up for the shame of Too Human. Many avid fans would love to see another Eternal Darkness title, the developer’s best game to date, but I can’t see that happening; it’s been too long, and I wouldn’t have thought it would be the financial success Silicon Knights unfortunately needs. If it is Too Human 2, I implore Silicon Knights not to call it that; it sounds just like the sort of name you’d make someone try to say 100 times very quickly. Plus there are just too many mentions of two or too, and that’s just in this sentence alone.
TGR says: Possible… but not probable.
We already know that Dead Space: Extraction is being made for the Wii, so there’s a chance that it was being referred to, possibly with some confusion over what constitutes a sequel. Even if that’s the case, the piece still confirms a Dead Space 2, if not a third game too. Given the respectable sales figures, and that it’s EA who we’re talking about – if there’s one thing EA love to do, it’s milk a franchise for all it’s worth – Dead Space 2 is certainly possible. It was hugely refreshing to see such an original IP like Dead Space picked up by EA, but is it now time to use that IP to its full ability? After all, EA have flung the net wide for the Dead Space franchise already; you can watch the animated film, read the prequel novel and comic books, get the figurines, soon see the film and, well, you get the idea. Of course, it’s a whole different debate as to whether this is actually a good thing or just blatant profiteering from a popular game, but whichever it is, you have to hand it to EA for their ability to make so much so much from just one game. As such, it makes perfect sense to have a sequel to sell alongside the film. I would say the second game is extremely likely, and I wouldn’t put it past EA for the third one to be in the works too, especially if the franchise continues to sell.
TGR says: Very likely
Despite Lionsgate optimism regarding the Wii movie store, something doesn’t quite add up. Is movies on Wii something Wii owners really want? As the console isn’t high-definition, what would it offer people over simply renting a DVD? Plus, it’s a harsh cliché but the Wii is most popular among families and the casual audience. I can’t really see typical Wii owners that I know caring about streaming movies through it. They like it for its simplicity, I just can’t see them even thinking about using their Wii in such a way. At worst, some families might even worry about leaving their children in front of a supposed family console that could enable them to download such Lionsgate hits as the Saw series of films, although presumably effective parental control measures would be put in place. Even so, for now, I think the Wii will be staying on a games system primarily, not as an all-singing, all-dancing media hub. However, this could be a great sign of things to come for the Wii 2. It would be great to see Nintendo ensure their next console has HD capabilities, media functions, and hopefully a full movie streaming service, as well all those Nintendo classics we all love so much.
TGR says: Unlikely, at least for this generation.
”
