Warning: Massive Heavenly Sword plot spoiler ahead!!!
Many of us had hoped for a sequel to 2007's excellent Heavenly Sword . And although developer Ninja Theory has now "moved on," they did have plans to make HS2 at one point.
In fact, according to VG247 , Ninja Theory boss Tameem Antoniades said initially, he had an idea of having Nariko in Hell and her pal Kai on Earth. Basically, the spirit of the sword would have trapped the technically deceased Nariko in Hell, where she would undoubtedly have to battle all sorts of nastiness. Furthermore, Kai would've been playable back on the surface, and she'd try to rescue her friend. An interesting twist was that one day in Hell for Nariko would be an entire year for Kai on Earth, so Kai would actually age; she'd go from a young teenage girl to an old woman during the course of the adventure. …sounds interesting.
And that's cool and all, but that idea has long since passed. Antoniades says that while he'll "never say never," they working on developing DLC for the recently released Enslaved: Odyssey to the West , which will tell a side-story separate from the tale that revolves around Monkey and Trip. The team is also working on the Devil May Cry reboot. For the record, here's Antoniades' comment concerning a HS2 sequel:
"We did actually want to do a sequel, and we did pursue that, but we're not a first party studio, we're a third party studio, and we knew that over the next few years we've got to be releasing multi-platform games. The game Heavenly Sword didn't sell enough to have a confident sequel, so it would have put ourselves as a development studio in a very precarious situation."
1.5 million wasn't enough, apparently. But we've heard all that before and it's true, they're not a first-party studio. They're not supported by Sony. So, like most every other studio in this crazy game, they need to go multi in order to make enough money. Hence, Enslaved , DMC , etc. But maybe that's a good thing. Did anyone really want to see HS2 go multi with the Unreal Engine…? Not HS fans, I bet.
Related Game(s): Heavenly Sword
I'm sure a lot of devs would have been ecstatic to sell 1.5 million copies of a new ip on a new console back then.
Indeed. But then again, they sure sound like a Microsoft puppet developer..
If they would have just said "Look guys, we like money so we are going multi-plat" instead of blaming sales then they'd get a lot more respect.
Truth.
this is why i refuse to support enslaved.
I'm against slavery in general. And c'mon, how racist is it to name the slave "Monkey"?
How is that racist? I've never heard 'monkey' used as a racial slur…we're all monkeys, after all. Unless you mean it's speci-ist.
Actually, it is not racist. The game and, hence, the Monkey character is based on the classic tale of the Monkey King in Journey to the West. That is why he has a "tail", a staff and a floating mode of transportation.
I'm getting more and more pissed off at Ninja Theory lately………
Agreed. I am beginning to dislike this studio.
I actually don't mind anything they do up until I found out that new "Dante" bears resemblance to Antoniades………
And I'm gonna say it here and now, that hair-style is gay.
They had potential too. Now they are just an average company that has nothing too special to offer. 🙁
His hair reminds me of one of the emo kids on South Park, lol.
£ worlds u get double points for mentioning south park, the one with vamps isn't it
LoL yeah. They messin with dante now. Maybe if they made HS2 they'd make narico look like the main designer of ninja theory too. lolol
I for one am glad they didn't, because it opens the door for Santa Monica Studios or another PS3 exclusive development house.
So hey Ninja Theory, have fun with 360 crowd…whatever that nets you anyways.
More like it's a good thing Sony owned HS, if not, Ninja Theory will be confirming the theory of making an inferior product with multiplat.
No wait…….
Last edited by Snaaaake on 10/5/2010 11:49:23 AM
dude u just read my mind, just give it to Santa Monica and let them go crazy with it
can you imagine how smooth the gameplay would be if santa monica tocuhed HS? wishful thinking
How can 1.5 million be a failure?
Was HS a massive budget game like GOWIII, RDR or GT5?
HS was top-notch indeed but in no way it's a game that needs to sell 5 million copies to break even.
And I recently checked on DMC's number, apparently each DMC never sold 3 million copies.
So I think that Capcom's reason to reboot DMC because DMC4 only sold 2 million+ is just an excuse westernize it.
Last edited by Snaaaake on 10/5/2010 11:40:24 AM
It's easy for us to judge them from the outside but keep in mind they're just 3rd party developer so they don't have that financial support or stability as a 1st party developers would & it take helluva lot of money to make those games. But then again maybe Ninja Theory just had to high expectations for HS, maybe they were hoping that it would sell in the whole lot more then it did which is pretty obvious.
Last edited by GuyverLT on 10/5/2010 11:58:47 AM
I don't know the exact figure but I think HS did cost a hefty load of money. The game had the best lip-syncing I have ever seen in a game so far, and the graphics were superb for a new platform
TEG is correct, the only reason I half-forgive them for being upset about a great sales figure on an ailing concole release is that HS was apparently massively over budget.
There is always potential for the future for Heavenly Sword 2 I guess. That concept sounded pretty cool, and I would have liked to see it done. Here's hoping they serve fans further down the line.
I dunno. Nariko…in hell? As if the first game wasn't close enough to God of War.
Nariko's Inferno 🙂
that would have been very interesting only if they had continue to make it… on ps3… and sold out. But hey like ben said they needed to make more money going multiplatform. just look at uncharted 1 did; it was created on and for the ps3 as an exclusive but it didn't sell well but they did not give up and made U2 which is now known for the greatest playstation game ever (UK pollings,lol).So what's the difference between that? NT just gave up too quick before they even started and ND( and other 1st party ps3 devs) stayed in the fight and broke through. Thats why sony have great games today.
Oh yeah- @ troy powers, every game 3rd person action game like GoW series, its ridiculous…
Last edited by Drake88 on 10/5/2010 12:16:04 PM
The difference is Naughty Dog is a 1st party developer for Sony they have they're complete support financially. Ninja Theory doesn't they're not supported by anyone but themselves, that's the difference. What works for some developers ain't gonna work for others, every 3rd party developer can't make that same kind breakthrough like others. So you're gonna persecute Ninja Theory for for playing it safe & not taking unnecessary risks.
Last edited by GuyverLT on 10/5/2010 2:29:44 PM
i'm sure sony would have picked them up as a first party developer.
Maybe they would have but they haven't yet cause if they did then of course they would have stayed exclusive.
Now I'm really pissed off, if u are not gonna pursue it YET, then why would u rub this sweet concept of Hell and earth in my face. now you made me want it even more :@
Fan reaction. Plan and simple. If there is a big enough outcry for something like this you can bet your bottom dollar that after their done with DmC and the DLC for Enslaved they will pursue something like this.
other than Sucker punch, I never heard of a company listening to their customers otherwise we would have a proper JRPG
@coverton
Exactly, just like how fans plea to Square Enix to make a FFVII remake forced them too-…
Ah wait… 🙁
why doesn't Ninja theory just re-release Heavenly Sword with some DLC and a Trophy patch guaranteed people will buy it. i know i would its a good game.
Great idea. Heck, Sony should give the game to another studio and let them do just that. I would pick the game up long before Enslaved if Heavenly Sword had trophies.
I would too. Maybe hammer out a few of those frame rate issues toward the end, and fix the screen tearing.
I dont know if you guys know but Heavenly Sword was a Xbox exclusive. Microsoft brushed it off and Sony picked it up and gave them (Ninja Theory) a chance. 1.5 million is not bad at all. They probably had to many problems with Sony for them work with them again.
I dont believe that. Many devs have said Sony is a joy to work with.
That doesn't mean ninja theory had that same joy though.
Dead Space was an xbox1 exclusive at one time too, development takes lots of turns.
That may be true, Guyver, but whats the chances of everyone having a great time with Sony except Ninja Theory?
I'm well aware that there is a slim possibility of that happening all I'm trying to say is maybe they want to have that same kind of relationship with Sony that it's other 1st party developers but feel like Sony isn't paying them enough attention or something like that who knows.
Suckerpunch is 2nd party (independent but exclusive), and Insomniac was 2nd party, now 3rd, but we'll still be seeing high-quality from them, without a doubt.
NT's guy is just too busy hair-spraying that creature on his head, and too busy talking about Uncharted 2…
Your mentioning developers who both had helluva lot more success with they're 1st games & made a helluva lot more money then NT, that's not a fair comparison. I'm trying to keep a positive outlook on NT But they're making it hard with all the excuses they make.
Both Guerilla and MM were 2nd party as well, before they were acquired by Sony as 1st party studios. LBP didn't make record breaking sales, either (nor did Guerilla with their Killzone franchise) but Sony saw quality, and they went for it.
Heavenly Sword 2 couldn't go multiplat because Sony owns the IP… still does.
Well, that sounds rightly awesome. I remember reading way back when that they had actually planned HS to be a trilogy, so this doesn't actually surprise me. But honestly, I've seen nothing but good comments about HS, and I certainly feel that were they to go back to it, it will sell more than enough to make it worth their while.
But, I would love to see Sony get their story ideas and then outsource the game to a new developer. Maybe they could serve to improve the mechanics and AI of it. BUT they'd also have to use the same engine. I don't think I've ever seen anything with the same sort of sheen to it.
Peace.
Last edited by Lawless SXE on 10/5/2010 1:43:44 PM
i respect them very much. i mean 1.5 really is not alot. if u look how technology changes and gets more expensive. Heck do anyone know how much money it takes a third-party company to make an exclusive? hmmm….