Topic: MS: "People is not dumb and won't stick just to the little number"

[Pfil]

MS: "People is not dumb and won't stick just to the little number"
José Luis Márquez, Castlevania's director, speaks his mind about Metacritic and the variety of reviews his game has received.

The 5th edition of iDEAME gave place for fans to meet MercurySteam, where his director, José Luis Márquez, commented some of the most polemic points of the title, facing numerous questions from the users.

One of them was the music, which some users labeled as "generic" when comparing it to some classic Castlevania's music. "I don't care about the music that was present before", said the director, "the music from before didn't fit at all with the game we wanted to make now".

In another plain of things, there was time to talk about the game's reviews, Metacritic and some criticism about Mirror of Fate. José Luis stated that, since the game hit the market, he's been reading many forums, comments and criticism of the specialized press, noting that many players have praised the game and that some reviews have analyzed the game for what it's not, instead of doing it for what it is.

In concrete, he said that Metacritic "is a very unfair system because it's attached to many weaknesses and interests". About Mirror of Fate in concrete, he said that "It's one of the games in Metacritic with the most 7's. In the end, people isn't dumb and won't stick just to the little number. I believe it's one of the games with the most different scores. We didn't think it was going to be so polarized."

There was a chance too to comment the american IGN review. "Reviews like this do special damage because from that point, many will follow the same way". Márquez said that this particular review seemed to say "I don't like this game because it's not what I expected".

"There's people that will skin Mirror of Fate alive just because you didn't make the game they wanted", however, Mirror of Fate's director affirmed that he is very proud of the game he made and of the team that created it.

3DJuegos reviewed in its time CV: LoS: MoF with a score of 9, a valoration of "supreme", highlighting that "Mercury Steam again puts first his own vision and believe in itself with a Castlevania" and that "is all a reference for future adventures on this console".

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Original piece (in spanish): http://www.3djuegos.com/noticia/132903/34/castlevania-lords-of-shadow/mirro-of-fate-3ds/ideame/

[Neobelmont]

MS: "People is not dumb and won't stick just to the little number"
José Luis Márquez, Castlevania's director, speaks his mind about Metacritic and the variety of reviews his game has received.

The 5th edition of iDEAME gave place for fans to meet MercurySteam, where his director, José Luis Márquez, commented some of the most polemic points of the title, facing numerous questions from the users.

One of them was the music, which some users labeled as "generic" when comparing it to some classic Castlevania's music. "I don't care about the music that was present before", said the director, "the music from before didn't fit at all with the game we wanted to make now".


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Original piece (in spanish): http://www.3djuegos.com/noticia/132903/34/castlevania-lords-of-shadow/mirro-of-fate-3ds/ideame/

This does not bode well with me. Excuse my language but I find this statement to be absolute bullsh&t.

If dragon Warrior can be symphonic and stuff like this then what? :

Dragon Quest I - Overture March (Symphonic Version)

You find a way to make it fit and they know they have the right minds to do it, so why not do this? It baffles me and  why not use more classic music that you were "inspired" from there is nothing wrong with it. This is irritating me more than it should.

[DarkPrinceAlucard]

Regarding the music, MS is just completely missing the point.

The problem with their soundtrack is not the fact that it does not use the old ones from the previous games, its that it just flat out not as interesting nor unique to a level as the music used to be in a Castlevania game.

You used to be able to play a level and immediately get caught in a catchy tune that sets the stage for your battle and adventure, that tune would stick in your head and you may even hum it at school or to yourself, but with LOS I didn't get that feeling once.

The Soundtrack for the stages not only was reused for some later stages, but it was also pretty forgettable in my honest opinion.

Nothing against the people who like that whole "ambient/LOR music" that goes into LOS, but it just isn't my cup of tea.

[VladCT]

It's pathetic when someone gets criticism and goes "lalala I can't hear you" and accuses it for missing the point instead of properly responding to its points.

[crisis]

MercurySteam, while talented in their own right, obviously just doesn't "get it." I'm so glad they're done with Castlevania after LoS2. It's time they create their own original IPs and stop re-imagining pre-existing canon/legacies.

[Gaawa-chan]

MS and David Cox... their PR skills are non-existent.

One of them was the music, which some users labeled as "generic" when comparing it to some classic Castlevania's music. "I don't care about the music that was present before", said the director, "the music from before didn't fit at all with the game we wanted to make now".

Mr. Márquez, meet ThunderThouin:
Deforestation - Super Castlevania IV 'Forest of Monsters' remix by Thunder Thouin
It's not the general style of the music that is the problem.  It is the composition.  It's uninspired, unmemorable, repetitive, generic, BORING, and that's not even taking into account the music of other Castlevania games.  Castlevania has a reputation for the complete opposite when it comes to OSTs, with unique, catchy, varied tracks that inspire a wide range of emotional responses in the listeners.

In another plain of things, there was time to talk about the game's reviews, Metacritic and some criticism about Mirror of Fate. José Luis stated that, since the game hit the market, he's been reading many forums, comments and criticism of the specialized press, noting that many players have praised the game and that some reviews have analyzed the game for what it's not, instead of doing it for what it is.

Ah, using the people who are whining that MoF isn't SotN 2 to avoid valid criticisms others have made.  Cute.

[Lelygax]

This shows how much arrogance some of their employees have.

One of them was the music, which some users labeled as "generic" when comparing it to some classic Castlevania's music. "I don't care about the music that was present before", said the director, "the music from before didn't fit at all with the game we wanted to make now".

A plenty of other games changes their music style without no one arguing about it.

In another plain of things, there was time to talk about the game's reviews, Metacritic and some criticism about Mirror of Fate. José Luis stated that, since the game hit the market, he's been reading many forums, comments and criticism of the specialized press, noting that many players have praised the game and that some reviews have analyzed the game for what it's not, instead of doing it for what it is.

Thats what happens when its so different and carries the same name.

In concrete, he said that Metacritic "is a very unfair system because it's attached to many weaknesses and interests". About Mirror of Fate in concrete, he said that "It's one of the games in Metacritic with the most 7's. In the end, people isn't dumb and won't stick just to the little number. I believe it's one of the games with the most different scores. We didn't think it was going to be so polarized."

Weakness that people said earlier and your team insists to repeat.

There was a chance too to comment the american IGN review. "Reviews like this do special damage because from that point, many will follow the same way". Márquez said that this particular review seemed to say "I don't like this game because it's not what I expected".

What about trying to not do mistakes, then they dont even will talk bad about your game? If so many people are talking about it I think that this problem really exist.

"There's people that will skin Mirror of Fate alive just because you didn't make the game they wanted", however, Mirror of Fate's director affirmed that he is very proud of the game he made and of the team that created it.

Surely, its about us lol
We are consumers, if you want to sell a game, you musto do a game that we want to buy, we wont will buy everything that you throw at us.

They have a great game and simply refuse to polish it; I cant understand why they are so arrogant about this.

[VladCT]

...their PR skills are non-existent.

Check and mate. Seriously, the line between pride and arrogance is often blurred, but with good PR they could've avoided crossing it.
...You know what, there seem to be quite a few game companies with bad PR nowadays, I wonder why?

[Pfil]

I didn't comment because I wanted to see what others thought about this.

Of course, many of you already know what I think.
This is just another example of MS's arrogance, lack of PR skills, and, yes, as someone said: they go "lalala, I can't hear you...".

My major complain is the music, of course. I would say basically everything Gaawa-Chan said.
But... everything. I liked MoF better than LoS, but still, they just DON'T GET IT.

[Sindra]

One of them was the music, which some users labeled as "generic" when comparing it to some classic Castlevania's music. "I don't care about the music that was present before", said the director, "the music from before didn't fit at all with the game we wanted to make now".

Well if what you wanted to make now was a generic, boring slew of "songs" that lull me to sleep out of sheer lack of creativity in their composition....then congrats! NAILED IT!

And I implore people not to confuse "ambient" for "unexciting". If you want ambiance, you can look no further than Super Castlevania 4. That game did everything right in terms of having a wide variety gothic, deep, melodic pieces that really brought you INTO the role you were playing and the atmosphere you were in. (while also having some more fast-paces baroque pieces to contrast)

Here's a thought that this gentleman simply decided to ignore: Maybe the reason people are getting on his case about his game's music not being like previous Castlevanias, could be because a wide majority of fans ACTUALLY LIKED THE MUSIC OF PREVIOUS GAMES. Maybe instead of stomping your foot down and refusing to budge from what YOU think should be in the game, maybe you should actually think about the fact you're MARKETING THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT YOURSELF and that they might want something different. It's called knowing your customer....and this guy dropped the ball.



Also, in before Steampunk goes all national pride and worship's this guy for his "courage".

[Kingshango]

There's pride and then there's arrogance.

And this is arrogance on Mercurysteams part.

[Foffy]

It's pathetic when someone gets criticism and goes "lalala I can't hear you" and accuses it for missing the point instead of properly responding to its points.

Maybe they'll hear it now knowing that Mirror of Fate is one of the worst selling games in franchise history, only selling 30k in its launch month according to some sources. ):

[VladCT]

But then won't they blame us instead?
Or maybe Konami will pull the plug on Castlevania completely instead, seeing as it's not selling like MGS. I dunno.

[Kingshango]

They might even pull the plug on 2D Castlevania's altogether and focus solely on 3D Castlevania's and possibly extend the Lords of Shadow series with or without Mercurysteam.


But Konami wouldn't do something THAT foolish right? They gotta know that shit wont fly with long time fans right?

[uzo]

But Konami wouldn't do something THAT foolish right? They gotta know that shit wont fly with long time fans right?

They did hand the series off to them in the first place, remember?