Itsuno Shoots down "DMC's Dependence on Sales" Hysteria in Interview

[Foxtrot94]

As much as the franchise's future seems to be nebulous on Capcom's side, DMC4 SE is generally being received positively, especially by users. Even on Metacritic there, users are enthusiastic about it and say that this fueled their hope for DMC5. So...

Let's not pretend DMC5 is not more viable than DmC2. It is. Problem is, even if it is the more likely to be made, doesn't mean it will in fact be made. We all know our dear Capcom.

 

[Innsmouth]

http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2015/06/japanese_sales_charts_the_devil_may_cry_at_these_ps4_numbers

Apparently, DMC4 isn't doing too well in Japan. Only the West can boost its ascension to the ranks.

It's sales for one week actually.

 

[LordOfDarkness]

Why does everybody have to start bringing up sales?...

...Oh wait, my bad.

@Judge: I have heard bad things about Metacritic before. Perhaps if you're trying to make a fine point about a mixed reception for DMC 4: SE, you could give other reasons or examples. Because otherwise it's understandable that some will disregard this as being something that is an apparent fact and not just your own views.

Not that I'm disagreeing with you. I just tend to find that people require something a little more solid.

Though does a critic rating a game know how well that game is going to sell, even if their review is or isn't considered before a purchase is made? Of course not. Therefore I'd say that the game's overall rating doesn't play the biggest part in terms of how many copies are sold. It's definitely a great factor, undoubtedly. But nothing to seriously focus on.

 

[Stylish Nero]

After unleashing a massive whoopin on night raid and punching out a certain pos, he became my fav.

About the same here

 

[LordOfDarkness]

About the same here

Not relevant to the topic.

 

[Stylish Nero]

Not relevant to the topic.

Its okay that is about it about off topic rambles

 

[LordOfDarkness]

Its okay that is about it about off topic rambles

It's okay in the sense that you're not being offensive or inappropriate towards anybody, but not in the sense that it's actually inappropriate to the thread. That's why we have profile pages and private messages to continue to discuss things with others without filling threads up with off-topic posts.

Anyway, last thing I'll say about the matter is that I don't mind if you're going to go off-topic slightly, just don't keep doing it continuously and try to make points still relevant to the topic at the same time in your comments.

This applies to everyone else also, not just you. Thanks :thumbsup:

 

[Vergil Crosse]

I would like to say that the ratings are probably due to the excessive repeat content that DMC4 faces. This issue has plagued many of the DMC games, and is one of the things the reboot simply does better. The game play has always really been spot on. Very responsive, very accurate, engaging and fun.

If any remake of the game takes into account the highlights of both the reboot, and the series we've all come to know and love, there will be plenty of story to require sequels to tell. Done well, those sequels will sell many copies! Everyone wins.

I, for one, am very much looking forward to seeing what the new gen consoles can do with a game as fast paced and exciting as the DMC series.

 

[Enigma]

Just wanted to comment quick (well, it's never really quick with me, but anyway)...

Some people think Itsuno was lying when he said that the future of DMC doesn't depend on DMC4 SE's sales. The reason for that is because Kobayashi later said that ''the future of DMC is undecided''. Some people think that means that Kobayashi contradicted Itsuno. Source of Kobayashi's statement: http://www.dualshockers.com/2015/06...-on-future-of-devil-may-cry-series-undecided/

The thing is, those two statements don't contradict each other. The future of DMC might well be undecided, but doesn't hinge on DMC4 SE's success. I think DMC4 SE was mainly developed as a way for Capcom to make easy money, considering that is their business plan right now: to make a bunch of remasters to capitalize on the success of their most profitable games. At the same time, they're trying to stick to developing new installments of popular games (Street Fighter V, for instance).
But on to the main point, it's possible that Capcom isn't yet sure they'll make enough money with DMC5 to cover the cost of its development. That, or they want a huge guaranteed profit on their games, and DMC5 is too much of a wildcard. If they are still in financial trouble somewhat, it's only logical they're trying to stick to what is guaranteed to work. Either they're unsure of DMC5 in that respect, OR they're unsure of it with regard to storytelling. Consider this: if DmC was mainly developed for the storytelling, it's possible they were not happy with the way DMC4 turned out story-wise. And that could mean that they've lost confidence in their storytelling abilities (even though it can't really be worse than DmC's storytelling, considering it probably had more plotholes than any single DMC game).
Or maybe by saying that the future is undecided, Kobayashi simply meant that they have no plans for DMC5 yet: that they haven't figured out what kind of story and/or gameplay to go with.

As for the sometimes negative reviews of DMC4 SE, I think they're not always fair. DMC4 is known for its backtracking, it has been since 2008. To now suddenly judge it extra harshly for its backtracking seems stupid to me, as its backtracking is not anything new, nor does it technically have anything to do with the extra features of SE. What reviewers need to do is review DMC4 SE, not the original game according to 2015 standards. They need to review whether or not the additions of SE were good, mediocre or bad. In response to Vergil Crosse's claim that the DMCs had ''excessive'' repetitive content, that's personal opinion. The only DMC IMO that had excessive backtracking was DMC4, whereas games like DMC3 had 'backtracking' in the sense that almost all hack-and-slash games did: going back to certain rooms to retrieve items etc.

 

[Vergil Crosse]

In response to Vergil Crosse's claim that the DMCs had ''excessive'' repetitive content, that's personal opinion.

That's not really an opinion. That's a fact. The level design/content is recycled. There's no denying that. Enemy placement and type may be different, but nothing needed to be done about the architecture or placement of terrain. There was backtracking in DMC1, with slight differences jumping between the demon and human worlds, and again in DMC3 even if it was for a few levels or so. The tower was a big perpetrator of recycled content.

However, you do raise a good point about the reviews not always being fair. The fact that Capcom released this game's digital download for $25 instead of repackaging it and selling for $60, was a decent business decision considering the content was basically the same. However, with the addition of new costumes, and three new playable characters the price was justified. The gameplay is true to DMC standards, and they even managed to give Lady and Vergil different styles from Nero and Dante and worthy of a good score.

 

[Enigma]

That's not really an opinion. That's a fact. The level design/content is recycled. There's no denying that. Enemy placement and type may be different, but nothing needed to be done about the architecture or placement of terrain. There was backtracking in DMC1, with slight differences jumping between the demon and human worlds, and again in DMC3 even if it was for a few levels or so. The tower was a big perpetrator of recycled content.

However, you do raise a good point about the reviews not always being fair. The fact that Capcom released this game's digital download for $25 instead of repackaging it and selling for $60, was a decent business decision considering the content was basically the same. However, with the addition of new costumes, and three new playable characters the price was justified. The gameplay is true to DMC standards, and they even managed to give Lady and Vergil different styles from Nero and Dante and worthy of a good score.

I'm just saying that calling it ''excessive'' is an opinion... I'm not denying that the classic DMC games had a form of backtracking (like you said, you often had to traverse a previous area or go through one level for a long time). But most hack-and-slash games have that, as far as I know. And if we're going to argue that level design is recycled, DmC is no better. Various video games honestly recycle level design, often a lot.

But anyway, yeah, I think DMC4 SE has a decent price too. It's really the reviews that drone on about the backtracking that get to me. I mean, it's nothing new, the original DMC4 also had it. And yeah, I get that it becomes more annoying when you have two extra characters to backtrack through Dante's levels with, but that just seems like a punch below the belt, you know? Anyone who buys DMC4 SE really accepts the backtracking, it's not even useful to review it unfavorably in that sense.

 

[LordOfDarkness]

@Daimon Leon: Hold up. People are criticising the backtracking in DMC 4: SE, despite the fact that story and missions haven't been changed at all from DMC 4 - DMC 4:SE? That makes absolutely no sense at all.

 

[The Good Gentleman]

@Daimon Leon: Hold up. People are criticising the backtracking in DMC 4: SE, despite the fact that story and missions haven't been changed at all from DMC 4 - DMC 4:SE? That makes absolutely no sense at all.

It was the most notable and glaring flaw? The new stuff in SE was just bonus goodies - the repetition was simply something that was expected to be fixed, even a little. It wasn't, so people took notice. Again.

 

[LordOfDarkness]

@The Good Gentleman: Oh don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware that it's one of 4's main flaws. I just thought Daimon meant it as in people were complaining again about it even though they knew about it already, which seems silly.

However, you're saying that it's because people expected it to be fixed in the Special Edition. And because it wasn't, then that's where the problem lies.

I can understand that, obviously. I just think that expectations were probably set higher than perhaps they should have been in this instance.

 

[Vergil Crosse]

I'm just saying that calling it ''excessive'' is an opinion... I'm not denying that the classic DMC games had a form of backtracking (like you said, you often had to traverse a previous area or go through one level for a long time). But most hack-and-slash games have that, as far as I know. And if we're going to argue that level design is recycled, DmC is no better. Various video games honestly recycle level design, often a lot.

But anyway, yeah, I think DMC4 SE has a decent price too. It's really the reviews that drone on about the backtracking that get to me. I mean, it's nothing new, the original DMC4 also had it. And yeah, I get that it becomes more annoying when you have two extra characters to backtrack through Dante's levels with, but that just seems like a punch below the belt, you know? Anyone who buys DMC4 SE really accepts the backtracking, it's not even useful to review it unfavorably in that sense.

That's where you and I disagree. Again you make good points, but with what DMC in general tries to accomplish in terms of platforming, it falls flat. DmC does it very well. The level traversal is just as fun as the combat. Even though Hack n' Slash games make that the status quo, doesn't mean us, as gamers, should agree with it. Especially when it's repetitive and lazy game design. To say that DmC level design is recycled is also incorrect, due to the changing nature of each stage. Enemy placement, enemy types, and traversal type in each mission are very well thought out in the re-imagining of DmC.

What I'm trying to convey (and perhaps not doing a very good job) about the game reviews, is that DMC4, with the addition of three new characters, isn't enough to garner it stellar ratings. Averaging of 7.5 isn't bad, but it's not what a game like DMC, with better platforming and the robust combat system it currently has, should be rated at. I believe there is another thread with a DMC5 wishlist that has some very good ideas that I believe would rocket the series into the upper rated echelons.

 

[DragonMaster2010]

That's where you and I disagree. Again you make good points, but with what DMC in general tries to accomplish in terms of platforming, it falls flat. DmC does it very well. The level traversal is just as fun as the combat. Even though Hack n' Slash games make that the status quo, doesn't mean us, as gamers, should agree with it. Especially when it's repetitive and lazy game design. To say that DmC level design is recycled is also incorrect, due to the changing nature of each stage. Enemy placement, enemy types, and traversal type in each mission are very well thought out in the re-imagining of DmC.

This is honestly the truth. DmC barely had back tracking, interactive traversal elements, and a lot of surreal colors that definitely fit in with the classic series.

 

[Foxtrot94]

a lot of surreal colors that definitely fit in with the classic series.

Noooouuuu! Screw that insane saturation!!!

 

[DragonMaster2010]

Noooouuuu! Screw that insane saturation!!!

That's what the gamma level in the options menu are for.

 

[Foxtrot94]

That's what the gamma level in the options menu are for.

That is not gamma, that is color saturation (besides, lower gamma means darker screen... no thx)! Yeah ok, I guess I can turn it down through my monitor control panel but I gotta save the settings, run the game, then turn it back to normal once I exit the game and repeat every time I launch it, sob...

Besides, it's an artistic choice they made, and it's one that suuuuuucks. I hate color saturation. Could have put a slider specifically for it in the menu. :/

 

[DragonMaster2010]

That is not gamma, that is color saturation (besides, lower gamma means darker screen... no thx)! Yeah ok, I guess I can turn it down through my monitor control panel but I gotta save the settings, run the game, then turn it back to normal once I exit the game and repeat every time I launch it, sob...

It saves itself and it stays like that.