Mafia lead designer: “Dead Space 3 turned into something nobody will like”

Daniel Vávra, lead designer on Mafia, laments the current gaming landscape for being publisher-driven and risk-averse, citing Dead Space 3 as an example of “turning something interesting into something nobody will like.”

[GTRrocker666]

So he is talking about how we need more original ideas but was the lead designer on a GTA clone. Sorry but it is true. Make better games. Be the change. Stop preaching about what you hate and then go and do the same thing.

Also, Dead Space always was a horror action shooter. I dont get where people have this idea that it used to be like silent hill or something. So the people who hate on dead space 2 or 3 must not remember Dead Space 1 at all. I do because I replay it every year. That is my fav new series this gen. What ever changes are made, they still have no problem retaining the horror. And they will do it again in DS3.

[-MD-]

Dead Space 1 was much closer to what horror fans wanted than Dead Space 2 was. Dead Space 2 amplified the ACTION portion of the game.

[tigertron]

Yes, but it was the perfect balance between horror and action.

I'd like to see either the same mixture in DS2, or complete survival horror like in Dead Space.

[GTRrocker666]

I am a horror fan and I like Dead Space 2 more than 1. 1 also has more boss battles than one. So that is one element where 1 has more action than 2.

[Mounce]

I know Dead Space 1 was made for like, a true Horror-themed game, they targeted Horror and influenced it from dozens of movies, games and books. Second was more on action like what RE4 did however what I did appreciate, which made me love Dead Space 2 more than the first is....

The voice actor and character they built up on for Isaac, the mood and personality added upon the 'Mute person' was great, and I loved the development, the story given and the ending to his story at DS2 in which it sorta was a sad ending, you felt really bad for Isaac going through so much only to just sit there and give up, be ready for death only to be saved miraculously. There was still plenty of spooks and to me there's not many horror games that exist but I don't mind Dead Space series taking a blend of Action over Horror as doing proper horror is more difficult than most people can imagine. Being anxious and fearful of death when playing Hardcore mode, fearing to make a mistake, desiring survival and not feeling like a Tank and ONLY on Hardcore mode, does the game truly shine. To me, Dead Space never had good or true horror, it just had sort of a.... Nod and tip of the cap towards the genre but was still going to be a hybrid from the first games launch.

[Awesome_Gamer]

Dead Space 2 didn't amplifie the action aspect of the series, that's a lie, i prefer the first one, but 2 is also scary, i'm not getting my hopes up for 3 though.

[iChii]

Even so, I still found Dead Space 2 somewhat scary and Isaac's personality is one of the best I've ever seen. I haven't liked a character so much since Jak first talked on Jak 2.. but seriously.. Dead Space 3 looks kind of disappointing..maybe not as disappointing as Resident Evil 6, but its sure as hell looks disappointing..

[SephirothX21]

I you played Mafia, you would no that it is not a GTA clone. It released in 2002 when GTA 3 had only released a year beforehand. It is quite different from GTA.

[StanSmith]

Mafia was far from a GTA Clone. Just be because a game has an open world where you can drive and shoot, people rush to claim it as a GTA clone.

Mafia had a serious adult story before GTA4 decided to grow up. To say Mafia was the clone is laughable.

[NYC_Gamer]

Mafia was a pure classic..

[Grap]

What GTA clone? you obviously didn't play MAFIA 2. there's should be a report button for idiotic comments.

[FriedGoat]

Mafia released less than a year after GTA 3. Its hardly a clone.

[PastyGangster]

Mafia, GTA clone? You're an idiot. Mafia 2 had a better story than GTA IV did, and better gameplay. Just because it is a open world game doesn't make it a GTA clone.

[SegataShanshiro]

Well I think it is going to be the same as resident evil 6, full of action and no scary parts other than a big BOO!

Rated E for everyone (retard)

[AllroundGamer]

well he's probably right, Dead Space 3 went full RE6 retard...

[e-p-ayeaH]

Dead Space 3 is basically Army of Two with aliens as enemies.

[Baka-akaB]

the worst part is when you put lost planet 3 and dead space 3 side by sides , you wouldnt know wich is wich , if not for the tech's engine's own qualities and shortcomings

[bubblebeam]

@Baka-akaB

"...wich is wich..."

Lol, when I was reading your comment, in my head I pronounced it "wick is wick". I then had to slap myself in the face and re-read it.

Almost had me there........ it's "which" by the way ;)

[Baka-akaB]

that's what happens when you type in another language at 4 am :p

[R6ex]

I'm glad DS3 went the action route, as I won't be buying a pure horror game.

[FarCryLover182]

I am not planning on buying this one since they have changed the direction in a terrible way. But if I do buy it, I could wait 2 months until it is half priced.

[FunAndGun]

I feel the same way.

Bought DS1 day one
Bought DS2 day one

Will be waiting to pick up DS3, if at all.

[Nodoze]

Dead Space 3 went all lost planet (which didn't sell well either)!?

While I understand the publisher's side of things here as there is ALOT of money at risk...you can't create the next GTA or other big title by copying existing content.

A good recent example are ANALyst remarks to Rock Star that Red Dead Redemption would never sell. Imagine if that jewel of a game was left on the cutting room floor due to some stupid ANALyst remarks.

You must take risks in order to create the next big thing.

[whiteyjuice]

Personally, I love the look of DS3. I will be pre-ordering it. I think it is foolish to expect any game to adhere to strict guidelines set forth in the era of a game's inception. The series now spans almost five years- to expect it not to grow and morph is really sort of childish and inane. There are fair criticisms of any game, but on a whole both games in the series so far have delivered, and I can't wait to finally experience some necromorph slaughtering with a friend, as well as by myself. I think the ability of the developer is being severely shortchanged when it comes to being able to deliver two types of experiences in one game, with one story-line, and that the success of this game will be from its ability to do so.

[SilentNegotiator]

"I think it is foolish to expect any game to adhere to strict guidelines set forth in the era of a game's inception"

In which case, your implication is entirely missing the point. Dan isn't speaking as a consumer, but as a designer. His point is that he doesn't think that the change will result is pleasing either audience (survival horror fans or action fans).

[GTRrocker666]

People can whine all tbey want. Dead Space 2 was better than 1 because they had more time and money to do what they wanted to do with 1. Dead Space 3 will be amazing.

[jd666]

mafia 2 was a HUGE disappointment to me personally

[Megaton]

It was a great game to me personally.

[jd666]

It's good but I was expecting something special

[aviator189]

I just wish franchises would stick to their absolute core in all aspects but simply expand and fine-tune on where they have previously failed.
Dead Space 3 looks full-on action. I like action, but that's not why I buy Dead Space games.

[cogniveritas]

Action is a core aspect of Dead Space, even the first game. Players are encouraged to learn how to properly dismember enemies, throw their body parts, shot explosive sacs, melee, and use a pretty powerful array of weapons. Sometimes you would be locked in a room until you killed all enemies, no hiding or running away to survive was allowed in many cases. That is action, and they are expanding upon it.

In video games where combat is a possiblity, as unfortunate as it may be, upping the ante generally means bigger guns and more action.

[rdgneoz3]

The core aspects of the first game were action, suspense, and horror. If they didn't care about the later two, then why did they do so much research on horror films while working on it?

"The first approach is that they've been analyzing every aspect of horror movies multiple times to see how directors have made their projects frighten their audiences. That includes everything from classic films and big studio scares to low budget schlockfests, because every single title has some moment that they could potentially use, such as the timing of a scare or an audio cue."

http://www.ign.com/articles...

[IWentBrokeForGaming]

Damned if you do, Damned if you don't...

Dead Space 3 devs. are damned if they do (which they did)

[bubblebeam]

Put a shirt on. Red Hot Chilli Peppers much?

[Megaton]

Make Mafia 3.

[DeltaCanuckian]

It's almost as if people have ignored some of the points the guys at Visceral made, even with Dead Space 2. Why did Isaac move faster in DS2? Why was he now able to reload while sprinting? All these "action" abilities? Because Isaac has dealt with one Necromorph infestation, he's now a little more confident in how to deal with the situation. These are additions/modifications to gameplay, as well as CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.

[SanMarco]

seriously. its not even survival anymore, nor scary. its like action, and effing boring.

[DeadSpaced]

I want a boss during the story that has the same sense of presence as the Leviathan did. No matter what, that boss is one I'll always remember. An entire chapter was wrapped around it and you had to weaken it to just be able to reach it. I want that same feeling.