Fan feedback is essential when making a successful sequel, but with a game like Dark Souls, sometimes it’s best to give the community something it didn’t even know it wanted. Developer From Software has had to walk a fine line with Dark Souls 2, as while both publisher and fan input have been taken into account, it’s still crucial for the game to represent the developer’s brutal vision.
Namco Bandai's publishing producer, Takeshi Miyazoe, recently talked to OXM about the balancing act that Dark Souls 2 is constantly dealing with.
"There's never a right answer," he said. "But when we work with a developer who really focuses on what they want to do and what they want to communicate with the game… as soon as we take in too much feedback from the fans, or put in too much feedback from the publishing side, we start to lose that essence.
"For a game like Dark Souls, as hardcore as it is, that essence and purity is key. So again, there are different approaches, and I think we plan to continue to deliver what Dark Souls should be. Hopefully it'll do as well as or better than Dark Souls."
There are plenty of new features in this sequel, including timed co-op and a life bar that only seems to get smaller as you die more. The challenge will be there, and that might just be the most important thing Souls veterans could hear.
"The game's not going to be easier, just for that sense of accomplishment and achievement,” he continued. “As soon as you make anything easier, the fist-clenching you get after you able to overcome it becomes smaller, and we don't want that – we want it to be as challenging as it needs to be.
"As a publisher, we obviously want more players to pick up the game and enjoy the game, but what the fans expect – the game design comes first. As long as we can continue to deliver the true essence of Dark Souls, we hope that even new players will try to pick up the game, try to challenge themselves and hopefully not give up."
Dark Souls 2 will hit current-generation consoles in March 2014.
