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[Darkmakaimura]

My hopes are dwindling for any possible LoK game at this time and not even because of Ascendance being panned.

Problem is for anyone who plays a new game is some of the voice acting. I adore Simon Templeton and Michael Bell. Hell, I grew up with Bell with his work in There's Company and The Smurfs.

However, if you noticed in Ascendance, Bell's voice has changed quite a bit. He's 87 years old. He just doesn't sound like he used to. Templeton still sounded pretty much the same.

Because of the age of these actors and voices, the only way I can see a new game is to have new characters. I'm not against this. I think it would be good to introduce that but I know most people would at least want a Kain cameo.

Do you think even such a thing is possible?

 

[roosnam1980]

cant they use AI to get the desired voice acting?

 

[Darkmakaimura]

cant they use AI to get the desired voice acting?

I was thinking that Michael Bell could voice act but somehow make his voice like he used to sound?

Is such a thing even possible?

 

[roosnam1980]

I was thinking that Michael Bell could voice act but somehow make his voice like he used to sound?

Is such a thing even possible?

they could train AI to sound like younger michael bell , there is tons of examples on youtube

 

[Darkmakaimura]

they could train AI to sound like younger michael bell , there is tons of examples on youtube

They really should have done that in Ascendance.

 

[roosnam1980]

They really should have done that in Ascendance.

can also use an actor to mimic the og voice actor e.g troy baker as indie

 

[xrnzaaas]

The problem with the og actors getting old can be solved in several ways... even if you don't want to train AI (and have the actors agree to use it) you can find a good voice actor who can sound similar. Wouldn't be a dealbreaker for me.

As for the actual game, they can always pick the AA route. I mean who could've guessed ~10 years ago that we're going to get several new Darksiders games.

 

[KungFucius]

AA is absolutely what they should be doing. These games should have a nice 10 hour or so campaign and be a little cheaper.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

The problem with the og actors getting old can be solved in several ways... even if you don't want to train AI (and have the actors agree to use it) you can find a good voice actor who can sound similar. Wouldn't be a dealbreaker for me.

As for the actual game, they can always pick the AA route. I mean who could've guessed ~10 years ago that we're going to get several new Darksiders games.

Darksiders.... Another series I love that actually comes close to being a contemporary Kain game.

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

They should reboot Legacy of Kain.

I always felt the first should play like an more action RPG top down Zelda.

Update the story and characters, and gameplay for today's audience.

It is truly an underutilized IP.

I would argue you should make the games like a 3d Zelda with each characters "Journey". First play a game or two as Kain, then let Kain become the villain.

Kind of like if we played the first two Zelda games as Gannon.

 

[MrCunningham]

I honestly think it would be more interesting if someone were to try and recreate a new game in the style of the original non-'Soul Reaver" Legacy of Kain games. I don't know if I mean; a reboot, a direct sequel to the original overhead RPG, or a prequel? I mean make a new game in the style of the original Silicon Knights game (do you hear me, Dyack?) but modernize it (in hopefully good ways).

I don't know if the IP is big enough to get a large production budget behind it. The original game is almost 30 years old as it released on November 1st 1996.

 

[mdkirby]

They seem to have no faith in the IP and seem intent on killing the IP by testing interest with things fans simply don't want.

1. They made a game fans would want, dark sun, but cancelled it near completion.
2. They made Nosgoth, a f2p multiplayer battle game nobody asked for and had limited appeal to fans of the narrative heavy action adventures the brand was known for.
3. The lowest possible effort remaster of soul reaver, a very very old game. Why companies feel compelled to do actual remakes of relatively modern games, but only do texture updates for ancient 25year old games and expect people to flock to them I have no idea.
4. A low budget shitty side scroller.

All of these were doomed to fail, at either gaining sales, fan interest or building general interest in the IP. This should have been blindingly obvious to anyone with two brain cells, yet they still threw money at it and by releasing them did more brand damage than doing nothing at all.

The only way this works is by throwing 50mil+ at an actual game that is respectful of the originals…tho they are so old now, and I have so little faith in modern writers, that they kinda missed their chance, as the best option would have been an actual bluepoint style 'remake' of soul reaver 1 and 2.

 

[Donald mac Ronald]

No because nobody really cares and it would be a sales flop if it had an AAA budget.

 

[L*][*N*K]

No it is not, and it has nothing to do with the voice actors

 

[JimmyRustler]

Well, if you follow the news around this series it seems they are at least trying (sadly failing) to reboot it all the time.

It's a shame… though I'm not sure I want to know how a LoK would look like in the current climate.

 

[ungalo]

No because nobody really cares and it would be a sales flop if it had an AAA budget.

It's like some people still haven't noticed nothing is getting funded anymore, especially not this kind of game and this kind of IP. Everything's going down the drain.

All of these were doomed to fail, at either gaining sales, fan interest or building general interest in the IP. This should have been blindingly obvious to anyone with two brain cells, yet they still threw money at it and by releasing them did more brand damage than doing nothing at all.

They did the minimal effort because that's all they could afford. They didn't throw any money. Just tried some little cashgrab and it didn't work but i doubt that bothered them financially.

 

[Soodanim]

Bell definitely sounds old in Ascendance - too old for any new LoK games really, but I appreciate that he returned for Ascendance.

The VA is a concern, you don't see much like it. But my bigger concern is the ability to tell the story the way it needs to be told. The ability to write the story, build the world, have a complex but coherent timeline, and tell it all with the level of dialogue that we saw originally are all things I can see any company choosing to sacrifice for the sake of a broader appeal. It's an IP that deserves to not be watered down in any way.

If they could manage to get together a team that all shared those ideals I would take newer, younger voice actors that could see a rebooted series through. There are eloquent speakers out there that could do it justice, whether through imitation or their own take on the character. But it's a big hill to climb to get to that point and I don't know if that's possible.

 

[Hudo]

The problem rather is to get writers that actually know what they're doing and can write. Maybe Amy Hennig is available.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

The problem rather is to get writers that actually know what they're doing and can write. Maybe Amy Hennig is available.

Oh yes, please get Amy Hennig back for it. There's would be some hope for it.

 

[MiguelItUp]

I think it's possible, I mean, they're slowly showing the IP/brand more and more attention as of late, they know its loved. But I will say maybe more like a AA rather than a AAA.

Developers and publishers are too scared to take risks these days, and understandably so. I mean, any project that doesn't land could immediately mean studio closure. So the amount of risk taking is lower than it ever has been before.

AA and indie on the other hand, have a bit more wiggle room.

I'm not sure what the future holds for LoK, but I'd love to see more games. Man, I still think about Nosgoth too, it was so underrated, and I had so much fun with that game.

 

[kevboard]

not AAA,
but AA.

look at Darksiders 1. that is in essence very close to Soul Reaver for example.

 

[Fbh]

I don't think the franchise has the mass market appeal for some $200+ million dollar AAA game.
But a AA game with the production values of something like an Expedition 33, Kena Bridge of Spirits, Evil West, Mafia The Old Country, etc could work. Make it 10-15 hours and release it for $40-50.

As for the voices, personally I wouldn't mind if they just get new actors that can do a decent impression.

 

[drotahorror]

I don't think Crystal Dynamics can even make a game period anymore.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

not AAA,
but AA.

look at Darksiders 1. that is in essence very close to Soul Reaver for example.

I don't think the franchise has the mass market appeal for some $200+ million dollar AAA game.
But a AA game with the production values of something like an Expedition 33, Kena Bridge of Spirits, Evil West, Mafia The Old Country, etc could work. Make it 10-15 hours and release it for $40-50.

As for the voices, personally I wouldn't mind if they just get new actors that can do a decent impression.

I concur.

Hell, I'd be happy with a new Kain game with PS2 type graphics if it could be done. I think somehow finishing and remastering Dark Prophecy would be beyond awesome. That game and it's premise looked and sounded so cool.