Never Announced Kameo 2 Canceled

[DoctorFinger]

Do you remember Kameo? Rare's brawler was one of the Xbox 360's launch titles, and as such was given a pretty hefty promotional push. But that push didn't result in big time sales. Now it seems like the franchise, which publisher Microsoft once had such high hopes for, may be dead in the water.

A source for CVG is reporting that the never-announced Kameo 2 has been quietly canceled by Microsoft. The disappointing sales of the original is part of the reason for the cancellation, but another is the looming launch of Microsoft's Project Natal motion sensing system. Rare has supposedly been tasked with crafting at least one of the launch titles for the new controller, and as a result a couple of 'traditional' franchise sequels have been left by the wayside. One of these is Kameo 2, and the other may be long rumored next installment in the Perfect Dark franchise.

Source - CVG.

[Iron Past]

Boo. For both cancellations. I can't see myself even remotely enjoying a Natal game as much as proper sequels to those franchises. Then again, I still don't know what it is, and PDZ sucked, so whatever.

[Panthera]

I liked Kameo a lot more than I expected to, that's a shame. It had some of the most beautiful 3d models. Well, except for the elves.

[DoctorFinger]

Kameo was hurt, and maybe even killed, when the average consumer just didn't know what type of game it was. I saw the ads, and the art and the previews and was expecting a platformer, until I saw a review on X-Play where they say it's a brawler. And in the end I think it was still trying to be too many different things at once.

[Gorvi]

I wasn't a fan, but I can't think of a Rare game aside from the original Killer Instinct that I really enjoyed. Like others, I was hoping for a platformer and wasn't happy with what I ended up with.

[Savok]

Last great Rare game was Goldeneye, so no great loss.

[menage]

Viva Pinata was awesome imo. VP2 as well. Hell even Banjo had it's merits.

I liked Kameo, would have liked a sequel. But who is going to buy a 500 dollar machne to play a cute platform brawler. That's where it went wrong. The demographic was moneyspending men who like to shoot and drive back then.

[Suave Peanut]

I still remember reading about Kameo on the back of the box my GameCube came in.

[Psykoboy2]

I really enjoyed Kameo...especially the seasonal additions they added in the game. First 360 game I ever finished.

[Stoke]

Dammit. I loved Kameo and to hear its sequel was cancelled for more of the motion bullshit is disappointing. It's unfortuante it didn't sell well but the simple truth is if it lookslike a children game most adult gamers won't give it a chance. I've seen 2 people initially scoff at Kameo but when I made them actually sit down and play they wanted to finish the whole thng.

[Suave Peanut]

Hah! Another Kameo memory:
A friend and I used to (and still do from time to time) just look at each other and say one of the character's names as they were hilariously announced in the game. "PUMMELWEED!" "ASH!" "FORTY BELOW!"

[Mike Kelehan]

Originally Posted by menage

Viva Pinata was awesome imo. VP2 as well. Hell even Banjo had it's merits.

I liked Kameo, would have liked a sequel. But who is going to buy a 500 dollar machne to play a cute platform brawler. That's where it went wrong. The demographic was moneyspending men who like to shoot and drive back then.

I didn't buy a 360 just for Kameo, but once I had it, Kameo was a good proposition for $60. It was the first disc-based 360 game I finished, and I'd have liked a sequel. It's too bad 360 gamers seem to be turning a blind eye to Rare's work this gen.

[Suave Peanut]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelehan

Kameo was a good proposition for $60.

False! Kameo came out back when Microsoft insisted that first-party titles would be $50.

That lasted a while...

[Widgetcraft]

I loved Kameo, it was probably the best game the 360 had for the first year or so it was out. It was just another good game killed by the desire for mature games, for mature gamers such as myself. People see a game with Kameo's art style and assume it is a kid's game.

[EternalGamer]

I agree with the Kameo love. I think what killed the game was that terrible opening "tutorial" level. It was also what was on display on all the demos. That level was clearly rushed and tacked on and it overwhelmed the player.

Once you got past it, the game was fantastic (aside from a few minor frustrations with the water controls, which personally I didn't have too much trouble with). A beautiful game and an original one. Definitely my favorite game the first year of the system's life. And there still are only a hand full of colorful, imaginative games of similar vein. And of them, I can't think of one better than Kameo. Granted, that says less about Kameo and more about the lack of good, colorful adventure/platforming games on the system, but it doesn't change the fact that Kameo was a valuable addition to the library.

Perfect Dark Zero, however, was not so hot. It's the stealth sequences that killed it for me. Well, that and the obnoxious level design that meant you had to wait for them to (literally) place glowing arrows on the floor to direct you. However, a sequel could have been interesting. I certainly like the style and world of the game if not the gameplay.

Viva and Banjo were both under appreciated too. All of Rare's 360 games have the problem of simple categorization, and, all of them seem a bit less than user friendly at first (their menu systems in particular are atrocious). They may not make the most polished games (as they once did when under the guidance of Nintendo), but they still make very colorful and imaginative games and that is something that the 360 is still fairly lacking in.

[Wombat]

I'll add my love for Kameo. It was great fun, and much better paced than many of that type of game. In most games where you gain new powers throughout the game, you only gain the most awesome one just before the final battle. In Kameo you get to use the full set of 12 forms for the entire last two levels, and many areas are designed to make the best use of various forms.

[Mike Kelehan]

Originally Posted by EternalGamer

I agree with the Kameo love. I think what killed the game was that terrible opening "tutorial" level. It was also what was on display on all the demos. That level was clearly rushed and tacked on and it overwhelmed the player.

I totally agree. You get this action-packed level, and then after it, the original start of the game, explaining that you use the left stick to move. Seriously. Rare caught that gaffe and released a second demo that eased players in a bit more, but too many people were already turned off. Everyone I know who refuses to play Kameo says that they played the original demo and hated it.

[EternalGamer]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelehan

I totally agree. You get this action-packed level, and then after it, the original start of the game, explaining that you use the left stick to move. Seriously. Rare caught that gaffe and released a second demo that eased players in a bit more, but too many people were already turned off. Everyone I know who refuses to play Kameo says that they played the original demo and hated it.

The level didn't even need to be there. Especially since you revisit the same area at the end of the game. They should have made the 'loss of powers" a mere cutscene. The opening in the fairy village would have been an excellent way to introduce the player to the world.

[Mike Kelehan]

Originally Posted by EternalGamer

The level didn't even need to be there. Especially since you revisit the same area at the end of the game. They should have made the 'loss of powers" a mere cutscene. The opening in the fairy village would have been an excellent way to introduce the player to the world.

The problem in their mind was probably that there's a good amount of walking around and talking before you get to any action, so people might have been put off. What they perhaps should've done is made you way too powerful in the opening sequence, and made it extremely easy to navigate.

...I want to replay Kameo.

[EternalGamer]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelehan

The problem in their mind was probably that there's a good amount of walking around and talking before you get to any action, so people might have been put off. What they perhaps should've done is made you way too powerful in the opening sequence, and made it extremely easy to navigate.

...I want to replay Kameo.

That would have somewhat solved the problem too. But that opening also has some camera issues and is just throwing way too many commands/game play mechanics at you at once. Maybe if they just made it more of a "playground" where you could use whatever powers you wanted and made you pratically invincible, but I still don't think that addresses the problem that the area was just one of the worst designed in the entire game.