Eurogamer writer teases "cool announcement" for tomorrow

[Xellos]

Well, I didn't see that coming... Shovel Knight in Yooka-Laylee? Not even a blue minion dressed up as him, but the real deal? Strange decision you made there, Playtonic.

[MattUmby]

I could understand REFERENCING Shovel Knight, definitely, but just flat-out having the actual character is very immersion-breaking. Despite these games breaking the fourth wall, they are immersive. They're their own little worlds, universes. Having cameo characters just ruins it.

I really don't like his inclusion. I'm sorry, but he has NOTHING to do with Yooka-Laylee.

He doesn't fit the art style, he sticks out like a sore thumb, and he is already EVERYWHERE. I like Shovel Knight, but I'm sick of him.

This feels like a decision made by a higher-up forcing Playtonic's hand. This feels like the kind of thing Microsoft would do to Rare, honestly.

[GeneralWalnut]

I actually like the trend of cameo stuff in indie games that's cropped up over the years. Even back with the Bit.Trip games on Wii, the cameo stuff always felt like a "we're all in this together" thing. Really comes across to me like a genuine collaboration from people in the same field, which is impressive considering how competitive other sectors of the same industry can be.

Also I think visually he fits in pretty well, and I can't imagine long term that his appearance in YL will end up being any more confusing than Sabreman showing up in Tooie.

[Yavga]

[GeneralWalnut]

[dotEXE]

Yup. Gaming sucks right now if you don't think Shovel Knight was the best thing since sliced bread.

[Scrubber]

[WyvernWings]

Immersion-breaking in a game where there was no fourth-wall to begin with.
lel.

This is the first Indie game I've seen where people are actually upset about a cameo from another indie game. Cameos happen all the time. Even Dust: An Elysian Tail would have a deeper, more emotional story and far less amount of fourth-wall jokes, and it still had like 8 cameos from other indie titles. As out-of-place as they were, fans of that game wearn't phased about that.

Also Playtonic mentioned ages ago that characters from each of their own future games will be showing up in other titles, including this one. Guests from other games just expand their universe even more. They've said they've wanted this from the beginning. Don't pretend crossovers wearn't going to happen.

Now I honestly don't care about whether or not the game has guests. I've never even beaten Shovel Knight. But I'm certainetly not 'boycotting' Yacht Games or Playtonic over something as insignificant as what is mearly another little Pagie quest. Guest characters, Playtonic-branded or not, they could offer potentially unique missions to Yooka Laylee anyway. It may have some unexpected objectives and more humor.
Shovel Knight is not taking over the game. He will be on-screen for 5 minutes at the most and then he'll be gone. This game is still about Yooka and Laylee. Don't get your knickers in a twist over something as tiny as this.


By the way, this thread should probably be merged with the Shovel Knight thread.

[Scrubber]

The skeleton In the cauldron, didn't this used to be skull girl or is this a different character? Looks suspiciously like Sabre man.

[dotEXE]

They confirmed its the same skull girl I believe. You just can't tell well in that particular captured video.

[Exaskryz]

[Lufkin]

[dotEXE]

He never said ruined. He said it's no longer perfect. That's the risk you take with a cameo. Respond to the actual statement that was made instead of misrepresenting him.

[Exaskryz]

dotEXE, don't you see? He's just one more of those guys who thinks any any game <10/10 is a terrible game not worth your time. If it doesn't get a perfect rating, it should go straight into the trash.

While normal people would consider a 7/10 game good, and an A- game (9.2/10) stellar, this guy would think of either as unplayable.

[Crownless]

TBH, numerical ratings are very subjective and are a silly thing to get upset over anyway. A perfect 10 to someone might only be a 5 to someone else.

While I'm mixed on this cameo, I don't think it's going to ruin the game for me. I mean, we have other knights in the same level, so it seems like a fun and cheeky inclusion. Who knows, maybe it turns out that Shovel Knight is secretly a pig as well! It'd make sense in-universe for him, as animal people exist in his game.

Either way, I think people are mostly upset because this wasn't the "cool announcement" that they were hoping for.

[dotEXE]

You know what - I've only been thinking of this from one side so far... what Shovel Knight stands to gain from more advertising.

As much as I'm tired of that character, Playtonic actually stands to gain more than I realized from this. Another forum I just browsed people were saying "I had never heard of Yooka Laylee before [wtf, how???] but I'm definitely going to get it now."

I guess as sick of SK as I am, this is good for Playtonic's pocket. Not just Yacht Club. I begrudgingly accept. But I might mod him into a rock on the PC version.

[Exaskryz]

If Playtonic felt desperate enough to generate attention with a Shoved Knight announcement to draw attention to the game, then that is more worrisome. They anticipate the game won't be successful enough to draw attention on its own, that it will rely on other IP to get sales (beyond saying it's a BK spiritual successor). They believe they may just fail at their hope of spurring on a revival of the 3D Platformer... which is then a head-scratcher to include a cameo from a 2D character that had never been 3D before Yooka Laylee. Weird.

[dotEXE]

I mean, at the core of it all I think they just like Shovel Knight a lot more than we do. I don't think marketing really had a whole lot to do with it. I'm just realizing it can be good for Playtonic and using that to sort of come to terms with my dislike of the cameo.

TLDR: forming cognitive dissonance to be okay with it

[WyvernWings]

[EekumBokum202]