Summary
By the end of adevelopment phase, a game will usually end up being at least a little different from the original pitch. However, while it’s normal to add in a few extra features, mechanics, and even characters, some developers decided to switch up the game entirely from what was originally planned. Sometimes, this can even be apparent through the trailers, where players can sort of trace the changes being made before the game is even released.
A game coming out drastically different from its original concept can either come from a wave of ambition and excitement from the developers, or in contrast, due to them losing sight of the direction and angle of the game. Either way, it’s always intriguing when a game subverts expectations.
It’s quite a well-known tale these days, but those unfamiliar withDevil May Cry’s development history will be surprised to hear it was initially supposed to beResident Evil 4. As would soon become clear, Capcom was going in a very different direction withResident Evil 4, which leaned a little more into action, but after feeling the game was gettinga bit too chaotic, they decided to rework what they had already created into a new IP.
This would becomeDevil May Cry, the series that many credit for reviving, or even creating, the modern hack n' slash genre. A lot of similarities can still be seen between the two games, such as the castle at the beginning ofDMCwhich looks almost identical to Salazar’s humble abode inResident Evil 4, at least from the outside.
Super Mario 64was a game-changer for platformers. Now that Nintendo had proved platforming could be achieved in the 3D space, plenty of developers jumped on the bandwagon, including Rare.Twelve Tales: Conkerwas designed to be a happy-go-lucky 3D platformer where the fun-loving protagonist would go around collecting acorns to make it through each area.
However, withBanjo-Kazooietaking the spot of Rare’s most popular platformer, and with theMario 64clonesbecoming a little tiresome, the team knew they had to change things up. The result wasConker’s Bad Fur Day, a much more mature take on the genre that incorporates plenty of adult themes and crude humor. Conker himself also changed completely, becoming almost a parody of the typical plucky protagonist archetype.
Final Fantasy 15might be the most well-known case of development hell in the entire industry. Originally, the game was attached to theFinal Fantasy 13games and was simply titledFinal Fantasy Versus-13. While Noctis and the gang were still featured in these early trailers, there was also talk of death gods, along with a ton of scenes that were never actually seen in-game.
After a ton of re-writes to the story, including the game being a musical at one point during development, the tone, narrative, and core gameplay ended up being a lot different from what was seen previously. That’s not to suggestFinal Fantasy 15is a bad game, as the unique road-trip gameplay loop is still a blast to jump into, especially with the lovable party, but it’s nothing like what was originally intended.
The threeSly Coopergames had done very well forSucker Punch, but in an attempt to get away from the stealth genre, they decided their next game would be a lot more loud and vibrant. While the story and characters ofInfamouswouldn’t be established until later in development, what the team was clear on was the game would feed into the idea of being a superhero.
They were also taking a lot of inspiration from Nintendo games, includingAnimal Crossing, which is a bizarre comparison when seeing how the game ended up.Infamouswould have a much darker and more mature tone in the final product, and while the superhero elements are still there, they can be used for both good and evil, which automatically steers the game away from the more lighthearted pitch.
‘Hook Man’ refers to one of the earliest demos ofResident Evil 4that Capcom ever released. In the short video, Leon can be seen wandering around a spooky mansion that is seemingly haunted by ghosts, who are able to attack Leon as he navigates the environment. Though the over-the-shoulder camera angle was still seen in this demo, there was an otherworldy element to it that proved Capcom was going in a much different direction from the rest of the series.
However, they would also take a different route withResident Evil 4itself, as this version of the game would ultimately be dropped for a much more realistic and grounded setting.TheResident Evilserieshas often hesitated to incorporate elements of the supernatural, so it would have been interesting to see fan response if this was the angle4would have taken before it was reworked.
The “Doom Bible” refers to a document that the developers used to keep track of all the ideas and mechanics that were intended for the game of the same name. The actual contents of the document, though, changed a lot over time, with the game originally supposed to have a much bigger story focus which revolved around scientists on the moon trying to open a portal as a way to visit some aliens.
Once John Cormack decided action should take priority over the story, virtually everything about the game changed, and would continue being remodeled after the team ran into hardware limitations. In the end, despite going through so many changes,Doombecame an instant classic that changed the face of the FPS genre forever.
Team Fortress 2is known for its fun and vibrant art style, which helps to set it apart from other shooters, but this wasn’t always the intent. Anyone who has played the originalTeam Fortress: Classicwill know that the series started with a realistic aesthetic that was much closer toBattlefieldandCall of Duty. However, while the game was announced in 1999, the move over to the Source engine would see it receive a drastic overhaul.
Not only did the gameplay become much more complex and in-depth, but Valve also opted for a cartoonish aesthetic which helped shoot the game to stardom. It was also a clever addition as it made each of the characters distinct in their appearance, giving the game a ton of diversity.
The firstBorderlandsgame not only ushered the whole looter-shooter craze into the mainstream, but it also popularized the cel-shaded art style which many games have been replicating ever since. However, while the core loot and shoot gameplay had always been planned for the game, Randy Pitchford has made it clear the heavy-inkcel-shadingwas not initially included.
In fact, the immense popularity ofGears of WarandMass Effectat the time convinced the team to start with a more grounded and realistic approach. Despite only being an art style,Borderlandswould feel like an entirely different game without the cel-shading, and it might not have reached the success it did if it blended in with every other shooter at that time.
