Kameo: Elements of Power Retrospective and Review (Part 4 - What's Next?)
You’ve heard about Kameo’s development, and you’ve heard about what the Game entails, but what about afterwards? How successful was Kameo and what did other people think about it?
The overall perception of the game was that it was technically very impressive and a worthy launch title to demonstrate the Xbox 360’s capabilities. IGN’s David Clayman said “The visuals are silky smooth, there are no hang-ups, loading times are breezy, and the frame rate rocks”. He also stated “it intermittently delivers on satisfying our need for something that feels ‘next-generation’. This sentiment is shared by Greg Kasavin on Gamespot, calling the visuals “fantastic” and “exponentially better if your Xbox 360 is hooked up to a HD display”. I too an empathise with these opinions, as even now, in 2021, the art style and visuals hold the game up on a pillar that you can distract you from its various flaw. I frequently find myself reminiscing about Kameo’s art style and graphics to this very day.
Despite Kameo’s troubled development cycle, there were very few reported bugs, glitches , or technical issues. There we no frame rate issues, even when overwhelmed by Trolls in the Badlands or hovering through the vivid grass in the Enchanted Kingdom. Even today, I rarely see such sights in other games without my device chugging like a steam-train. Considering this, it goes to show the dedication that the Rare team went to demonstrate the capabilities of the 360 and the benefits of using stylised graphics over realistic art styles.
It’s unclear exactly how well Kameo sold due to conflicting sources. The Market Research Company, the NPD group reported that Kameo sold 300,000 copies, with Kameo being the 7th best-selling Xbox 360 launch titles, but Retro Gamer reported that the game sold over 700,000 copies. Apparently at the time, claims were being made that Kameo was a flop when it comes to sales. However, Rare’s senior software engineer, Nick Burton, reported that Kameo’s sales had performed excellently in an interview with VideoGamer.com. “Those two games made a lot of money. For the install base, they sold phenomenally well. Kameo is still selling now”.
Unfortunately, Microsoft did not share this sentiment. The Sequel that was in development was shut down about 3 months into development, but was not confirmed until Phil Spencer, the Vice President of Microsoft Studios at the time, stated so in 2013.
In Rare Replay, you can unlock a video detailing insights into the planned sequel. It was supposed to take on a far darker tone than the original, as reflected in the concept art. Kameo is depicted as being older and more ‘twisted’ as the darkness that is enveloping the world that has affected her. In some depictions, she has been referred to as “Wraith-like with a monstrous Shadow”.
Kameo herself would also become more significant in combat as she could use her cloak and dagger to sneak up on foes and stealth attack them. However, this does not mean that Kameo would get rid of her powers. Due to the darkness in her and the world, the warriors have taken on a new form. They are still familiar, but only just, as the darkness has perverted their forms into something twisted.
The plot of the original Kameo left the Mystic as a villain and a loose end that needed to be tied, which Rare sought to do in the sequel. Kameo 2 would see the return of not only a corrupted and evil mystic, but her entire race as well, known as the Sargothans, whom would serve as the main antagonists of the story.
The Trolls would also return, but with a greater drive for technological advancement rather than conquerng. We can see in their concept art that their technology has developed to reach a steampunk-esque aesthetic as opposed to the medieval style we saw previously. Considering that the Sargothans were presented as the main antagonists in Kameo 2, its possible that the trolls may have either planned to be side-antagonists or even a peaceful, but aggressive, race that could aid Kameo in her Journey to defeat the Mystic. However, should the plan have been for the Trolls to once again be one dimensional fodder, it would’ve been a waste of potential and world-building.
Ortho and the Wotnot book would also make a return, but with a very big difference. Ortho and the book have been separated, with the latter being used for nefarious purposes. Ortho himself would aid Kameo in her endeavours in his own way, most likely with the key aim of retrieving the Wotnot. The relationship between Ortho and the Wotnot was supposed to be incorporated into his design with some artwork depicting him with pages sprouting out of his back or faded text appearing all over his skin. Ortho personally reminds me of Rincewind from the Discworld series of books, wherein Rincewind has an extremely powerful spell stuck in his head after reading a spellbook, and his continued existence is required by the spellbook until it can retrieve the spell back from him. Perhaps there was some inspiration here.
Lastly, if you have the seen the first part of this retrospective, you would be aware of the prospect of air/bird elemental warriors almost being incorporated into Kameo 1. In test footage, you can clearly see that Rare had not abandoned this idea completely and had another elemental bird in the sequel, suggesting that the world design in the sequel would’ve had a far greater emphasis on exploration and traversal than even the original.
Regardless, the Sequel was canned somewhere prior to 2013, with little hope for a sequel, and as Rare is busy with Sea of Thieves and the elusive Everwilds, I doubt a spark will be lit anytime soon.
Under Microsoft, I feel as if Rare are not being given the chance to live up to their potential. Their only new IPs in the Xbox One generation were Killer Instinct, which feel under the radar; Kinect Sports, I needn’t say anything more than Kinect; Sea of Thieves which whilst decent now, was a launch disaster, and finally EverWild, it’s reasonable to assume that it’s in development hell. I am not saying that Rare should make a Sequel to Kameo, but Microsoft needs to give Rare the ability to establish a new foundation for themselves. A foundation that can cement them as the studio capable of creating vibrant worlds filled with unique content and mechanics which come to define Rare as the destination for those seeking a unique Xbox adventure experience unlike the Action of Halo, unlike the Playstation blockbusters, and unlike the platformers of Nintendo. Kameo had potential to be genre defining, and so does Rare.
Thus concludes the Kameo retrospective. I hope you enjoyed this and the game, assuming you have played it yourself.
Would you like to see a sequel? What features would you like to see it have? Do you prefer darker or more whimsical fantasy? Let me know.