n-Space Not Happy With Heroes Of Ruin Sales Figures

"In our review we gave it a respectable 8/10, did you agree or do you think Heroes of Ruin deserved to do better?"

real nice leading question there. How about a third option - did you think it deserved worse? The answer to that is, yes. The game was stupid easy and had zero replay value thanks to the inability to adjust difficulty. The game deserved to do badly because it wasn't well done.

I've not played the game but it seemed like there was a lot of hype for this game....all of which ceased when the game was released.

I had a decent time with it, but it was a little bit too generic, way too easy and the visuals were quite.. well.. lazy at some points, especially the characters looked bad. I don't regret picking it up altogether, but it's a pretty forgettable game, so I can understand they lack of commercial success.

I've played the demo and to me personally it just didn't feel like that good a game, so that's why I didn't buy it personally. Too bad for the people who did like it though, gives it less chance for a sequel.

I beated it, had a few good hours - and never thought of a second playthrough. Too generic, very simple, basic fighting. On the other side great music and good voiceacting. But yeah, nothing big and never seen before.

the demo is awesome

I have played the demo. The demo confirmed my expectations: It is not a game I would like to buy. Poor graphics, gameplay that's doesn't appeal to me and sound that is compressed so much that it sounds horrible :S

I really enjoyed this game. Yes the difficulty was light and a harder setting would have pleased more players but overall it was a very fun game to play. Personally, I don’t want 20 minute boss battles or Demon Souls difficulty in a handheld game, I want pick up and play accessibility and this has it. It is one of my favorite games for the 3DS. The graphics are great, pretty decent story, good variety of enemies and fun, if not somewhat repetitive, levels. If you like a Diablo style dungeon crawling, loot collecting, combat game you really should pick up this one. I put over 25 hours into this game and still pick it up once and awhile for fun.

I liked the demo, but not enough to buy the game. After all the reviews about the lack of replay value and other things, I think I would only buy it for a very low price. £35 is a lot to pay for something you'll only play once.

If they're so disappointed, why don't they take a look at all the feedback and release an update, perhaps with a harder difficulty setting and better rewards for replaying? This could prompt a lot of people to re-evaluate the game.

I was totally going to buy 2 copies, one for me and one for my bro. Then after a few delays I lost interest. If the game would have had amazing reviews, that interest might have re-kindled but alas, it did not.

I was getting ready to go out and buy it until I found out about all the glitches, so I won't be buying it until it get's patched.

I was super hyped for this game, and then the demo happened. Poor visuals and yet poor framerate at the same time, along with horrible audio didn't set a pretty stage. And then the gameplay was extremely simple and generic... I honestly don't get why did it get good reviews at all, it seemed like a horrible game to me :/

I played the demo and I wasn't too impressed so I gave it a miss

Every picture and video I've seen of the game just looks bland and uninspired. Nothing really stood out.

So I also passed it over.

I really liked Heroes of Ruin. However the game was plagued with bugs Like no other game I can remember. Still it was a fun romp with a decent storyline and a really good presentation of the storyline. The game was just to short to sustain any type of online community. I really think they should have taken a look at Phantasy Star Zero and implemented some of the online Technology they used for that and the way you collect items and could bank them. I still like Phantasy Star Zero over Heroes of Ruin and its an old game

I played the demo and found it to be boring. I think the small screen of the regular 3DS hurt it a bit. There's a ton of detail in there, but you can't really see it. The whole package is a failure, though. The custom character creation is a joke, and that's the first thing the demo hits you with. Then you have a bizarre menu system, and gameplay is just very basic and boring. I wanted to like it, but it just didn't deliver an experience I would want to repeat.

It all comes down to what people saw versus what they had to pay. What they saw was what looked like a generic dungeon crawler with lackluster graphics, and what they had to pay was a price tag of $40 that seemed more suited to a console game. It just didn't seem justifiable to many.

I actually played the demo with my Bestfriend and loved it, so we ended up buying it and playing together. A lot was done well with it like the inclusion of 4-player co op and voice chat (the voice chat worked amazingly well). However, there were a lot of overlooked aspects such as having such a low cap on the amount of money you can have AND a low cap on the amount of items you can have. My friend ended up capping both and not being able to get rid of either, essentially locking him into one set of armor and whatnot. Another huge thing over the course of our adventure was that, during the final battle, we whittled the boss' health down to a sliver only to have the game glitch and preventing us from beating the boss. He just walked around aimlessly, not attacking us, unable to attack him.

While I do think it was a decent game that did a lot of things right for the 3DS, it still lacked a good amount of polish and was not a justified purchase for consumers.

I already sold mine back to GameStop. Too many odd glitches with online.

With the credit I got Virtues Last Reward

I really wanted to love it, but I found it too easy and the artwork was horrible. The concept art was beautiful, but the game was all shades of gray and beige, and the character models... meh. Also, the gender locked classes were a turn off.
The online was well implemented, it's a shame they won't be able to leverage the knowledge they gained with a follow up.

Being sandwiched between Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 probably didn't help. The fact it was a 3DS game wasn't enough of a selling point for me. There are much better games in the genre you can play elsewhere.

This game held very little appeal for me, and that preconceived notion was not shaken when I played a demo at PAX East. I like n-Space, though, so I hope their next game is more appealing to me and does better.

It's a shame if we never see a sequel. Sure, the game needed some refinement, it's hard not to let the old hack&slash&loot dungeon crawler format not to become samey after a while, but I genuinely enjoyed the game while it lasted.

Dungeon crawlers are just not my type of game

The story was the same for me. I had it on pre-order then saw all the reviews. The demo was just OK. I really wanted it for my daughter and me to play together but at $40.00 each it was too much for what I thought I was getting. In addition I was planning on, and did by Kingdom Hearts a couple of weeks later and had just bought Theaterhythm, so the budget was tapped. After the not bad but underwhelming reviews, I held out. If the price drops to $30 at some time I will reconsider because I still think it will be fun to play together.

Funny, like a lot of people the demo is what turned me off, despite my previous excitement. I love the genre. What I'd like to see is them polish it up and put it on the Vita.

It's not a bad game, but it certainly isn't what the devs hyped it up to be. Ace Combat seems to be the more respectable effort and deserves to sell better imo.

I bought it and thought that it was awesome!

I found it to be a pile of boring crap,and I'll probably trade my copy in soon.

I thought about buying it, but then I tried the demo. I didn't enjoy the demo much. It wasn't fun. It wasn't just that they didn't let you do fun things in the demo, it was that it felt like a section from a game that didn't look fun.

The proper credit here is not the "source" linked, the very least it needs to be changed to the original source of the material.
http://www.superphillipcentral.com/2012/10/superphillip-interviews-dan-oleary-n.html

Nintendo life: In our review we gave it a respectable 8/10, did you agree or do you think Heroes of Ruin deserved to do better?

I don't agree with the mark 8/10 in the first place.

i think 'deserved to be better' would be the better choice of wording there. I had hoped this would be better than it turned out to be

The only thing n-space did that was good was the voice-chat online. I would of said on what was on my mind but all the 36 of you guys said what I wanted to say.

Maybe HOR was not a good game after all. Way too easy, stupid loot system and absolute zero replay value etc.

"I don't get people.
Never have...
...never will."
Especially those who take it upon themselves to claim that this game's graphics are awful [or any other derogatory term of your choice...].
What the heck? When did you all become so... spoiled?!?
Pi$$es me off, I must say.
It is a pity there won't be a sequel, I love this game...
I would really love to hear from all you naysayers out there, what other hack & slash games for the (3)DS do you consider to be... good? I'm really curious.

I think the lesson to be learnt here is that if a company releases a mediocre demo which players found to be abit dull, then naturally those players won't then go on to buy a £30 ($40) game !!

Also, where was the marketing for this game? Too many companies seem to release a game without any marketing and expect people to magically buy it. There is a reason why shovelware such as 'Just Dance' sells in huge numbers - the games have some marketing budget.

This game was the main reason I purchased a 3DS. Then it came out and it turned out to be the main reason why I sold my 3DS. Oh well, at least I still have Warrior's Lair to look forward to on the Vita.

@Nintendawg
"I would really love to hear from all you naysayers out there, what other hack & slash games for the (3)DS do you consider to be... good? I'm really curious."

Just because there are a limited number of games of a particular genre available for one console doesn't mean you should appreciate any games that are released. You only mention the complaints about graphics, something which only a handful of comments here complain of. Most of the other complaints are actually about glitches, lack of replay value and other issues.

@McHaggis

"Just because... -//- ...released."

By all means no, but on the other hand you should (to use your own impelling manner) be more lenient on a game that does so much, so well. Make no mistake, you may only see a "handful" here, but I've been to many fora ever since this game was announced and the constant b*tching about graphics was unprecedented.
Lack of replay value? You can start the game over with a new class for a totally new experience and there are 4 distinct classes in total. The game even features randomly generated dungeons. What more could you possibly want? A good spank, perhaps?
'dawg out.

I wonder if this game suffered from having a demo? Or perhaps it was the particular segment they included?

I tried the demo, liked it and got the game. It's a pity the sales are discouraging them from making an improved sequel. There's definitely room for improvement and more features, but it did do some things well (e.g. online multiplayer with voice chat, daily/weekly quests). I didn't come upon the bugs some people here had, the only minor thing was that the music in the initial loading screen pauses at one point.

One complaint I agree with is that the story isn't memorable or intriguing. There could've been more plot among the guardians and their cities, as it is the ending calls for a sequel (the chances of which are looking dim now.) A lot of dungeon crawlers don't throw memorable stories, choosing to emphasise the battling, but they could've taken the lead on the 3DS and break a bit from the formula.

Gameplay-wise, the main thing I would've like to see changed is the money/equip cap (and maybe throw in the ability to unlock some kind of equip storage post-campaign), it's easy to reach that cap and it cripples the replay value for people who like to collect rare equipment by doing the daily/weekly quests. Otherwise, with the weekly quests and online community, they have the potential to keep people playing the game.

My wife and I absolutely LOVE this game! I don't know about the rest of the world, but here in Canada it was dang hard to find in stores, though. There were 2 copies in only one store in our entire town - perhaps if there had been more stock in the first place, the sales figures would've been much better?

@Holmfry: it may be a distribution issue. Some smaller stores only carry franchise titles or games they think will appeal to the masses (NSMB2, Nintendogs, etc.) In Ontario I found the game new in at least two stores. Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure, on the other hand ...

really enjoyed the game. all 4 characters. but i had 3 complaints:

• waaaay too easy and no difficulty settings. potions gallore abuse
• no replay value when you beat the last boss, not much sidequests.
• graphics could have been better in a lot of areas. some were fine, some others felt outdated.

doesnt mean its a bad game, but i give it 7/10. which is a score that provides enough fun to be worthy.

I bought it and beat it 100% with all 4 characters in less time than it takes to get through a final fantasy or dragon quest game. I really want to like it and even popped it in yesterday but couldn't get myself to want to play beyond completing a daily challenge.

There just isn't enough to the game. The whole thing feels like a demo.

Sadly I give it a 5/10. It's just plain average.

I'm holding out hope that DLC does emerge at some point so that's why I'm not trading it in. But otherwise I would have swapped it out when I got Code of Princess.

i enjoyed the game.

still hope for a sequel with better difficulty

I tried my hardest to enjoy the game for what it was, but I ultimately ended up selling it back to gamestop to get NSMB2. The graphics where bland and boring, the story was pretty dumb and the gameplay was me just using my skill attacks non-stop. Maybe if they made a sequel with actual good graphics and more in-depth everything it would be funner. but in my book it was a 6/10 if that.

Not surprised even the slightest. It was a decent dungeon crawler, but not even close to distinct enough for it to become noticed, never mind being a hit. Also, this came out around the time of Diablo III didn't it? That might have a bit to do with it.

This personally hurts me. Im a fan of the genre and followed the hype to the release and enjoyed every bit of this game. It has charming characters, a nice story (somewhat flat, but thats the genre) and there's only TWO things they did wrong and I have no idea why. Firstly this game is too easy all a long and secondly it has absolutely no replay-value after you hit level 30. There is no game+ with more difficult monsters and even the Boss monsters don't respawn so you can't farm them for set-items or epic loot- which you won't need anyways since the game is too easy. Everything else was awesome, especially the voice-chat and the meta-game going on on the game's website. That they don't make a sequel anytime soon is their own fault and Im really sad about that. If you make a diablo-clone (even if you say it's none, it WAS) then get the 2 most important things right: Item-hunting (through a reasonable difficulty) and endgame+. Still if you would PATCH those things in, I'd gladly pay for it. Premium. This could have been as big as Monster Hunter!

It felt a bit like it was on rails.couldnt really explore, cant put my finger on it.was far from top notch just ok.

Sales were disappointing? The game you made was disappointing.
I would like to see them make a sequel, and would probably buy it if they gave you something to do after you beat it, and some other things like having a interesting story, and backstory, since they left a lot of things we didn't know at the end of it.

The Demo "Ruin"-ed the sales for this game. But saves all of us from buying this crappy game

The game was just too easy. The story was ok, some of the dialog was fun, and I loved the dozens and dozens of abilities. But when a team of three can take down a mini-boss in 6 seconds with only standard attacks, there's no reason to continue after the first couple hours. Sorry N-Space, but without a harder difficulty, i just can't play it. I'm not talking Contra hard- just, make it so I can die if i leave the game running for a few minutes.

Well, I think the game was really good, but there could of been improvements.
I have started playing it again recently, mainly playing online. Maybe if the game had some DLC they could of had more buyers. Its a shame

Is there a point in keeping HoR apart from finishing the game(if you have not) and playing online?

the demo was better then the full game, the demo had more challange and more items did drop

This is a classic example of laziness dragging what would have been a great game down. Better graphics, difficulty, and basically more stuff to do is everyone's concern.

That's disappointing, but not all that surprising. It didn't really appeal to me, and it didn't receive the most positive reviews.

it was good game and i enjoyed it alot!!

BUT...

lvl cap of 30

and no game + after completed game

really hurt it=/

no replay value what so ever.

It was barely advertised and had a pretty lukewarm critical response; and I never heard anybody tell me it was a must-play. Can't say I'm surprised, but it doesn't bode well for other 3rd party developers, I suppose.

Sell it digitally on the eshop for 20-30.
Port it to Vita, Android and iOS.

Then I'm sure it'll sell better.

This game was fun but i stopped playing it, I really bought it because of voice chat

I considered purchasing it but I preordered Roller Coaster Tycoon 3D instead and then it was pushed back and back and back. I recently picked it up and I have to say I have very little respect for n-Space as a dev now. It has to be one of the most awful games I have ever played. How can you screw up a theme park sim? Well they managed to. You can even see in the park selection screen one of the missions for Atari Land hasn't even been centred under the other one. How did they not notice that? I know this is about HoR but I read about a lot of oversights with that game that made me not want to purchase it either. I think n-Space need to improve their game (no pun intended).

Wasn't this sold exclusively in Game stores in the UK? Right after Game had that huge 'crash' back in March and nearly went belly up, losing customers left, right and centre because they couldn't even obtain copies of big titles like Mass Effect 3 to sell? From that perspective, I have no idea what n-Space expected in terms of sales in the UK at least. Lack of advertising and less than stellar reviews didn't help either. I think it's absurd of n-Space to blame the 3DS attach rate and 3DS gamers tastes.

I tried the demo and couldn't even stay engaged to the end of that.

these kiind of games would play better on the vita...just like monser hunter should remain on sony portables...

I had fun with it. Though it wasn't as fun finding enemy drops for classes I'm not.
x-x I have so much curreny from selling the equipment that I actually reached the maximum amount you can hold.

The reviews did not show it as a really awesome game, the demo was boring (it was cool that it had a Spanish track) and there were several (better) games coming out way too close, including Squeenix own Theatrhythm and KH.

Those eShop demos should have an option to easily leave feedback that the developer may use to look at the most common complaints and try to improve the game before launch. Since that cannot be done, the only way to show it is with our wallets.

Well, can you really expect better than mediocre sales from a mediocre game?

I played the demo, but honestly nothing was there. I did play with friends online, that was a royal mess setting it up. There is just a lot of better games to look at. The knowledge that the final game was glitchy didn't help it in my eyes either. So I never got it.

The demo was okay but it didn't really convince me that it was a must-buy. The mixed reviews and the lukewarm reception from the public pretty much killed any desire I had to pick this up. Well, at least at full price. I may be willing to give it a chance but only if I can find it dirt cheap.

The game was outdone in all aspects by Shining Soul.

I understand the cofounder's viewpoint from a business perspective. But in all honesty, Heroes of Ruin was a generally underwhelming game. Now, I like the game: it's fun, a great way to relax, and is all-around entertaining. However, the game could've been developed a little better than it was (sorry to sound so harsh, nSpace). I'm no graphics whore but the visuals aren't indicative of the 3DS system's power, not even in the least bit. And like everyone says, a harder difficulty or Game+ mode would've been great. It's a slightly above average game that, unfortunately, will likely be forgotten in time as more (and better conceived) dungeon crawlers infect the 3DS library.

@ThomasBW84 Well it was definitely a leading question so well done for changing it.

it's because the game sucked

Um... I liked it. I'm currently trying to get 100% completion for all of my characters.

The demo was pretty fun, but I heard that the full game was seriously lacking in length (somebody said it only took him around 6 hours to finish the game and max out his character) and depth, so I passed on it.

I think they released this too late...
By the time this was released, I decided I was saving for the Wii U. I was looking forward to it, but I had other priorities.

I had the demo. I didn't think it warranted a full price purchase. Everything seemed just too generic. However, if n-space wanted to try and recoup some money, why not slap it on the eShop at a highly discounted price. It won't happen, but with the current games climate, games that aren't high profile big budget productions just don't do well at retail, and Heroes of Ruin really does look and play like something that should be $10-$15 (AU) on the eShop, not a full price retail game. It's a shame this wont happen because I think, from the demo, there's a lot to like about this game. It's just the perceived value of it where the problem lies.

@Gamesake very true, If the game were to go digital it would do much better. They should have also considered a different art style for the game due to its style of play, I have the demo and I have to admit the graphics are terrible and the game is too easy.

the problem might be that this kind of games simply doesnt appeal to the traditional Nintendo customers. It just sold only 90K copies for 3DS with an installed based of 21M while the terrible Dungeon Hunter Alliance sold the same for Vita with an installed base of only 3M.

Sales are not good only because you don´t have made a great game. After one play trough there is only a small reason to play it again. No DLC, no new levels, no higher difficulty... sorry guys, this is your fault.

I really love hack 'n slash so I was very enthousiastic for this game.
Too easy tough.
I finished the game with two characters.
Took me some hours.

I hope for a part two with optional increased difficulty levels.

My only question is, the game was advertised on TV?
If you want mass sales you have to do mass post-production.

@ThomasBW84

Not to quibble with you, but your original sentence said do we agree with the 8/10 or did we think it should have been rated higher.

It might seem like splitting hairs, but clarity is important in writing.

Heroes of Ruin and Code of Princess are my two favorite 3DS titles.

It's a real shame that Heroes of Ruin won't be getting a sequel. This is the kind of thing I've wanted on a handheld for many years. I've had nothing but a blast playing, and replaying this game, and I've yet to encounter any of these numerous bugs people keep complaining about.

As far as I'm concerned, the game is a masterpiece. The western style, and online-offline play, combined with a mind-numbing amount of loot, and addicting gameplay... I dunno, maybe the audience for this kind of a game doesn't exist in Nintendofandom. As an old PC gamer from way back, this suits me to the ground.

More please!

So we can all agree that in the end it was awesome

GUILD MASTER QUEST