After a brief call with Armani, John calmly hung up. Regarding the International Best Game of the Year, even though Armani hadn't explicitly said it, John didn't need to think twice; the frontrunner had to be The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim.
If it weren't for Power Storm's Epic Continent releasing this year, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim would undoubtedly take the award without contest. But now, things were different. Epic Continent was equally outstanding, creating real suspense.
At this point, no one could confidently predict the final winner. As for the domestic Best Game Producer award, John felt there was little uncertainty as long as there were no behind-the-scenes manipulations. Whether considering annual sales or critical reception, the advantage was clearly on his side.
More importantly, John actually had some free time during this period. What truly surprised him, however, was the development progress of Resident Evil 2. It hadn't been long since his last visit to check on Martel and the team's work at their studio, yet now the project was already nearing completion.
In terms of scale and budget, Resident Evil 2 was only slightly smaller than Metal Gear Solid: Phantom Pain. Even so, reaching this stage so quickly was impressive. John couldn't help but feel a hint of surprise. As for whether the pace meant rushed development or compromised quality, he had complete confidence in Martel's abilities.
After all, this was Martel's first major project after leaving Gemtechs and Mercury Studio; more importantly, it was a sequel to the iconic Resident Evil series. If such a project failed, the consequences would differ greatly depending on perspective. For John and PixelPioneers Games, at worst, it would mean financial losses.
While it might affect the Resident Evil IP to some extent, the damage wouldn't be irreparable. After all, if this weren't a project personally developed by John, there would always be a chance to recover.
But for Martel, the situation was entirely different. A failure would be devastating. If he failed to prove himself at PixelPioneers Games, his standing in the industry would plummet. His past successes would likely be attributed to his time at Gemtechs. Back then, his career had been smooth sailing. But after leaving to work independently and joining PixelPioneers Games, if his first project, a high-profile IP like Resident Evil 2, ended in failure, it would deal a severe blow to his reputation.
In fact, compared to everyone else at PixelPioneers Games, Martel was the one who least wanted to see Resident Evil 2 fail. Because of that, John firmly believed Martel would deliver in terms of quality.
"Is Resident Evil 2 really almost finished?" Luna's voice sounded beside him just as John ended the call, her curiosity evident as she leaned closer.
"Yeah. Martel's speed is seriously impressive," John replied with a nod.
"Meanwhile, Metal Gear Solid: Phantom Pain is only about two-thirds done!" Luna tilted her head, her tone teasing.
"That's because we're refining it properly," John replied with a light snort. "We even studied film production techniques just to elevate the game. If we rushed it like others, we could've finished Metal Gear: Phantom Pain ages ago."
"Oh, please." Luna rolled her eyes, clearly unconvinced. After all these years together, she knew exactly how John operated, even without looking.
"Still, it's a good thing Resident Evil 2 is nearly done," John added thoughtfully. "Otherwise, it'd feel like we've kept players waiting too long without releasing a major title."
"Yeah, yeah. The slow progress isn't because you're 'perfecting' anything; it's because you slack off every day. You barely even work four hours," Luna shot back without hesitation.
"Who says I slack off?" John protested. "I'm in the office every day! It might look like I'm playing games, but I'm actually analyzing their design. And when I browse forums, I'm studying player feedback, understanding their perspective!"
With no one else around, John didn't hesitate to justify himself. Luna, however, simply continued teasing the dog beside her, casting him a silent glance. Her wordless response made John feel slightly awkward. Looking down at the dog enjoying its massage, he gave it a light nudge with his foot.
"Woof! Woof!" Startled, the dog turned toward John with an innocent expression. Seeing this, Luna burst into laughter.
After spending about a week back in his hometown handling minor matters, the two returned. Inside the offices of PixelPioneers Games, John greeted Martel, along with Malcolm, handing each of them a bottle of soda.
"Your development speed is seriously impressive," John said, taking a sip.
"The core concept was well-defined, so there wasn't much need for major changes," Martel replied modestly. Then, with a slight smile, he added, "And throughout development, the team has stayed highly focused."
John had already experienced the gameplay of Resident Evil 2. The storyline was solid; there was no need for concern there. What stood out were the changes Martel had made to the core gameplay.
The overall pacing was faster, and similar to the CQC mechanics in Metal Gear: Phantom Pain, the combat system allowed Leon and Ada to fight zombies in a more dynamic and stylish manner. Weapon variety had also been expanded significantly, and the level design leaned toward maintaining constant tension.
Of course, the horror atmosphere remained excellent; dim lighting, oppressive tones, and chilling background music combined to create a lingering sense of fear.
However, one thing was clear: Martel's Resident Evil 2 leaned more heavily into action and shooting elements. For instance, ammunition was no longer as scarce as in previous entries, at least on normal difficulty.
"Multiplayer features, reduced difficulty, and a toned-down emphasis on horror," John summarized after a moment of thought, quickly understanding Martel's direction.
"I've analyzed the data," Martel explained. "Within 36 hours of release, only 4% of players completed Resident Evil. After a week, that number rose to just 11%. Even now, only about 57% of players have completed Leon or Claire's storyline."
Hearing this, John nodded thoughtfully, silently acknowledging the logic behind those decisions.