Spector on Epic Mickey 2’s musical cut-scenes – “I want everybody to just take a chill pill and relax”
One of the most surprising elements of Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is the incorporation of musical songs. You won’t be rocking out during the game, but because all of the characters are fully voiced, it has given Warren Spector an opportunity to add in musical numbers during cut-scenes.
Spector has been taken aback by the reaction to this, as some of the title’s followers seem to be misunderstanding the team’s approach to the songs. He hopes people will realize that they’re trying “to honor a part of Disney’s history” in “a fun way”, though ultimately players will be able to skip these sections if they do not find them interesting.
“I’ve been itching to talk about the game and the songs for a while. When we announced the game, I sort of threw it out there, because I’m so proud and so happy. I saw the look of fear in people’s eyes. I’m like, what the heck is going on? Doesn’t everybody love musicals? I realised I had to explain things.
“I look at guys like you in the audience on the press side, and similarly at Disney when I look out at execs, about 70 per cent of them are going, yeah. About 30 per cent are going, are you kidding?”
“I just want to see how people respond to the music and the songs. They’re not interactive by design. Later on, I hope maybe we get to do that in some other game, sometime in the future. But I feel like I have to reassure that 30 per cent that it’s okay. If you don’t want to experience that part of the game you can just bypass it.
“I’ve seen the look on people’s faces. I’m reacting to something very specific and real I’ve seen, not worried that there might be a specific reaction. I’m reacting to the reaction, okay? It’s a change. Earlier, I didn’t expect that reaction, so I was just throwing it out there. Now I feel like I have to tell people, it’s okay.
“I don’t think I was clear at the start it wasn’t singing into a microphone or beatmatch. I should have been clear about that, and I wasn’t.
“I want everybody to just take a chill pill and relax about this. I’m not going to make you sing into a microphone. I’m not going to make you dance in front of your TV. I’m not going to make you beatmatch. This is just a fun way to honour a part of Disney’s history. If you don’t like that part of Disney’s history, skip it.”
