Papo & Yo's Monster redesigned, less like a puppy
Monster, one of the principal characters in the upcoming Papo & Yo for PS3, has seen a significant redesign. The redesign was aided by Nilo Rodis-Jamero, who has worked in an artistic capacity on many Hollywood films, ranging from Virtuosity to Return of the Jedi. According to Papo & Yo creator Vander Caballero, the choice was made to redesign the character when Rodis-Jamero remarked that he looked "too much like a puppy."
Monster represents Caballero's father, and is meant to be able inspire both comfort and fear, as Caballero's real father did when he was young. In discussing the character with Rodis-Jamero, Caballero came to realize Monster didn't accurately represent his father. As you can see, the new Monster (top right) is less colorful, not quite as scaly, has less defined claws and a drastically altered head. In Caballero's words, "He's scary, but there is something that attracts you to him – something that makes you want to play with him, help him, even though he's a beast who could fly into a rage and kill you."
Naturally, some won't approve of the change. Responding to a negative comment on PlayStation Blog, Caballero explained that the original Monster combined elements of his father with playful elements of his own dog. "I had to be honest," wrote Caballero, "and admit that Rhino [the original Monster], as much as I liked him, was more my dog than my father."
