The way my mind understands this as actions across the passage of time:
1. Ron created the games back then
2. People played the games back then. Some people absolutely loved the games and had a profound impact on them
3. 20+ years of life happened to Ron and those who played and loved the games. During that time, great distortions occur: nostalgia, rose-coloured glasses, older memories become shinier memories
4. Ron decides to make sequel based on who he is now
5. Step 3 causes fear of the ruin of a legacy and tainting of protected childhood memories (cough Star Wars cough). This is the present.
6a. Game is released
6b. Some hardcore fans love it, some hardcore fans hate it. As it ever was.
And specifically to this comment:
>There's a proper way to take criticism from a passionate fanbase of 20+ years.
There's some kind of ridiculous level of entitlement in dictating how an artist should take criticism. Were I to have any say in it, I'd dictate this:
Fucking ignore it and be true to your own creative vision. After all, that's the same way the magic has been created previously.
His response seems entirely reasonable, and some grumpiness is definitely expected from someone whose domain is literally grumpygamer.com. As a fan of the originals, I also see nothing wrong with the art style of the new game.
There's a proper way to take criticism from a passionate fanbase of 20+ years.
IMO the criticism is absolutely justified, just from looking at the screenshots and trailer.