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Last year LucasArts surprised me with The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition. It was an update of the original 1990 video game. And it was just that: an update. No remake, just the same game under a different packaging. Now, who’s to say that what doesn’t actually work for movies (see Spielberg and Lucas’ treatment of E.T., Star Wars, etc.) won’t work for video games? Considering we’re talking about the same game, just with updated visuals, I’m all for it. It’s hard to screw up a game as long as you don’t change what worked in the first place.
This got me to thinking why won’t game studios milk that cow? Instead of trying to come up with a new IP and failing, why not repackage an old hit and introduce it to a new generation? Then again they are doing something of the kind, just going about it the wrong way: creating sequels when they should be updating. Now this is a list of games I think would benefit from being updated, while also having huge potential for success.
Honorable mention: Grim Fandango
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Here’s a game that didn’t find an audience despite the amazing story and overall originality. I mean who wouldn’t love a Mexican flavored noir story about a traveling agent in the Land of the Dead? Sadly, few did, and in a way, marked the end of the golden age of LucasArts adventure games. Style is a must if an update, or sequel ever surfaces for this humor filled walk through the afterlife.
5. Fallout 1&2
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I know, there’s already Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas is on the way. But, even if Fallout 3 was pretty good on its own, there’s no denying it didn’t match up to the inspirational material. Now imagine the same engine (well, better considering it’s already been a while) used to bring the first two iterations to life once more. Wouldn’t you love to see a full scale version of the Necropolis, the Cathedral, New Reno or the Master in all his glory? Little chance of that happening, but somehow I still have hope.
4. Deus Ex
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There is a 3rd Deus Ex in production for quite a while, or so I’ve heard. No idea how that will turn out. But I do know the sequel failed so much at being a sequel, but rather an all new game, influenced by the first. The first one was an amazing noir (there it is again, makes you think) Sci-Fi conspiracy thriller where choices were important, stealth was the way to go and cool dialogs about politics with bartenders in Hong Kong were just the icing on the cake. Now, imagine updating the always relevant story(terrorists, AI, philosophy, secret societies, human rights) with new graphics and unleashing it on the world. Atmosphere is a must for any update or sequel.
3. Duke Nukem 3D
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A new game for the franchise has been in development hell for decades now, and will probably not see the light of today any time soon. Which makes putting this one on the list is wishful thinking. But then again, you had a bad ass hero and an R-rated game, killing aliens that wanted to abduct human females. And that’s pretty much all the story it needed. A classic FPS with a no-nonsense attitude (well, actually there’s a lot of non-sense in the Duke Nukem Universe, but it’s all about attitude). I dare say this would be hugely successful even in today’s market. Humor and R-rated elements are things without which Duke Nukem becomes just another mediocre FPS.
2. Might and Magic
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The Might & Magic franchise is pretty much dead (unless you count the new Heroes games). And it truly is a pity, because in its heyday, it was one of the best RPG franchises ever. It had story (though at times convoluted) and a great deal of detail. Might & Magic 6 and 7 were some of the best role-playing games I ever spent days playing. It had everything a fan could want, from all sorts of races, dungeons and characters (the series used to go hand in hand with Heroes at that time) to powerful items, monsters and spells. An update in the genre of Dragon Age would only result in a whole new generation being introduced to a long-running game series (please no changing of setting and tone like it happened with Heroes, Erathia, Enroth and the like are just fine).
1. Planescape: Torment
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What can I say? I’m a sucker for a role-playing game with an amazing story. I once read somewhere that the most common affliction of main characters in video games is amnesia. And Planescape sure is keen on following that formula. But it does so in such an epic way that it leaves you in awe. Following the Nameless One in his journeys takes you to wondrous places (that would make amazing settings for a game made with today’s engines), introduces you to great, multidimensional characters (floating talking skull, anyone?) and revels in its chance to explore morality, philosophy, psychology, or, to put it simply, the nature of a man. All of the characters and settings deserve an update (and the 800,000 words script would sure help with amazing literary descriptions). Out of all the games on this list, this one is the most deserving and maybe the best suited for an update (since I don’t believe a sequel would be possible in any way).
Posted on March 4th, 2010 by MrWiseguy
Filed under: Games
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