Extreme Makeover: Video Game Edition

(Top) Metroid II for Game Boy (Bottom) Project Another Metroid 2 Remake

When enough time has passed where even a classic game is considered to be outdated in terms of graphics and game play, rabid members of the fan community will beg for a remake.  Some of the more popular franchises will indeed see an update, while others simply get passed over.  That's when the most devoted fans will step in after the game's creators have failed them.  After the jump I'll look at two fan remakes still in development that I've been following.

 

One of the more ambitious projects I've seen on the fan remake front is the one-man operation of Project Another Metroid 2 Remake (AM2R).  Metroid II: Return of Samus was sort of an oddball in Metroid series.  Released for the original Game Boy, the game is relatively obscure for being more linear than the rest of the series despite being very important in terms of game play enhancements.  Also, it is the only Metroid title that is currently not playable in some form on current-generation consoles (though the inclusion on the 3DS's eShop is a definite possibility).  While Nintendo had originally intended to do a color update a la Link's Awakening DX for the Game Boy Color, the remake never saw the light of day.

Many fan remakes tend to simply add color to the existing sprites.  However, AM2R's creator DoctorM64 has taken it many steps further by completely overhauling the graphics, adding new game mechanics, and expanding the known game environment, to name a few.  The project had begun development sometime in 2006 before going public in January 2008.  The development blog is semi-regularly updated and it is an interesting look into the development of the project.  Really, Nintendo should just hire this guy as he seems to be doing a better job than they have with the series lately.

 

 One series that is currently absent in this generation that I wish would return is the Legacy of Kain series.  While the series is missing in action, a number of fan projects have emerged that extend the series universe.  A Russian group took it upon themselves in a bid to recreate the original 2D Blood Omen using a 3D engine.  With the codename Blood Omnicide, this project is in stark contrast to AM2R.  Whereas AM2R is a one man operation, Blood Omnicide is actively looking for more people to join the development team. 

The Pillars in the original Blood Omen

The Pillars in Blood Omnicide (Work in Progress)

Of all the games in the series (aside from Blood Omen 2, which had too many problems to begin with), the original Blood Omen is the most needing of an update.  As a top-down, hack-and-slash action RPG (think of a very bloody Zelda), Blood Omen belonged in an era of gaming that is almost entirely nonexistent nowadays.  While rich in story and having a large array of weapons, magic, and form changes at your disposal, the Playstation version was plagued with long load times that are unforgivable by today's standards.  (Though I did play through and thoroughly enjoy the PSOne version, I must recommend the PC version as the load times are minimal.) 

In March a demo containing the first area was released, though it is clear that there is still plenty of work to be done.  The controls and interface are all exactly the same as the original (not surprising since the final installation will require the original release disc, so this is more or less a mod).  Some of the characters are still the 2D sprites, including Kain.  This is especially strange when activating the new first-person view (looking at sprites created for an overhead view).  A welcome addition is the option of subtitles as all dialogue in the game is voice overs.  There were times in playing the original when I wished this was an option.  The team is currently working on a new demo that will fix some bugs and add more levels to explore.

Here's hoping that these projects reach their final completion and don't go the cease and desist way of Chrono Resurrection.

RIP