0:26 "I don't go back to old media because I want to experience what's possible now. I go back to see what was possible then, to connect with how people expressed themselves in the context of their time." Well said! 🍻
Right? You hardly hear someone read the illiad or look at a DaVinci and say "meh, it was alright back in the day but this style just doesn't hold up today"
MediEvil holds a special place in my heart. As a kid, I would watch my mom play it. She really enjoyed the game. She also liked Skullmonkeys and Oddworld. But MediEvil was my favorite. I would watch her play it for hours. I really liked Dan as a character because even though he was a skeleton, he was really friendly-looking and silly. To this day, I still really love MediEvil. I hope that if we do get a sequel that it will capture the spirit of the first game. I just really miss that sense of whimsy and silliness that games had back then.
I've had a similar experience in that both of my parents would help me with the game as a kid. My parents are boomers and don't play any video games, so they still think it's "the best video game of all time" and pretty much anything reminds them of Medievil, such as the sound of a rusty gate opening. It's cool to at least have one video game we all know and love (well, technically two, since they also helped me with Medievil 2), since they basically know nothing about all the other video games I've also played. Still, Medievil and Medievil 2 are among my favorite games of all time, especially the original one.
Some of The fondest memories i have of my dad when he was Alive was playing medieval 2 with him (along with others ps1 games). We never got too far from The museum level cause at The time i didint even have a memory card, but it didint matter. We just love replaying that level Over and Over.
We REALLY need better game preservation. As someone that never had any next-gen console(due to financial issues, especially in my country) all I had to play was the old stuff, because of that I learned to see those games with the right eye and appreciate the achievements and importance of them, and most important, fall in love with the media. And I hate how companies treat old games as inferior or outdated, as you said in the video, even if those games have problems, even if they are outdated, even if other games have improved upon, they still have value, but sadly... the frequency that are remakes being released isn't helping.
I have an opposite problem. Since a lot of older console producers (especially Nintendo) weren't that keen on realising consoles in my country it's paradoxically harder to obtain an older console (like n64) then a new one. Remakes and Remasters are often the only way I can experience older games from those systems.
@@marcinkrz3140 Interesting, I don't have any problems with remasters but I think it should be the standard to include the original game in the remake, like in Metroid Zero Mission. But we often see stuff similar to the GTA Trilogy Remaster where they removed ALL the original versions from all platforms(maybe it was just steam I don't know), so unless you emulate, play on the original hardware or whatever, you're screwed.
Zarok in Japanese is voiced by Norio Wakamoto AKA Cell from DBZ, M. Bison from Street Fighter, Chiyo's dad from Azumanga Daioh and a whole bunch of other roles.
MediEvil 1 & it’s remake are some of the best art pieces of gaming ever created. All nostalgia and flaws aside, there’s just something so special about the world. I feel like you can hop into this game blind and still feel the same amount of magic that this title delivers. Thank you for this video 🔥
To me Medievil is very difficult to sequalize, but still, feels so short and tiny. I feel like they made a great big world and lore… that you don’t see or experience ever.
As a Darkstalkers fan, you're point about holding potential sequels to ransom unless a rerelease/remaster of a predecessor does well really hits the nail on the head. Even a good remaster that captures and supersedes on the original is likely to only appeal to fans of it and maybe a few more, but taking a chance with a new entry with its own spin has a stronger chance to open it up to more.
As much as I respect your opinion and loved the video, I've gotta say: I'd kill for a remake of 2. There's a lot more that can be fixed by a remake there and it would give the devs the necessary practice and insight to make a Medievil 3 that would encapsulate everything great about the franchise. There's so much potential for the future of this franchise and I can only hope Sony feel the same way.
Still an idealistic, I see. The problem is that companies have become VERY risk-adverse in recent years. I’d much rather see a sequel or even a new IP, yet here we are with remakes/remasters of TLoU *sigh*.
The thing about MediEvil is, this is one series where you could absolutely have it go out into SPACE, and have it be completely believable. It's always awesome to see ancient medieval sorcery butt heads with raygun Gothic sci-fi technology. Assassin's Creed this sucker; every installment a new distinct time period and a distinct take on Gallowmere. But I honestly wonder how the series can continue without Paul Darrow as Zarok. The personal feud between Sir Dan and Zarok feels so important to the world. The idea of these two bumbling buffoons butting heads throughout history is a hilarious one. As much as I liked the villain of the second game, that personal animosity that made Zarok and Dan's relationship so great wasn't there. He's just another baddie Dan has to slice up. But how could you possibly recast Zarok? Paul Darrow so perfectly played him with what little time he had, even in MediEvil Resurrection, it'd almost feel wrong to have someone else play the role. You could get somebody to do an impression, but unless you're really lucky it wouldn't be the same, OR just change actors completely, likely leading to such fundamental differences the audience might wonder why they just didn't make a new character instead. It's not an easy situation for a followup. Just, no matter what you do, maybe drop the ethnic stereotypes, eh? Doesn't do anybody a lick of good, that.
Funnily enough that level in 2 where you deal with aliens was heading towards this idea- early plans for a potential 3 did have Dan going to space on a Buck Rodgers style adventure. However the plans were /really/ early and never amounted to anything, which is part of why I didn't mention them in the video, but I'd absolutely be down for that if it were to ever happen. Agreed with your thoughts about Zarok as well, who they also were planning to bring back for Medievil 2 to work with Dan against Palethorn for pretty much the same reasons you outlined. I think he'd always feature in some form if they were ever to continue, but as I was getting at above, it's a big if.
So, as a fan of the series, I'd say: - the original MediEvil is the classic everyone deserves to play at least once (so glad it was included in the remake; I know there are other remakes with the original game being fully available in the more modern version but I still wish this was done more often); - MediEvil 2 is my personal favorite (with the first one still being a masterpiece in my opinion, but I slightly prefer the sequel); - MediEvil 2019 might be the remake anyone could pick up if they thought the original was too outdated and they wanted a more modern experience (or if they lack the original hardware the game was made for and they couldn't just emulate it); - Resurrection is that version we could play if we ever wanted a significantly different twist on the first game that puts our muscle memory to the test (I don't think it comes even close to the original, but after playing it for some time I have learnt to show it some respect for what it tried to do as a launch title for PSP).
THANK YOU! This is one of the few games that has had multiple remakes and it's such a interesting topic of discussion! Also I just love Sir Dan as a character
fun fact for me, Medievil Resurrection was my first exposure to the game. When I was a kid and the PSP had just come out, I got it for christmas. So seeing all this stuff from the original and Resurrection being called the odd duck is hilarious to me
When I was in highschool I didn't have cable, didn't have a console, but I did have my neighbors wifi and an offbrand tablet. Equippped with both, I would watch Tekking101's let's play of Medievil the second I got home from school. Never played the games but love them as if I did.
MediEvil is so underrated. Sometimes it’s more interesting to try and appreciate a flawed game than gushing over a 90+ Metacritic darling. Sir Dan’s clumsiness and the game’s cartoon horror would make for a great parody of the Soulsborne genre if they ever decided to bring it back.
20:05 "its all very well holding a new game hostage, on the condition you buy a new game or two." In the case of some companies, this statement is very literal. Capcom is probably the best example with their infamous "capcom test" they pull, re-releasing an old game on a new console and seeing if people will buy X-amount of it to convince the higher ups a new one is worth the money. Its pretty much the reason so many capcom fighting games havent seen a new sequel and only get character cameos.
When it comes to whether or not a game needs to be remade, as opposed to a remaster, is all down to a case-by-case basis. Some games have become so outdated in technology and/or game design that they benefit from a ground up reworking, while others just need a bit of a polishing to truly let their quality shine. I will say emulation does complicate this, since with features like save states that help to lessen the impact of dated game design, it brings up if a remaster is even needed. As for using remakes, remasters, etc. as a testing round or attempt at reintroduction to general audiences, it's something that should be used sparingly. Along with things like stealing the hype of a new entry and use or resources you mentioned, there's also the fact that those kinds of things succeed and fail for all sorts of reasons and aren't reliable indicators for future success. Another aspect of using remakes/remasters as testers is that the longer you go without a new game that can grab attention the further into obscurity you'll fall into, especially if you only try after multiple years long absences. Basically, creators and publishers should just take the risk because the longer they try and play it safe the greater the chance the safety net of nostalgia and name recognition will go away.
the first 45 seconds of the video perfectly explains why games preservation is so important. for gamers, for developers and publishers. making old games available imho is the best. weather its physical media or digital. same goes for books and movies.
I think the one thing Medievil's did that was good in my opinion is just make it more accessible, not everyone has a ps1/2 and if they did, they may not have been able to get their hands on a game that isn't made anymore. The remake just let it have a new platform to be enjoyed on.
See, MediEvil felt (to me) to be a 2000AD comic strip adaptation because it's so insane. Like Pat Mills (Back when he was slightly LESS crazy) and Kevin O'Neill went "Let's make a video game about a complete tosser of an upper class git who can't survive without the player". I know people who said it felt very Tim Burton, but it's so utterly 2000ad's mad cap sense of humour and insanity. To the point where I wish that more stuff was inspired BY 2000AD so that we could get more mad stuff like this. Granted, the folks at Rebellion and the Prog are brilliant people who are all fun and a bit mental (I know a few of them and they're just as mad as the comics they make) Also, Paul Darrow is a national treasure. An absolutely amazing guy who I met at a convention in Glasgow. Glad to hear that they didn't mess around with his takes. EDIT: - Gah... I hate this. RIP Kevin O'Neill.
MediEvil has always been a hidden gem of the PS1 era, and arguably one of my favorite games ever. The art direction is absolutely stellar, as it's the music, which helps set that gloomy, yet whimsical atmosphere that is signature of the series. I absolutely agree that the original game is dated not in the graphics department, but in the clunkiness of the combat and platforming. The hitboxes on the weapons were incredibly atrocious; you'd miss attacks at point-blank range. What I like the most about the PS4 remake is how they recycled all the voice clips from the original game. The voice acting in the first MediEvil is absolutely perfect and ridiculously hilarious. Amazing reviews, by the way! I really hope the series gets a new game in the future. Dan deserves more to his legacy than being a character in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
It feels so goofy and eye-rolling that there cannot be an enemy with a machine gun in a “kids game” when execs know well and good children as young as 6 are playing Fortnite. That is not a slight to anyone who enjoys that title, it’s more lamenting the fact that something I loved as a kid was needlessly changed.
Seeing Oddworld pop up did make me interested in seeing your thoughts about that series. As one that I hold relatively close to my heart, it always interests me to seeing other people's thoughts on it.
I wish that when they remade games like this, they included the old version of the game with it, since I feel like it wouldn’t be that hard to include an emulates version
Great video! This game was one of my absolute favorites, and I've just seen it sit there. Pumpkin Jack was a nice spiritual successor, but Sony seems to want Sir Daniel to be a bit of a mascot without caring for him at all. It would be great if they let this remake release on the Switch.
An absolutely amazing video. The end bit about remakes is something I've agreed with a lot for so long. They're cool and all, but I feel like it would've been much better to get a sequel. Its much like Banjo-Kazooie fans wanting a remake when the originals and the Xbox versions exist. If we got a remake, we would just get the same game again with a few changes. Also can't wait for Medievil 3 to be announced months after this video
My good fella, if Medievil 2 doesn't even seem to be considered for a Remake by current Playstation, I'd place such announcement right next to Wild Arms 6 and Sly Cooper 5 as: Eccstatic if they happen, wouldn't hold my breath for them.
I played Medievil Resurrection as a Kid and i loved it. For me it was the italian dubbing that sold it to me. It was bad , but bad that was good and funny. I played the ps1 version even when i was littler but never finished, it scared me lol
The thing about remakes is that they're safe. Companies think they can invest on the old fan's love of the series while potentially bringing in new ones with something that has proven viable. I get your gripes and do share them. At the same time though, I didn't have a PS1 and didn't get to experience Medievil until the PS4 remake, so the whole thing was a new experience to me. It's a conundrum with no right or wrong answers, we can only hope it gets easier with time.
wow i just played Medievil for the first time yesterday (ps4 remake on ps5) and I was so shocked at how much i loved it. i thought i'd like it, but wow, i fell in love. going for the platinum now. super surprised and excited to see this video from such a talented creator as yourself
Medievil is one of my favorite games of all time and the remake is so good only cemented it more I’ve played the remake multiple times collecting all the chalices multiple times.
I can tell you without a doubt, Medievil was my favorite PS1 game I never owned. I had a friend who owned it and I'd constantly loan him newer games that I'd pick up to play through this. I just recently snagged the ps4 remake to play on my PS5. Here's hoping for the best. The ability to unlock the first game seems a no brainer.
I'm not gonna lie, the MediEvil remake was probably the most exciting thing I was looking forward to in 2019. As it stands, a reimagining of MediEvil II would be great in about... 10 years given the track record of the series. Pumpkin Jack has been really close spiritually. I think MediEvil needs a shot in the arm, but they really need people that know what they're doing. It's a series you could probably do anything with, but you need to understand the tone of it all and know why you're throwing in what you do. MediEvil II and the Fate's Arrow comic, to me, show failure on that part. Probably more so Fate's Arrow.
I was surprised how short Pumpkin Jack was. Well, quality over quantity and I prefer shorter games and movies anyway. My highlight in 2019 was Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition. I'm a sucker for metroidvanias.
I recently took the kids out for Halloween with friends and family and I had the remakes Soundtrack setting the mood playing on my phone while we walked. I had at least 10 people ask me they liked the spooky music and what I was listening too. I told them “Let me tell you about the true life story of Sir Dan!?!”
I have never been more generally entertained by a video. Honestly, it's so funny to refer to the MediEvil series as clunky, when that's the gameplay mechanics in a nutshell. No other series could match how heavy Sir Daniel Fosteque feels to play as lol
Absolutely amazing B-Mask. You always come through with excellent videos. This one has great composition and you keep a honed edge the entire time. This is the kind of content we need more of these days. Keep it funny little British man
As someone who grew up as a wee lad playing medievil, I loved the video. Absolutely would love a proper sequel that we’ll probably never get. I do at least have to say that at least we got what we got and it is amazing that it even happened to begin with. Hopefully sir Dan has more adventures in the future.
It might just be because I'm more than a little burned out on revisiting old franchises after this years long refocusing from both consumers and executives on digging on the old mines of nostalgia, but I find the discussion towards the end about remakes and reimaginings over just making a sequel to hit on something very poignant. Personally at this point in my life I'm almost always going to to more excited for a wholly new entry or even a new franchise than I will remake or remaster or reimagining. The past is the past for a reason and while there are a few things I'd like to see brought into the modern for any number of reasons, perseveration and properly fulfilling their potential of course being chief among them, latching onto them as the golden grail of what can be only hinders exciting, new opportunities. Least we forget everything, even the most well established parts of our culture that we have come to value nowadays was once a risky new idea with nothing to its name. I think its time to start taking that risk again.
I mostly agree with one exception, when formerly exclusive titles (mostly japanese exclusives) getting a second chance at a world wide release. Live A Live and the upcoming Front Mission 2 come to mind. Feels somewhat more justified. Otherwise just put the old game on digital storefronts.
Medievil is by far the most nostalgic game for me my uncle owned both and me and my cousin were obsessed we would constantly argue over who could borrow it that weekend (cause he beat them forever ago) and we all played them dozens of times. (We were probably 6-9) and to this day I wish It would get some more love and expansion
I could say a lot about this game and its sequel but that would be boring. Instead I'll say that the theoretical next step would be a similar yet seemingly unrelated game where Sir Dan turns out to be the surprise antagonist somehow, possibly through being forcibly resurrected with scientific advancements learned from the ruins of Zarok's lab. It would be a nice thematic twist, you know? At least we got his descendant in Ghosthunter, I guess. edit: I got comment 420 lets gooo
The remake should've had 2 remake included as well. One game costs the same munty as Spyro and Crash trilogies and both were handled better. I couldn't 100% Medievil because one enemy glitched on the Ghost Ship level and couldn't kill him and grt the chalice. If it has had a patch, I'll replay it.
I had been trying to remember the name of this game from my childhood for so long and this pops up in my suggestions. I was about 3 or 4 when I first played this game and I loved it! Medievil 2, Tekken, Odd world, mega man and Soul Reaver are the first games I can remember playing
Caddy got me to play the remake from at few years ago when he made one of his Halloween specials, the ps1-2 eras were really experimental and kinda messy with the games being made, but unique, I really liked that
Man, this was honestly the EXACT game I wanted to hear you talk about, after watching the Crash and Spyro videos. I would've personally loved a thorough dissection of things like art direction and all that, but you explained why you weren't going to do that, and that's perfectly fine. This was still really nice to see! I just love art analyses above all else, cos I'm a knob lmao
As someone who's been an avid fan of the series since the first came out, this video hits pretty hard. Seeing the first game reiterated on two seperate occasions instead of any attempt at a continuation two decades after the sequel is tiring and frustrating. I have massive nostalgia for the original as many others do, but seeing the same beats regurgitated (to varying degrees of success) instead of evolved and explored in a modern context has worn thin and soured my expectations for the series. Even a remake of 2 would've had more to offer given its story structure failings and sometimes limited design scope, aspects that could've easily been fine-tuned by a modern, hungry studio. In any case, fantastic work as always and thanks for giving a series that's so dear to my heart a spotlight!
thanks for this video i really liked medievil, 2, and the 2019 remake and it's cool to hear someone talk about the series. Dan's story really resonated with me (redemption for not really being the hero history knows him as and then in the sequel becoming a hero again against a new foe) I would be curious to see a medievil 3 though i have no idea who or what they would bring into it, and I liked Winston also (i'm american, so the cockney isn't AS grating for me) anyway keep up the awesome work :)
Apparently, with medievil resurrection on psp, they were planning to make a new game in the series but development time got cut short, so the team decided to remake the original ps1 game instead.
If I'm being honest: a B-Mask video going over the Medi-Evil titles was not the place I was expecting to find a Wiggles reference... but it *was* a good place to do so.
The irony with the remake is that because the graphics are so capable, it took a little from the gothic feeling of the original, especially in some characters and the background.
My dad completed this for me when I was a kid- him and mum would steal my PlayStation and play it when I was in bed. Well that’s how it started 😂 I loved the second game as a kid.
I will always solely believe that restrictions force people to be more creative. Even if there are limitations, theres still work arounds for the dedicated ones. The ease of everything being at the reach of everyones hands at all times has made people not feel as inspired to push through to something new. Theres the exception but for the most part people rush things out because people go batshit insane for leaks, and get mad realistic wait times for how long it takes to make a decent game of by pressuring people and it always feels like little heart and thought went into it. If a game is made to be updated, it's not a finished game and shouldn't be sold as finished product
I do think Remakes have a place in making a game more accessible to a new audience, who wouldn’t have ever gone out of their way to get a PS1, the game, the saving card, controller(s), and the analog to HDMI cables. Its an investment to play old games. So I think remakes do have a place in game preservation.
Not only was this addressed in the first few sentences of the video, this ignores that those who choose to withhold the original versions from being available on new platforms is what makes it an inaccessible investment to begin with. They have a place, but only because it's a self fulfilling prophecy.
Thanks for the Halloween video! As far as remakes or sequels go, it's always gonna be on a case by case basis for me. Sometimes a new sequel like Metroid Other M is a bummer, while a remake like Metroid Zero Mission is really cool. Especially if the series has been out of the hand of the original creator for a while, and the new people involved might not be a good fit to creating something new that feels like an authentic follow-up. Or if it's not a game with a concept that lends itself well to sequels, but the original would still benefit from a remake. For instance, Odin Sphere Leithrasir reinvented those original mechanics and made a much better game. I'd also call the Tengo Project remakes of Wild Guns, Pocky & Rocky and Ninja Warriors really wonderful remakes that took what was there and made something better. Considering it's the original, now very old developers redrawing all those sprites with way more frames and detail for widescreen and recording the songs again, it also feels as authentic as it possibly could. At the moment I'm hoping the Resident Evil 4 remake turns out good. A tall order, considering it's easily my favorite in the franchise so it's easy to imagine any changes being negative ones. But this might also the only chance I get to see another Resident Evil game as fun as RE4 considering nothing else in the series has come close for me since the original. Neither direct nor spiritual sequels have recaptured RE4, so hey, let's try a remake instead. Worth a shot. Sometimes old games feel super outdated. Time often marches on from a game, and you gotta put on blinders for clunky bits and bothersome mechanics. Even games that are still outstanding suffer from changing standards for TVs, with low-res textures, text and UI elements meant for a small screen and restrictive non-widescreen viewpoints. The ideal remake for me isn't some reimagining that only keeps the name, it's a game that feels like the original but still substantially updates it, keeping what's good and improving what could use improvement. But of course, it'd be a relief if it was just easier to play all these old games, too. Especially legally. But I don't think remaking is inherently dumb. It's just good or bad depending on how it turns out, and what fits the original game the most. It's not at all important for me that a new sequel is better for _conversation_ though, lol. Whether it's a new direction or stuck in the past, the important thing is it's a great, quality video game.
I was so on board with this video already 30 seconds in and it just kept getting better. The remake/remaster trend has been infinitely frustrating to me because obviously the games that have the most critical cache are the ones that are the "safer bet" to spend effort on. But maybe counterintuitively, the "really good beloved games from 20+ years ago" are still by and large good experiences that can hold up by themselves. It's just inherently uninteresting to put a new coat of paint on something that already nailed it. And even in some cases where things do get updated for the better, as you said, it's still "just this game again". Maybe if every remake we got was on the level of the original Resident Evil 1 Remake then maybe I'd complain less, but all too often producers are scared to go off the beaten path so they take the safe option of keeping things largely identical. I feel like I'm just re-stating your video but it's something I've been struggling to articulate properly for a while so I appreciate the work you do, as always.
Remakes are literally meant to rebuilt the original on newer tech to make it as accessible as possible for modern audiences, what you are looking for is called a reimagining or a reinvention
Medievil is no doubt one of my favorite games. Partly due to nostalgia, and partly due to the games style and atmosphere. Medievil was my rough start at action games, if you can call it that. I remember one halloween when I tried to replay the original PS1 title and realized just how janky the game was. I still loved it, but good lord the platforming and the camera were horrendous. That's why I'm really happy it got a modern remake. They fixed most of the issues with the camera and platforming making the playing experience so much more enjoyable. The original really only has the low poly style to it, so if that's really important it's still there. You can even play the original within the remake, which is so goddamn cool. I do hope that one day this series will get a proper sequel. I'd love a dark comedic souls-like. Well maybe don't exactly make it like a souls game, MediEvil has its own flair. Just a modern sequel with updated combat and a good sense of humor would go far!
You got me to replay the Spy trilogy, you won't get me to replay MediEvil (Who am I kidding), but great video! You summed up my thoughts on remakes and originals better than in my own head, especially with this game in particular.
Feels like MediEvil was a lightning in a bottle moment. We just can't replicate it. Just like the random arrow that fell out hero, it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
I loved Medievil 1 as a kid, liked Medievil 2 as well but I don't remember it nearly as much as the first and for some reason everything about 2 gave me more of an actual headache back then. When I heard about the remake I was so happy, I didn't "need" it but it put one of my favorite childhood games back into the spotlight. With Medievil being a Sony owned franchise (correct me on that if wrong) I'm pretty sure that a remake to see how people feel about the franchise was the only thing Sony would agree on. They don't seem to be the gambling sort of party with their games. I hope the sales figures were convincing enough to them to sign off on a 2 remake or reimagining.
One thing I've never quite gotten over, the remake really oversells and i don't think understands my favourite joke in the game. The blunt, casual, completely derailing tone of "...bugger." The idea that the grand villain is throwing his greatest weapon at you, you can't possibly survive this, all is lost for you now hero! "...bugger.", the reaction of the milk going a bit off. The remake has this big angry reaction and slamming of fists to accompany it, and that misses the JOKE, that it's supposed to be a hilarious non-reaction, and that really bothers me.
Honestly? I'd have liked some of Resurrection's VAs with some of that charm in the PS4 remake. Or maybe I just wanted Tom Baker's Death and all of his charms preserved in a true-to-form remake to really add that british touch. That 'oh yes, everything's gone to shit and we're almost quite fine with that, really' touch.
I keep coming back to the idea Medievil 3 should take place during the German Blitz and have Dan slice up nazis who are, of course, messing with supernatural forces beyond their control that bring him back by accident once again. But the comic released with the remake is an interesting avenue I want to see explored too, though I'm not too sure if we will under current management at sony.
I kid you not, I clicked on this video right after finishing a session of Medievil Ressurections. And yeah, Im currently playing through Medievil Ressurections, and to be honest, I am quite enjoying my time with it! It is also the only Medievil game I ever played, so yes, I propably would enjoy the other games a lot more and im not denying the criticisms of the game. What I found interesting though, is your description of Medievil 1, how it's Dan - a goofy character, being contrasted with a still cartoony, but primarly dark and dangerous world. In Medievil Ressurections I really get the opposite feeling. Dan is the straigth man, interacting with the weird and wacky characters, often reacting with confusion and/or annoyance at their shenanigans.
As someone who loved playing Medievil as a child I'd have to say that honestly, I think the game worked perfectly as just a one-off kind of lightning in a bottle sort of game. I love the PS4 remake and loved being able to play the original game on it too. As it stands with today's "standards" of gaming I think its best that Medievil just remains as a quaint, charming game that's just fun to watch or play when nostalgia strikes. Yes a good sequel would be nice (maybe ignoring fates arrow because I don't really like the idea with Dan being stuck in an endless groundhogs day loop personally) I can't see a sequel managing to really work today especially without Paul Darrow, and even while Sir Dan and Zarrok are rivals and have a deep personal feud, how many times would you be able to rehash the same thing over and over again with them? I think it's best to let Sir Dan have the eternal rest that he's earned.
For all its faults MediEvil 2's ending opened up the endless possibilities of seeing Dan's adventures across time, yet sadly we never got to experience it. Imagine Dan in feudal Japan, or ancient Egypt, heck even in the far future.
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0:26 "I don't go back to old media because I want to experience what's possible now. I go back to see what was possible then, to connect with how people expressed themselves in the context of their time." Well said! 🍻
Right? You hardly hear someone read the illiad or look at a DaVinci and say "meh, it was alright back in the day but this style just doesn't hold up today"
The original PsOne game has some of the most iconic sound effects of any game. They really seared deep into my mind as a child.
Yooo same!
For some reason Dan's yelps when he takes damage has always stuck with me
MediEvil holds a special place in my heart. As a kid, I would watch my mom play it. She really enjoyed the game. She also liked Skullmonkeys and Oddworld.
But MediEvil was my favorite. I would watch her play it for hours. I really liked Dan as a character because even though he was a skeleton, he was really friendly-looking and silly.
To this day, I still really love MediEvil. I hope that if we do get a sequel that it will capture the spirit of the first game. I just really miss that sense of whimsy and silliness that games had back then.
Your mum sounds based
I've had a similar experience in that both of my parents would help me with the game as a kid. My parents are boomers and don't play any video games, so they still think it's "the best video game of all time" and pretty much anything reminds them of Medievil, such as the sound of a rusty gate opening. It's cool to at least have one video game we all know and love (well, technically two, since they also helped me with Medievil 2), since they basically know nothing about all the other video games I've also played. Still, Medievil and Medievil 2 are among my favorite games of all time, especially the original one.
Some of The fondest memories i have of my dad when he was Alive was playing medieval 2 with him (along with others ps1 games). We never got too far from The museum level cause at The time i didint even have a memory card, but it didint matter. We just love replaying that level Over and Over.
We REALLY need better game preservation. As someone that never had any next-gen console(due to financial issues, especially in my country) all I had to play was the old stuff, because of that I learned to see those games with the right eye and appreciate the achievements and importance of them, and most important, fall in love with the media. And I hate how companies treat old games as inferior or outdated, as you said in the video, even if those games have problems, even if they are outdated, even if other games have improved upon, they still have value, but sadly... the frequency that are remakes being released isn't helping.
I have an opposite problem. Since a lot of older console producers (especially Nintendo) weren't that keen on realising consoles in my country it's paradoxically harder to obtain an older console (like n64) then a new one. Remakes and Remasters are often the only way I can experience older games from those systems.
@@marcinkrz3140 Interesting, I don't have any problems with remasters but I think it should be the standard to include the original game in the remake, like in Metroid Zero Mission. But we often see stuff similar to the GTA Trilogy Remaster where they removed ALL the original versions from all platforms(maybe it was just steam I don't know), so unless you emulate, play on the original hardware or whatever, you're screwed.
then do it ...
So if the left eye is the eye that sees knowledge and truth what’s the right eye mean?
Zarok in Japanese is voiced by Norio Wakamoto AKA Cell from DBZ, M. Bison from Street Fighter, Chiyo's dad from Azumanga Daioh and a whole bunch of other roles.
MediEvil 1 & it’s remake are some of the best art pieces of gaming ever created. All nostalgia and flaws aside, there’s just something so special about the world. I feel like you can hop into this game blind and still feel the same amount of magic that this title delivers. Thank you for this video 🔥
I love all of the remakes even the PSP one it had great ost and humor. It made it less scary too.
To me Medievil is very difficult to sequalize, but still, feels so short and tiny. I feel like they made a great big world and lore… that you don’t see or experience ever.
As a Darkstalkers fan, you're point about holding potential sequels to ransom unless a rerelease/remaster of a predecessor does well really hits the nail on the head. Even a good remaster that captures and supersedes on the original is likely to only appeal to fans of it and maybe a few more, but taking a chance with a new entry with its own spin has a stronger chance to open it up to more.
As much as I respect your opinion and loved the video, I've gotta say: I'd kill for a remake of 2. There's a lot more that can be fixed by a remake there and it would give the devs the necessary practice and insight to make a Medievil 3 that would encapsulate everything great about the franchise. There's so much potential for the future of this franchise and I can only hope Sony feel the same way.
I just wanted them to pull a FF7 remake for MediEvil II by giving the story and characters a complete overhaul
Still an idealistic, I see. The problem is that companies have become VERY risk-adverse in recent years. I’d much rather see a sequel or even a new IP, yet here we are with remakes/remasters of TLoU *sigh*.
Finally proof that someone else cares about the turmoil Dan has been subjected to.
We stand with Dan
@@EmilXOM Sir Dan is peak PlayStation protagonist
@@KaminoKatieI'm amazed now one talks about our boney knight when it comes to ps mascots
The thing about MediEvil is, this is one series where you could absolutely have it go out into SPACE, and have it be completely believable. It's always awesome to see ancient medieval sorcery butt heads with raygun Gothic sci-fi technology. Assassin's Creed this sucker; every installment a new distinct time period and a distinct take on Gallowmere.
But I honestly wonder how the series can continue without Paul Darrow as Zarok. The personal feud between Sir Dan and Zarok feels so important to the world. The idea of these two bumbling buffoons butting heads throughout history is a hilarious one. As much as I liked the villain of the second game, that personal animosity that made Zarok and Dan's relationship so great wasn't there. He's just another baddie Dan has to slice up. But how could you possibly recast Zarok? Paul Darrow so perfectly played him with what little time he had, even in MediEvil Resurrection, it'd almost feel wrong to have someone else play the role. You could get somebody to do an impression, but unless you're really lucky it wouldn't be the same, OR just change actors completely, likely leading to such fundamental differences the audience might wonder why they just didn't make a new character instead. It's not an easy situation for a followup.
Just, no matter what you do, maybe drop the ethnic stereotypes, eh? Doesn't do anybody a lick of good, that.
Funnily enough that level in 2 where you deal with aliens was heading towards this idea- early plans for a potential 3 did have Dan going to space on a Buck Rodgers style adventure. However the plans were /really/ early and never amounted to anything, which is part of why I didn't mention them in the video, but I'd absolutely be down for that if it were to ever happen.
Agreed with your thoughts about Zarok as well, who they also were planning to bring back for Medievil 2 to work with Dan against Palethorn for pretty much the same reasons you outlined. I think he'd always feature in some form if they were ever to continue, but as I was getting at above, it's a big if.
@@BMask The second game was originally gonna have a new protagonist with Dan's descendant but it was scrapped
Yeah let's drop stereotypes and put DEI instead which is based on stereotypes. Go figure.
So, as a fan of the series, I'd say:
- the original MediEvil is the classic everyone deserves to play at least once (so glad it was included in the remake; I know there are other remakes with the original game being fully available in the more modern version but I still wish this was done more often);
- MediEvil 2 is my personal favorite (with the first one still being a masterpiece in my opinion, but I slightly prefer the sequel);
- MediEvil 2019 might be the remake anyone could pick up if they thought the original was too outdated and they wanted a more modern experience (or if they lack the original hardware the game was made for and they couldn't just emulate it);
- Resurrection is that version we could play if we ever wanted a significantly different twist on the first game that puts our muscle memory to the test (I don't think it comes even close to the original, but after playing it for some time I have learnt to show it some respect for what it tried to do as a launch title for PSP).
Sir Daniel Fortesque, always a legend and holds a place in all 90's kids hearts.
THANK YOU! This is one of the few games that has had multiple remakes and it's such a interesting topic of discussion! Also I just love Sir Dan as a character
fun fact for me, Medievil Resurrection was my first exposure to the game. When I was a kid and the PSP had just come out, I got it for christmas. So seeing all this stuff from the original and Resurrection being called the odd duck is hilarious to me
Same, it's the only version I've played and I loved it.
Same
Me too! I loved the bug living in Dan's head. Made the journey less lonely!
When I was in highschool I didn't have cable, didn't have a console, but I did have my neighbors wifi and an offbrand tablet. Equippped with both, I would watch Tekking101's let's play of Medievil the second I got home from school.
Never played the games but love them as if I did.
Yoooo another tekking101 fan!! Unexpected 🤯
MediEvil is so underrated. Sometimes it’s more interesting to try and appreciate a flawed game than gushing over a 90+ Metacritic darling. Sir Dan’s clumsiness and the game’s cartoon horror would make for a great parody of the Soulsborne genre if they ever decided to bring it back.
20:05 "its all very well holding a new game hostage, on the condition you buy a new game or two." In the case of some companies, this statement is very literal. Capcom is probably the best example with their infamous "capcom test" they pull, re-releasing an old game on a new console and seeing if people will buy X-amount of it to convince the higher ups a new one is worth the money. Its pretty much the reason so many capcom fighting games havent seen a new sequel and only get character cameos.
When it comes to whether or not a game needs to be remade, as opposed to a remaster, is all down to a case-by-case basis. Some games have become so outdated in technology and/or game design that they benefit from a ground up reworking, while others just need a bit of a polishing to truly let their quality shine. I will say emulation does complicate this, since with features like save states that help to lessen the impact of dated game design, it brings up if a remaster is even needed.
As for using remakes, remasters, etc. as a testing round or attempt at reintroduction to general audiences, it's something that should be used sparingly. Along with things like stealing the hype of a new entry and use or resources you mentioned, there's also the fact that those kinds of things succeed and fail for all sorts of reasons and aren't reliable indicators for future success. Another aspect of using remakes/remasters as testers is that the longer you go without a new game that can grab attention the further into obscurity you'll fall into, especially if you only try after multiple years long absences. Basically, creators and publishers should just take the risk because the longer they try and play it safe the greater the chance the safety net of nostalgia and name recognition will go away.
the first 45 seconds of the video perfectly explains why games preservation is so important. for gamers, for developers and publishers. making old games available imho is the best. weather its physical media or digital. same goes for books and movies.
fyi. i love playing the og spyro games
I think the one thing Medievil's did that was good in my opinion is just make it more accessible, not everyone has a ps1/2 and if they did, they may not have been able to get their hands on a game that isn't made anymore. The remake just let it have a new platform to be enjoyed on.
See, MediEvil felt (to me) to be a 2000AD comic strip adaptation because it's so insane. Like Pat Mills (Back when he was slightly LESS crazy) and Kevin O'Neill went "Let's make a video game about a complete tosser of an upper class git who can't survive without the player". I know people who said it felt very Tim Burton, but it's so utterly 2000ad's mad cap sense of humour and insanity. To the point where I wish that more stuff was inspired BY 2000AD so that we could get more mad stuff like this. Granted, the folks at Rebellion and the Prog are brilliant people who are all fun and a bit mental (I know a few of them and they're just as mad as the comics they make)
Also, Paul Darrow is a national treasure. An absolutely amazing guy who I met at a convention in Glasgow. Glad to hear that they didn't mess around with his takes.
EDIT: - Gah... I hate this. RIP Kevin O'Neill.
Babe wake up new B-Mask
Ok sweetie
I'm up I'm up
Can we agree this meme is stupid as hell finally?
MediEvil has always been a hidden gem of the PS1 era, and arguably one of my favorite games ever. The art direction is absolutely stellar, as it's the music, which helps set that gloomy, yet whimsical atmosphere that is signature of the series.
I absolutely agree that the original game is dated not in the graphics department, but in the clunkiness of the combat and platforming. The hitboxes on the weapons were incredibly atrocious; you'd miss attacks at point-blank range.
What I like the most about the PS4 remake is how they recycled all the voice clips from the original game. The voice acting in the first MediEvil is absolutely perfect and ridiculously hilarious.
Amazing reviews, by the way! I really hope the series gets a new game in the future. Dan deserves more to his legacy than being a character in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
Facts, the original spyro had one machine Gun wielding goon replaced for that remake with paintballs! Agree wholeheartedly.
It feels so goofy and eye-rolling that there cannot be an enemy with a machine gun in a “kids game” when execs know well and good children as young as 6 are playing Fortnite. That is not a slight to anyone who enjoys that title, it’s more lamenting the fact that something I loved as a kid was needlessly changed.
@@Coolpiss123 At least Pinstripe kept his.
Just reminds me of Caddicarus' Spyro video because "Gnorcs with guns.... gnorcs with guns."
Seeing Oddworld pop up did make me interested in seeing your thoughts about that series. As one that I hold relatively close to my heart, it always interests me to seeing other people's thoughts on it.
I wish that when they remade games like this, they included the old version of the game with it, since I feel like it wouldn’t be that hard to include an emulates version
Metroid: Zero Mission has the og game as unlockavmble, which is neat.
Medievil remake include the original psx medievil version.
@Xenosts Yeah, that's exactly what the person said.
Great video! This game was one of my absolute favorites, and I've just seen it sit there. Pumpkin Jack was a nice spiritual successor, but Sony seems to want Sir Daniel to be a bit of a mascot without caring for him at all. It would be great if they let this remake release on the Switch.
An absolutely amazing video. The end bit about remakes is something I've agreed with a lot for so long. They're cool and all, but I feel like it would've been much better to get a sequel. Its much like Banjo-Kazooie fans wanting a remake when the originals and the Xbox versions exist. If we got a remake, we would just get the same game again with a few changes.
Also can't wait for Medievil 3 to be announced months after this video
Thank you! I tell ya, if there really is an announcement, my paranoia's going to go through the ROOF
My good fella, if Medievil 2 doesn't even seem to be considered for a Remake by current Playstation, I'd place such announcement right next to Wild Arms 6 and Sly Cooper 5 as:
Eccstatic if they happen, wouldn't hold my breath for them.
I played Medievil Resurrection as a Kid and i loved it. For me it was the italian dubbing that sold it to me. It was bad , but bad that was good and funny. I played the ps1 version even when i was littler but never finished, it scared me lol
The thing about remakes is that they're safe. Companies think they can invest on the old fan's love of the series while potentially bringing in new ones with something that has proven viable. I get your gripes and do share them. At the same time though, I didn't have a PS1 and didn't get to experience Medievil until the PS4 remake, so the whole thing was a new experience to me.
It's a conundrum with no right or wrong answers, we can only hope it gets easier with time.
Great to finally see skeletons representation in this channel,
feels home indeed...
wow i just played Medievil for the first time yesterday (ps4 remake on ps5) and I was so shocked at how much i loved it. i thought i'd like it, but wow, i fell in love. going for the platinum now. super surprised and excited to see this video from such a talented creator as yourself
Absolutely fantastic video. Subbed!!
Medievil is one of my favorite games of all time and the remake is so good only cemented it more I’ve played the remake multiple times collecting all the chalices multiple times.
I can tell you without a doubt, Medievil was my favorite PS1 game I never owned. I had a friend who owned it and I'd constantly loan him newer games that I'd pick up to play through this. I just recently snagged the ps4 remake to play on my PS5. Here's hoping for the best. The ability to unlock the first game seems a no brainer.
I'm not gonna lie, the MediEvil remake was probably the most exciting thing I was looking forward to in 2019. As it stands, a reimagining of MediEvil II would be great in about... 10 years given the track record of the series. Pumpkin Jack has been really close spiritually. I think MediEvil needs a shot in the arm, but they really need people that know what they're doing. It's a series you could probably do anything with, but you need to understand the tone of it all and know why you're throwing in what you do. MediEvil II and the Fate's Arrow comic, to me, show failure on that part. Probably more so Fate's Arrow.
I was surprised how short Pumpkin Jack was. Well, quality over quantity and I prefer shorter games and movies anyway. My highlight in 2019 was Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition. I'm a sucker for metroidvanias.
Oh bless your soul. Just replayed the PS4 remake so will love to watch this.
I recently took the kids out for Halloween with friends and family and I had the remakes Soundtrack setting the mood playing on my phone while we walked. I had at least 10 people ask me they liked the spooky music and what I was listening too. I told them “Let me tell you about the true life story of Sir Dan!?!”
I have never been more generally entertained by a video. Honestly, it's so funny to refer to the MediEvil series as clunky, when that's the gameplay mechanics in a nutshell. No other series could match how heavy Sir Daniel Fosteque feels to play as lol
Absolutely amazing B-Mask. You always come through with excellent videos. This one has great composition and you keep a honed edge the entire time. This is the kind of content we need more of these days.
Keep it funny little British man
As someone who grew up as a wee lad playing medievil, I loved the video. Absolutely would love a proper sequel that we’ll probably never get. I do at least have to say that at least we got what we got and it is amazing that it even happened to begin with. Hopefully sir Dan has more adventures in the future.
It might just be because I'm more than a little burned out on revisiting old franchises after this years long refocusing from both consumers and executives on digging on the old mines of nostalgia, but I find the discussion towards the end about remakes and reimaginings over just making a sequel to hit on something very poignant.
Personally at this point in my life I'm almost always going to to more excited for a wholly new entry or even a new franchise than I will remake or remaster or reimagining. The past is the past for a reason and while there are a few things I'd like to see brought into the modern for any number of reasons, perseveration and properly fulfilling their potential of course being chief among them, latching onto them as the golden grail of what can be only hinders exciting, new opportunities. Least we forget everything, even the most well established parts of our culture that we have come to value nowadays was once a risky new idea with nothing to its name. I think its time to start taking that risk again.
I mostly agree with one exception, when formerly exclusive titles (mostly japanese exclusives) getting a second chance at a world wide release. Live A Live and the upcoming Front Mission 2 come to mind. Feels somewhat more justified. Otherwise just put the old game on digital storefronts.
Just so frustrated they didn't remake the sequel at the same time as the original. It'll never happen now.
I have not thought about the wiggles in quite a long time. You have opened up many repressed memories.
Mentions no Medievil 2 remake
Me : Why? Whyyyy?
Me : sees Chinese wizard
Me again : oh that's why
7:23
I thought I was the only person who still remembers the gauls!
Medievil is by far the most nostalgic game for me my uncle owned both and me and my cousin were obsessed we would constantly argue over who could borrow it that weekend (cause he beat them forever ago) and we all played them dozens of times. (We were probably 6-9) and to this day I wish It would get some more love and expansion
I could say a lot about this game and its sequel but that would be boring.
Instead I'll say that the theoretical next step would be a similar yet seemingly unrelated game where Sir Dan turns out to be the surprise antagonist somehow, possibly through being forcibly resurrected with scientific advancements learned from the ruins of Zarok's lab.
It would be a nice thematic twist, you know? At least we got his descendant in Ghosthunter, I guess.
edit: I got comment 420 lets gooo
I like your thinking mr 420 blaze it
The remake should've had 2 remake included as well. One game costs the same munty as Spyro and Crash trilogies and both were handled better. I couldn't 100% Medievil because one enemy glitched on the Ghost Ship level and couldn't kill him and grt the chalice. If it has had a patch, I'll replay it.
amazingly written review, great points, time well spent watching this, thanks!
I had been trying to remember the name of this game from my childhood for so long and this pops up in my suggestions. I was about 3 or 4 when I first played this game and I loved it! Medievil 2, Tekken, Odd world, mega man and Soul Reaver are the first games I can remember playing
I think we need a digital museum or something to preserve old media like video games.
Medievil is one of the FEW perfect HD remaeks.
I knew you were a vampire because you and you're work is timeless
yoooooo
Caddy got me to play the remake from at few years ago when he made one of his Halloween specials, the ps1-2 eras were really experimental and kinda messy with the games being made, but unique, I really liked that
Man, this was honestly the EXACT game I wanted to hear you talk about, after watching the Crash and Spyro videos. I would've personally loved a thorough dissection of things like art direction and all that, but you explained why you weren't going to do that, and that's perfectly fine. This was still really nice to see! I just love art analyses above all else, cos I'm a knob lmao
I like to come back to the originals every few years on Halloween
I think you are the one creator who I get EXCITED for new videos. They are like christmas!
I would love to see you tackle the Oddworld games. I hear theres a lot of mixed feelings on the newer ones.
I second this
As someone who's been an avid fan of the series since the first came out, this video hits pretty hard. Seeing the first game reiterated on two seperate occasions instead of any attempt at a continuation two decades after the sequel is tiring and frustrating. I have massive nostalgia for the original as many others do, but seeing the same beats regurgitated (to varying degrees of success) instead of evolved and explored in a modern context has worn thin and soured my expectations for the series. Even a remake of 2 would've had more to offer given its story structure failings and sometimes limited design scope, aspects that could've easily been fine-tuned by a modern, hungry studio.
In any case, fantastic work as always and thanks for giving a series that's so dear to my heart a spotlight!
MediEvil II deserves the FF7 remake treatment
so tl;dw: make *medievil: it's about bloody time*
PREACH IT, BROTHER!
thanks for this video i really liked medievil, 2, and the 2019 remake and it's cool to hear someone talk about the series. Dan's story really resonated with me (redemption for not really being the hero history knows him as and then in the sequel becoming a hero again against a new foe)
I would be curious to see a medievil 3 though i have no idea who or what they would bring into it, and I liked Winston also (i'm american, so the cockney isn't AS grating for me)
anyway keep up the awesome work :)
Medievil The Prequel Comic its basically Medievil 3 created by the original team
Apparently, with medievil resurrection on psp, they were planning to make a new game in the series but development time got cut short, so the team decided to remake the original ps1 game instead.
Maybe it would've been better loved. It has its own style.
@ yeah maybe?
I remember playing the original as a kid and was scared. But this made the memories flow back.
Medievil is AWESOME. Fcking perfect.
That all being said, I still want a MediEvil 2 remake with the same quality as the first one.
Could happen since Other Ocean Emeryville is still an independent contract studio that could take the job to remake it
I wanted them to pull a FF7 remake for MediEvil II by giving the story and characters a complete overhaul
If I'm being honest: a B-Mask video going over the Medi-Evil titles was not the place I was expecting to find a Wiggles reference... but it *was* a good place to do so.
The irony with the remake is that because the graphics are so capable, it took a little from the gothic feeling of the original, especially in some characters and the background.
I have a soft spot for Medievil Resurrection, and while I still enjoy looking back at it, you're completely right about the tone.
Man. Thank you for being straightforward and fair. Awesome video.
Thank you! Just hope I can maintain that.
My dad completed this for me when I was a kid- him and mum would steal my PlayStation and play it when I was in bed. Well that’s how it started 😂 I loved the second game as a kid.
so the medievil psp remake is basically the RE3 remake of the series
Or Conker: Live and Reloaded
*walking around through youtube and sees Medievil. Sudden record scratch before going to watch video on childhood*
I just recently played Medievil and loved it. I had a demo disk with it on it.
I will always solely believe that restrictions force people to be more creative. Even if there are limitations, theres still work arounds for the dedicated ones. The ease of everything being at the reach of everyones hands at all times has made people not feel as inspired to push through to something new. Theres the exception but for the most part people rush things out because people go batshit insane for leaks, and get mad realistic wait times for how long it takes to make a decent game of by pressuring people and it always feels like little heart and thought went into it.
If a game is made to be updated, it's not a finished game and shouldn't be sold as finished product
I do think Remakes have a place in making a game more accessible to a new audience, who wouldn’t have ever gone out of their way to get a PS1, the game, the saving card, controller(s), and the analog to HDMI cables.
Its an investment to play old games.
So I think remakes do have a place in game preservation.
Not only was this addressed in the first few sentences of the video, this ignores that those who choose to withhold the original versions from being available on new platforms is what makes it an inaccessible investment to begin with.
They have a place, but only because it's a self fulfilling prophecy.
Thanks for the Halloween video!
As far as remakes or sequels go, it's always gonna be on a case by case basis for me. Sometimes a new sequel like Metroid Other M is a bummer, while a remake like Metroid Zero Mission is really cool. Especially if the series has been out of the hand of the original creator for a while, and the new people involved might not be a good fit to creating something new that feels like an authentic follow-up. Or if it's not a game with a concept that lends itself well to sequels, but the original would still benefit from a remake. For instance, Odin Sphere Leithrasir reinvented those original mechanics and made a much better game. I'd also call the Tengo Project remakes of Wild Guns, Pocky & Rocky and Ninja Warriors really wonderful remakes that took what was there and made something better. Considering it's the original, now very old developers redrawing all those sprites with way more frames and detail for widescreen and recording the songs again, it also feels as authentic as it possibly could.
At the moment I'm hoping the Resident Evil 4 remake turns out good. A tall order, considering it's easily my favorite in the franchise so it's easy to imagine any changes being negative ones. But this might also the only chance I get to see another Resident Evil game as fun as RE4 considering nothing else in the series has come close for me since the original. Neither direct nor spiritual sequels have recaptured RE4, so hey, let's try a remake instead. Worth a shot.
Sometimes old games feel super outdated. Time often marches on from a game, and you gotta put on blinders for clunky bits and bothersome mechanics. Even games that are still outstanding suffer from changing standards for TVs, with low-res textures, text and UI elements meant for a small screen and restrictive non-widescreen viewpoints. The ideal remake for me isn't some reimagining that only keeps the name, it's a game that feels like the original but still substantially updates it, keeping what's good and improving what could use improvement. But of course, it'd be a relief if it was just easier to play all these old games, too. Especially legally. But I don't think remaking is inherently dumb. It's just good or bad depending on how it turns out, and what fits the original game the most.
It's not at all important for me that a new sequel is better for _conversation_ though, lol. Whether it's a new direction or stuck in the past, the important thing is it's a great, quality video game.
I was so on board with this video already 30 seconds in and it just kept getting better. The remake/remaster trend has been infinitely frustrating to me because obviously the games that have the most critical cache are the ones that are the "safer bet" to spend effort on. But maybe counterintuitively, the "really good beloved games from 20+ years ago" are still by and large good experiences that can hold up by themselves. It's just inherently uninteresting to put a new coat of paint on something that already nailed it. And even in some cases where things do get updated for the better, as you said, it's still "just this game again". Maybe if every remake we got was on the level of the original Resident Evil 1 Remake then maybe I'd complain less, but all too often producers are scared to go off the beaten path so they take the safe option of keeping things largely identical. I feel like I'm just re-stating your video but it's something I've been struggling to articulate properly for a while so I appreciate the work you do, as always.
Remakes are literally meant to rebuilt the original on newer tech to make it as accessible as possible for modern audiences, what you are looking for is called a reimagining or a reinvention
The sequel is worthy of a remake imho. I love how they continued the story.
Medievil is no doubt one of my favorite games. Partly due to nostalgia, and partly due to the games style and atmosphere. Medievil was my rough start at action games, if you can call it that. I remember one halloween when I tried to replay the original PS1 title and realized just how janky the game was. I still loved it, but good lord the platforming and the camera were horrendous. That's why I'm really happy it got a modern remake. They fixed most of the issues with the camera and platforming making the playing experience so much more enjoyable. The original really only has the low poly style to it, so if that's really important it's still there. You can even play the original within the remake, which is so goddamn cool. I do hope that one day this series will get a proper sequel. I'd love a dark comedic souls-like. Well maybe don't exactly make it like a souls game, MediEvil has its own flair. Just a modern sequel with updated combat and a good sense of humor would go far!
You got me to replay the Spy trilogy, you won't get me to replay MediEvil (Who am I kidding), but great video! You summed up my thoughts on remakes and originals better than in my own head, especially with this game in particular.
The PSP version of MediEvil is to that game what the PS2 version of Rayman 2 is to all the other Rayman 2 versions lol.
Feels like MediEvil was a lightning in a bottle moment. We just can't replicate it. Just like the random arrow that fell out hero, it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
Man spitting when it comes to remakes.
Never really thought about the subject in that way
I loved Medievil 1 as a kid, liked Medievil 2 as well but I don't remember it nearly as much as the first and for some reason everything about 2 gave me more of an actual headache back then. When I heard about the remake I was so happy, I didn't "need" it but it put one of my favorite childhood games back into the spotlight.
With Medievil being a Sony owned franchise (correct me on that if wrong) I'm pretty sure that a remake to see how people feel about the franchise was the only thing Sony would agree on. They don't seem to be the gambling sort of party with their games. I hope the sales figures were convincing enough to them to sign off on a 2 remake or reimagining.
MediEvil is a PlayStation original
One thing I've never quite gotten over, the remake really oversells and i don't think understands my favourite joke in the game. The blunt, casual, completely derailing tone of "...bugger." The idea that the grand villain is throwing his greatest weapon at you, you can't possibly survive this, all is lost for you now hero! "...bugger.", the reaction of the milk going a bit off. The remake has this big angry reaction and slamming of fists to accompany it, and that misses the JOKE, that it's supposed to be a hilarious non-reaction, and that really bothers me.
Honestly? I'd have liked some of Resurrection's VAs with some of that charm in the PS4 remake.
Or maybe I just wanted Tom Baker's Death and all of his charms preserved in a true-to-form remake to really add that british touch. That 'oh yes, everything's gone to shit and we're almost quite fine with that, really' touch.
Thanks for the video. It was an interesting retrospective on the series.
I keep coming back to the idea Medievil 3 should take place during the German Blitz and have Dan slice up nazis who are, of course, messing with supernatural forces beyond their control that bring him back by accident once again. But the comic released with the remake is an interesting avenue I want to see explored too, though I'm not too sure if we will under current management at sony.
Sony is currently interested in remaking games to tie-in with their respective new shows/films from PlayStation Productions
I see that Paul Finch cover B!
(Legit, thank you for sharing those stories, they are cool)
Like Sir Dan's old shame, the shadow of _Sly 4_ hangs over you. Happy Halloween. 😈
I kid you not, I clicked on this video right after finishing a session of Medievil Ressurections.
And yeah, Im currently playing through Medievil Ressurections, and to be honest, I am quite enjoying my time with it! It is also the only Medievil game I ever played, so yes, I propably would enjoy the other games a lot more and im not denying the criticisms of the game.
What I found interesting though, is your description of Medievil 1, how it's Dan - a goofy character, being contrasted with a still cartoony, but primarly dark and dangerous world.
In Medievil Ressurections I really get the opposite feeling. Dan is the straigth man, interacting with the weird and wacky characters, often reacting with confusion and/or annoyance at their shenanigans.
Just another reason why I felt it missed the point completely.
I played the Remake during covid lockdown and loved it!
This video kinda perfectly explains why I dont really care for remakes much anymore
As someone who loved playing Medievil as a child I'd have to say that honestly, I think the game worked perfectly as just a one-off kind of lightning in a bottle sort of game. I love the PS4 remake and loved being able to play the original game on it too. As it stands with today's "standards" of gaming I think its best that Medievil just remains as a quaint, charming game that's just fun to watch or play when nostalgia strikes. Yes a good sequel would be nice (maybe ignoring fates arrow because I don't really like the idea with Dan being stuck in an endless groundhogs day loop personally) I can't see a sequel managing to really work today especially without Paul Darrow, and even while Sir Dan and Zarrok are rivals and have a deep personal feud, how many times would you be able to rehash the same thing over and over again with them? I think it's best to let Sir Dan have the eternal rest that he's earned.
First B-Mask video where I actually know where "fish people" comes from...honestly should have guessed it earlier.
Sold big time on finally giving this a shot. Thanks B-Mask
For all its faults MediEvil 2's ending opened up the endless possibilities of seeing Dan's adventures across time, yet sadly we never got to experience it. Imagine Dan in feudal Japan, or ancient Egypt, heck even in the far future.
You can at least read it though
@@bamban_garcia5562 Not really, the comic just mostly goes back to Gallowmere instead of somewhere new.
Maybe for the best, a different team handling it could've been a Thieves in Time debacle...