ENSLAVED: ODYSSEY TO THE WEST

Ever the masters of narrative-driven single-player experiences, back in 2010, Ninja Theory delivered Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, a game that many consider one of the studio’s best works ever to this day. Sadly, the game ended up a commercial failure. Though acclaimed by many for its storytelling, characters, performances, and its take on the classic Chinese tale of Journey to the West, for whatever reason, it failed to attract a sizeable audience.

THE SABOTEUR

The definition of a cult classic, Pandemic Studios’ 2009 World War 2 stealth action game is one that deserved more praise than it got back in the day. Though it certainly had issues, it had more than enough strengths to make up for them, from an incredible visual aesthetic and an atmospheric setting to excellent open world action and much more.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 

After a strong start with the first game, Naughty Dog really came into its own element with the sequel. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves told an enthralling story punctuated with thrilling set pieces and memorable characters, and it’s a game that surprisingly holds up well to this date. A PlayStation 5 remake could take full advantage of current-gen horsepower and deliver stunning visuals and smoothed-out gameplay, making for an experience that would feel completely new and fresh.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid is making a comeback with an upcoming remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but the entry that is in the most desperate need of a remake has to be Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. And that’s not just for introducing the game to a new audience, but also because Metal Gear Solid 4 is locked on the PS3 and there is no legitimate way for current-gen console owners to enjoy this classic. We are hoping that the next remake after Delta Snake Eater will be this one, so there’s no harm in keeping your fingers crossed as well.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West 

Before Ninja Theory worked on Hellblade and eventually got acquired by Microsoft, it delivered an amazing action adventure in the form of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Released in 2010, Enslaved was a game that provided a fresh take on the classic novel Journey to the West. With its interesting gameplay ideas based on cooperation and fresh world design, Enslaved was a game that had plenty of merits to its name. Of course, it wasn’t a flawless experience by any means – which is why we need a remake for this classic. Ninja Theory could use its current-gen technology and learnings from subsequent projects to create a game that’s bigger and better than the original in every regard.

Red Dead Redemption

Rockstar Games delivered an amazing Wild West epic with Red Dead Redemption. John Marston’s tale of redemption is worth experiencing through to the end, but sadly it’s a game that’s locked on the PS3 and Xbox. While there is a remastered version available for current-gen consoles, it’s a barebones port that is in dire need of substantial improvement. As such, having a ground-up remake for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S would be really appreciated by both returning fans and those who played Red Dead Redemption 2.

Dead Space 2

EA Motive delivered an excellent reimagining of the first Dead Space with its recent remake, and we can’t help but ask for a similar remake of the second game as well. Fans of the franchise would agree that Dead Space 2 was the series at its absolute peak, and getting to experience all that through a new lens is something that has us salivating at the very thought of it all. Given the success of the first remake, it’s obviously possible that something like this might happen in the near future – so keep your fingers crossed. 

Fallout 3

Set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic US, Fallout 3 takes players on an unforgettable journey filled with tons of meaningful quests and characters that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Despite those merits, it’s not easy to play Fallout 3 for players accustomed to modern gaming conveniences – which is why we so desperately need a remake of this classic. With no new single-player Fallout game in sight, we could do with a reimagining of Fallout 3 for the time being.

Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs might feel like a cheap GTA clone at first glance, but the moment you look past that initial veneer – you will find a surprisingly fun open world with a complex web of different mechanics that come together to create something special. It’s well and truly a game of its time, and it deserves to be re-introduced to a brand new audience with a fresh coat of paint. It’s a difficult task considering that the original developer United Front Games closed its doors in 2012, but there’s no harm in having some hopes. Right?

Resistance: Fall of Man

Insomniac Games’ Resistance series was Sony’s answer to Microsoft’s Gears of War, and the similarities ranging from a post-apocalyptic backdrop to the opposing alien forces are readily apparent. But despite those similarities, Resistance: Fall of Man is a solid first-person shooter with plenty of spectacle and set pieces which makes it such a great game to remake at a time when PlayStation is known for its cinematic blockbuster experiences. Apart from that, Sony has a very evident lack of first-person shooters in its roster of exclusive IPs, so bringing Resistance back would also help diversify its portfolio.

Vanquish 

PlatinumGames is known for its slick action and spectacle like seen in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and Vanquish is a game that’s emblematic of those very strengths. This third-person action game features a rather unique gameplay loop that makes cover-based shooting an extremely fun activity through the use of power slides and slow motion, and it’s a game that has surprisingly stood the test of time. That being said, not many people actually tried Vanquish back in the day – and a full-fledged remake with modern graphics and smoother animations would be right up the alley of many gamers.

Dark Souls 1

FromSoftware perfected what they started with Demon’s Souls with 2011’s Dark Souls, and it instantly became a game for the history books. Thanks to a meticulously crafted world with distinct levels and memorable boss fights, Dark Souls was able to win the hearts of thousands upon thousands of fans. But it would be wrong to say that Dark Souls doesn’t have its fair share of problems, both stemming from the technology at the time and also a few quirks related to its design. But with a full-fledged remake, FromSoftware can take its learnings and create a game that’s better than before. 

inFamous 1

Sucker Punch Productions of Ghost of Tsushima fame made its reputation as one of Sony’s top talents through the inFamous series, which provided a thrill ride through an open-world filled with interesting missions and side activities alongside a morality system that significantly changes your playstyles and skill trees. The first game has arguably aged the worst, which is why it would require a full-fledged remake for the PS5. 

Motorstorm

Motorstorm was a rather unique offroad racing experience where players get to choose from different vehicle types to win the race. It combines high-octane racing with destruction mechanics to make for an experience that’s unlike anything, and it retains that status even after all these years. Between this and the fact that not a lot of players actually picked it up back in the day, Motorstorm is the perfect candidate for a full-fledged remake that could introduce this experience to a brand-new audience.

L.A. Noire 

L.A. Noire is undoubtedly one of the most creative games in Rockstar’s wide array of open-world offerings, and a lot of that falls down on the impressive detective work that players get to do in the myriad of cases available to solve across its vast space. The developer used cutting-edge facial modeling to make conversations with subjects more meaningful, but many of those ideas were obviously limited by the technology of the time. But now that we have modern engines like Unreal Engine 5 with features like MetaHuman toolkits, a remake of LA Noire could finally fulfill its complete creative vision in earnest.

The Elder Scrolls: IV Oblivion

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion is an expansive RPG with a complex web of systems and dozens of quests for players to complete. It’s safe to say that it was also ahead of its time in so many ways, which is why it is the perfect fit for a full-fledged remake for current-generation systems. Getting to explore the mystical beauty of its world in high definition will be a dream come true for fans of the genre, and while the chances of it all happening anytime soon are pretty slim – we can at least hope.

Batman Arkham Asylum

Rocksteady’s debut Batman Arkham game might just be its most focused game in the series. Each room in the asylum is meticulously designed, and the interconnected nature of the levels combined with memorable boss fights really makes it feel like a living, breathing place. But it’s also true that the game hasn’t aged all that well after so many years and subsequent entries in the series, so a remake that brings the features and mechanics from modern games would result in an instant hit.

Halo 3: ODST

The Halo games have continued to be system sellers for Microsoft for generations at this point, but Halo 3: ODST always ends up being one of the more under-appreciated games in the franchise. And that’s a shame really, because ODST had some really interesting ideas that were executed reasonably well – including but not limited to large open environments and a setting that didn’t rely on Master Chief or Cortana. It’s a unique game that has a lot to say, and fans should definitely give it a try.

Quantum Break

Quantum Break was an ambitious project from Remedy Entertainment, and it sought to combine elements of a TV show with a game. Sure, some of its concepts didn’t really stick the landing – but Quantum Break is an extremely fast and frenetic shooter that features some interesting time-based abilities and a story that’s about as weird as one would expect from the developer. It’s easily one of the more underrated Microsoft exclusives, but one worth trying out nevertheless.

Sunset Overdrive

Sunset Overdrive comes from the now Sony-owned Insomniac Games. It’s a post-apocalyptic adventure game where you grind on rails, jump on bouncy surfaces, and use a vast array of weapons to gun down waves upon waves of enemies. It features a colorful open world with likable characters and quality writing, but the game wasn’t really able to make an impact in the end. Sunset Overdrive is emblematic of the developer’s biggest strengths, which makes it a really underrated game that deserves a lot more love and credit than it gets.

Mafia 1

The original Mafia was a game that was well ahead of its time. In a market where every developer was trying to copy Rockstar’s formula of an open world, Mafia provided its own take with a more realistic world that operated on brutal rules and a story that was a complex tale with plenty of loyalties and conspiracies. It was a special game that unfortunately never got the audience it deserved, most likely due to its demanding gameplay – which is honestly a shame.

The Saboteur

Developed by Pandemic Studios, The Saboteur thrusts players into a beautifully realized rendition of 1940s Paris. You play as a racer-turned-rebel who embarks on a quest to prevent evil schemes from happening, and that story remains engaging from start to finish. But what’s more impressive is the set of mechanics that beautifully combines social stealth elements with action gameplay in an open-world setting, and it’s honestly a surprise as to why such a special game went unnoticed by the masses.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is developer Ninja Theory’s take on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, and it tells the story of two people who must work together to ensure each other’s survival. The game uses a simple but fun combat loop for its gameplay, but what makes it special is the interesting scenarios it keeps on creating at every turn – which makes it such an engaging experience.

Vampyr

Vampyr is all about a doctor juggling his personal life at a hospital and his struggles with turning into a bloodthirsty vampire. The combat is all about balancing stamina and dishing out damage to your opponents, and the game does a great job of creating a well-knit set of systems that beautifully interact with one another to create a fully realized world. There are a few rough edges here and there, but it is a game that’s worth trying out.

As Dusk Falls

As Dusk Falls is a narrative adventure that starts out simply with a family embarking on a road trip, but that soon evolves into something greater. The art style here is fantastic, and the story is pretty engaging from start to finish. It’s a simple game that does just enough to keep you entertained for its runtime, and sometimes that’s all you need.

Gears of War Judgment

The Gears of War series has continued to be one of the most valuable first-party games for the Xbox platform, and almost every mainline entry has been showered with great critical and commercial reception. Gears of War Judgment stands out as an exception, not because it suffered from bad reviews – but that not many people actually played it. And this is a shame because this prequel provides a ton of context to the events of later entries – and that information will be highly appreciated by fans of the franchise.

Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct attempted a shot at revival in 2014, which ended up receiving a rather tepid reception from fans. While it wasn’t on par with contemporaries like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter, Killer Instinct was certainly a quality first-party game from Microsoft that never really got the love and attention it deserves.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments is widely considered to be one of the best games in the long-running series, and a lot of that praise can be attributed to the game’s excellently crafted story. Crimes and Punishments never fails to keep you guessing, and the writing is also quality stuff. The gameplay revolves around carefully assessing clues and deducting solutions to these cases, and that provides a very distinct fantasy of being a great detective.

Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics does a great job of translating the series’ signature third-person shooting to a top-down tactical game without losing the game’s identity in that transition. The resulting product is a game that shouldn’t work but somehow feels like a natural evolution of the franchise. It constantly ramps things up with new kinds of obstacles and more complex levels, and that keeps you engaged for a long time.

Wanted: Dead

Wanted: Dead takes inspiration from multiple action adventure classics like Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, and crafts an experience that feels equal parts a glorious homage and a fresh experience. Wanted: Dead features a solid combat loop where you can effortlessly switch between slashing your foes with a sword and gunning them down with weapons – and that foundation of ideas rarely gets stale.

State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition

State of Decay 2 didn’t launch in the best of states, but over the course of multiple major updates – the developers were able to not only fix the game’s technical issues but also realize its potential with new content changes and mechanic overhaul. But for many fans, the boat had already sailed by then – and State of Decay 2 became an underrated game only appreciated by a small group of people. If you are one of those who gave up on the game, give it another try – and you might be surprised.

Metro 2033

The Metro series came into the limelight with Metro: Last Light and recent entries such as Exodus are widely praised for their brand of survival gameplay. As a result, Metro 2033 ends up being a rather underrated game in the series – which is a shame because many of the ideas that we have come to associate so dearly with the series were actually founded in Metro 2033. It’s a really well-made game, and more people should give it a shot.

THE ORDER: 1886

There’s no denying that The Order: 1886 didn’t exactly do justice to its premise, but at the same time, this is the sort of premise that could really have come into its own if it had been given the chance to build on its foundation and learn from its mistakes. The 2015 title looked gorgeous and transported players to a vividly imaginative setting, and we would have loved to see that idea being expanded and built upon in a sequel that worked to address its predecessor’s issues.

Vanquish

Rocket sliding into cover and vaulting over in slow-mo to gun down foes never looked or felt as good as it did in Vanquish. But even at roughly six hours for the main campaign, it just simply ended following the battle with Bogey Alpha and Bravo. No final battle with Victor Zaitsev, who subsequently escapes and destroys Providence. Even US president Elizabeth Winters, who sought to destroy Moscow with Providence’s microwave transmitter, simply kills herself. At least Sam and Elena survived so that’s nice.

BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT

It seems fitting to kick off with one of the most maligned PC launches for a major game in recent memory. Batman: Arkham Knight – the game itself – has a few issues of its own that don’t sit well with a large number of people, but the game’s PC version in particular has become an infamous example of a poorly handled PC launch for a game. WB Games are no strangers to bad PC releases, but Arkham Knight in particular drew all the negative attention in the world for pretty much every reason possible.

Ninja Theory, developers of the upcoming hack and slash title Hellblade, have announced via Twitter that they have in fact been working on something else alongside their ongoing development. The Cambridge based developer has proven that they can do hack and slash games as well the best, if not better, with the absolutely fantastic DMC: Devil May Cry.

Speaking via twitter, Ninja Theory said, “#Hellblade development continues at full pace, but on Monday we have cool news to share on a different project.” This has naturally led to speculation over whether or not the newly announced development is a sequel to the criminally underrated Enslaved: Odyssey to the West that went unnoticed by most but found a massive dedicated following, making it one of the best examples of a sleeper hit.

In the mean time we can only sit on our hands and speculate. All good things are revealed due time.

[Source]

According to a listing on the Australian Classification Board that popped up earlier this week, a premium edition of Enslaved will soon be making its way to PC and PS3. Namco Bandai Games has confirmed that the re-release will indeed be making it’s way to PC and PS3.

Originally released in 2010 on PS3 and Xbox 360, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was generally well received by gamers. It is an action adventure platformed, based on the Chinese story, Journey To The West, by Wu Cheng’en, considered to be one of the four great classical novels of China. However, this game boasts some major differences from the novel.

While Journey to the West was set in ancient China, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West takes place in a bleak, post apocalyptic future following a world war. The main plot points are the same, however, centering on a character who requires the help and protection of a skilled warrior.

Stay tuned to Gamingbolt for the exact release of Enslaved: Premium Edition on PS3 and PC.

Splash Damage, developers of last year’s (disappointing) title Brink, have announced the hiring of Marc Fascia, who previously worked as the gameplay programmer at Ninja Theory for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

“We’re hugely impressed by Marc’s combination of insane technical ability and project management skills,” said studio boss Paul Wedgwood. “In particular its Marc’s obsession with fun gameplay and his personable nature that makes him the perfect person to lead our army of awesome programmers.”

“I’m really happy to be trusted with this incredible responsibility at Splash Damage,”  Fascia said. “We’re working on some great things, and managing such a big and talented programming team, across multiple varied and challenging projects, is a wonderful opportunity. I love multiplayer and Splash Damage suits my passion perfectly.”

[VG247]