Games you wish hadn't been canned

HangTime

HangTime

HangTime

Man of Honour
Joined
25 Oct 2002
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So then, we've all been there. You're flicking through your PC games mag of choice and stumble across a preview for a game in the works that really takes your fancy. Maybe a new game from a favourite developer, an offshoot based on a franchise you love, or just something that looks and sounds really cool. You do a bit more research into it, maybe online in modern years, and get more and more excited about the prospect.

But time slips by - in the words of Stan, "It's been six months and still no word". Then in a low key announcement buried somewhere in the depths of a forum or newssite, a bombshell is dropped. Your much-anticipated game is no more. Finito. Kaputt.

For me, X-Com: Alliance was one such game. Around 10 years ago it was previewed in PCZ, and looked very promising. It was basically an Unreal Engine powered FPS set in the X-COM universe, with lush graphics and squad-based combat. What made it stand out was that you had little windows showing the views of your teammate inset into your HUD... a bit like Space Hulk, allowing you to see what other squad members were up against. The teammates had a (supposedly, of course we'll never know) advanced AI which included emotional states depending on what happens. Preview from IGN here: http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/134/134159p1.html

So what games do wish would have seen the light of day?
 
UO2 !!!

Oh GOD, UO2 !!

IF only they hadnt cancelled that, then maybe MMORPGs would have taken a different route, instead of being the level based, grind orientated, no penalty for failing, mind numbing chore that they mostly are.
 
Tombstone said:
UO2 !!!

Oh GOD, UO2 !!

IF only they hadnt cancelled that, then maybe MMORPGs would have taken a different route, instead of being the level based, grind orientated, no penalty for failing, mind numbing chore that they mostly are.
Click to expand...

This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me gawd!
 
UO2
Dungeon Keeper 3 (I loved the first two)

Wing Commander - I would love to see a new wing Commander with modern graphics etc, I think the last one was out in about 95 with Privateer 2.
 
Star Trek The Secret Of Vulcan Fury (Interplay) 1997.

Cancelled after they had spent around $10M and only 39% of the game was finished so Interplay canned it to save even more money required to complete it. Would have come on 6 CD's (thats a lot of data for 1997). Game used a proprietory CGI engine which was very tricky to use so once the animators all got fired no way for anyone to complete it. Contained some amazing and well ahead of their time digital actors. Unlikely to ever be completed even though it is rumoured to have the 7 original series actors in their signature roles for the last time. Those sound tapes and whatever progress was made on the game still sits in an Interplay safe. If you look around the web there are several non playable demos as well as some CGI character test movies.
http://www.startrekgames.cz/sovf_screenshoty.html


Damocles (Novagen) 1995.

Cancelled when almost finished due to a marketing strategy change from Sony/Psygnosis. Unlikely to ever see the light of day and dated now anyway. Would have been a massive game at the time on the PC (already released on Amiga/Atari ST with FPS issues). http://mercenarysite.free.fr/mercframes.htm

Lot more info on this site about other PC games which never made it:
http://pcgtw.retro-net.de/
 
UO2

played UO for a while and looked forward to the sequel, read lots of previews in magazines with swanky screengrabs etc

then they binned it :(
 
Never give up hope though. Was gutted when Total Annihilation 2 was canned but it eventually was re-born in the shape of Supreme Commander.
 
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