Games that should make a comeback

A new Mechwarrior Game. NEED THIS!

Fragile Allegiance 2, that would rock.

I would say update Transport tycoon, but OpenTTDX is already doing this.
 
Have to say until I played Starwars Lego on the PS2 the other week with guidance from a six year old with too much time on his hands, it’s the first good Starwars game….the old ones were one dimensional drivel.
 
medley said:
Was that ever on the PC? I remember playing that loads at the arcade. It was so good! Throwing those grenades was fun
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It was ported to just about everything but they all sucked compared to the arcade version. Actually the genre has been done to death since Operation Wolf. A remake would be pretty pointless.
 
Awesome games of the past should not make a comeback.

They just are not as good and the series gets ruined, just like with films.
Like terminator 3, rambo 4 etc

A new golden axe game came out recently was a pile of ****!

EDIT: I would like a theme hospital remake though:)
 
medley said:
I think we'd all like to play a brand new mechwarrior game with insane graphics. Surely some development team knows theres a bit of a market out there with the previous games being pretty popular if I recall.
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Google Mechwarrior Living Legends. Its a complete conversion for crysis which is due to be released shortly.

medley said:
Did Molyneux come out in an interview and mention hes considering it? I can't remember now
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I really hope that he does remake it.
 
That's a fairly comprehensive list of classic games. I'd be happy to see any of them again. Blood 2 and Shogo were around at the same time and I have many happy memories of using the voodoo doll and sniping my friends. I would give my left nut to play a modern rendition of the AvP franchise.
 
Well I'd love to see Battlezone 2 make a come back. The game was never that popular due to the huge learning curve when playing online and the huge strain it put your machine under. To this day I have not found any game which combines action and stratagy so perfectly and can keep a player hooked for years. A game well before its time.
 
A new Dark Forces or Jedi Knight game featuring the awesome Kyle Katarn! Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight was my first 3D FPS game I played (Quake didn't come till after) and I loved that game. What made it better was the cheap tacky live-action cutscenes inbetween the levels and just the fact its part of the Expanded Universe of the Star Wars saga. Jedi Knight II was good, but Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy wasn't.

No One Lives Forever is another game I would love to see come back. Cate Archer was a decent character, and a lot more interesting than the typical boring no-name generic buffed up marine that is the staple of most FPS games these days. Such a shame this series was so underrated.

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division. I would love to see a sequal or a new game of sorts. And for it, I would prefer a co-production between a Western and Japanese developer. The Western side for the FPS technical stuff, and the Japanese side for the character/mecha design, graphics overall, maybe even cel-shading style for the true Anime look.
 
Carmaggedon
 Perhaps one of the most contraversial game franchises ever released, Stainless Games created this series back in 1997. The idea of combining racing with running over pedestrians was obviously made for adults with a very dark sense of humor but sales of the original were enough for the developer to create a number of follow-up titles.

Plans for a true next-gen Carmaggedon game from publisher Eidos (then known as SCi) were reportedly canceled in 2005. Still the market for adult game titles has grown since the original game's release (thanks GTA). While we know the mainstream media will not understand the humor a new Carmaggedon title could be successful if done correctly.


Clive Barker's Undying
 Perhaps one of the best games that never found an audience, this Electronic Arts developed and published first person horror game was released in 2001 and was truly a scary and well produced title, made with direct involvement of horror novelist Clive Barker.

In 2007 Barker returned to games with Clive Barker's Jericho, another first person action game that didn't come close to the quality of Undying. The original game is still thought of fondly and EA could do a lot worse if they considered a revival of the Undying franchise.


Command & Conquer: Renegade
 The Command & Conquer universe seemed rip for expansion into other game genres and in 2002 its owners EA made that move with Renegade, a first person shooter that also combined elements of RTS games (building of vehicles and structures, for example).

While reviews were good sales were not solid enough to get a sequel developed (although one was planned). Still Renegade has a cult following of fans to this day. EA did announce a new C&C tactical shooter Tiberium but it was cancelled several months after it was announced in 2008. Perhaps a revamped version of Renegade's gameplay will be more to EA's liking.


Crimson Skies
 Like Mechwarrior, Crimson Skies was a former FASA franchise that took place in an alternate 1930s where air travel is as common as car travel. Microsoft released the acclaimed PC game version in 2000 and was later revived in a Xbox exclusive game in 2003.

Both games received high praise but didn't really sell that well. However it's been a few years since the release of the Xbox game and with the right development team a new Crimson Skies PC flying action game could find a bigger audience.


Descent
 One of the first true 3D action games, Parallax Software's original Descent was released in 1995 via shareware by Interplay. It became a huge hit as players fought inside tunnels in their small one man craft against a ton of robots. A sequel was released in 1996. Unfortunately a third game (made by Outrage Software) bombed when it came out in 1999, perhaps because the third title tinkered with the Descent underground formula by going outside.

Like MDK the current Interplay has expressed interest in reviving Desecent but so far there's no word on any such new game. A fourth Descent title could be a big hit especially if they stick to what worked in the first two titles.


Freedom Fighters
 Before Io Interactive was bought out by Eidos the developer of the Hitman series created this alternate history game of a Soviet invasion of the US. The title combined action and RTS features to make a game that's still unique and well thought of by its fans, thanks in part to its well done squad based gameplay. Released in 2003 by Electronic Arts it remains one of the more interesting titles published by the company.

After Eidos bought Io Interactive it announced preliminary plans for a Freedom Fighters sequel. However nothing ever came of those plans. Perhaps one day Io Interactive will return to that setting for a second installment.


Full Throttle
 One of the best of LucasArts' adventure games (and that's saying something) this 1995 released 2D title from gamer god Tim Schafer featured a cartoony art style and a post-apocalyptic setting as you took on the role of square-jawed biker Ben. It was near perfect.

LucasArts had plans to do a follow-up game but after two attempts (only one of which was officially announced) LucasArts decided to get out of the adventure game business. With Telltale Games' successful Sam and Max revival perhaps they might be interested in taking on a new Full Throttle installment.


Hidden and Dangerous
 Long before the Brothers in Arms series, developer Illusion Softworks created their own WWII tactical shooter series with Hidden and Dangerous. The original game, released in 1999 by Take Two Interactive, had you controlling a squad of British SAS soldiers in various missions against the Nazis. The developer released a sequel, with a highly improved graphical engine, in 2003.

Illusion Softworks has since been bought by Take Two's 2K Games branch and officially renamed as 2K Czech. While the company has been developing its open world action game Mafia II for some time we think their next project should return to the Hidden and Dangerous series. The WWII shooter franchise shows no signs of losing its popularity.


Jade Empire
 After creating games based on Dungeons and Dragons and Star Wars properties, BioWare finally came out with an original property all its own in 2004. That's when it released the Xbox version of Jade Empire, a solid mix of action and RPG set in an Asian-themed fantasy world.

Released with new content for the PC in 2006, Jade Empire didn't get as much acclaim as other BioWare titles at first but it has grown a fan following with many asking if BioWare will make a sequel. We hope BioWare returns to this one after Dragon Age: Origins is released.


Leisure Suit Larry
 It's one of the most popular, one of the most adult, and one of the funniest PC game franchises of all time. Al Lowe's adventure game creation of a man just looking to score some chicks spawn a number of best selling PC games beginning in the 1980s and ending in 1996. In 2004 Vivendi Games attempted to create a Leisure Suit Larry game without Lowe's support. The result, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum, wasn't successful (even with a AO-rated version that was released only via direct download).

Before being bought by Activision Blizzard, Vivendi was working on yet another revival but the status of that game now is apparently in limbo. But even that version was created with no support from Lowe. If the series is going to continue we think Al Lowe should rightfully return to lead the team.


Master of Orion
 Created and published first in 1993 by Microprose, the original Master of Orion was one of the best space strategy games ever made, and its sequel developed by by SimTex got equally good reviews in 1996. However, the Master of Orion franchise was then bought by Infogrames and in 2003 a long awaited third game in the series, developed by Quicksilver Software, got most poor reviews.

Since then other space strategy games like Galactic Civilizations and its sequel, Sins of a Solar Empire and Sword of the Stars have come in to improve the space strategy genre. But the original Master of Orion still has a big place in gamer's hearts and perhaps someday a fourth title will be released.


MDK
 One of the creations of the wild-and-wacky days of Shiny Entertaiment, this third person action game was released in 1997 and at the time was considered one of the most graphically intensive PC games released (full 3D and requiring a Pentium processor to run correctly). MDK's fast action and wild art style was a hit. In 2000 a sequel was released that was developed, believe it or not, by BioWare.

MDK's owner Interplay has expressed interest in reviving the game. However, the company's current financial state could mean we could be waiting a long time before such a new game is actually in the works, much less released. If they could get Shiny's former head man Dave Perry to lead the game's development it could be worth waiting for.


Mechwarrior
 It has a rather confusing history with several developers and publishers but the Mechwarrior series of mech action-sim games (based on the BattleTech franchised created by FASA) still remains a favorite of PC gamers. Activision published the first two games in the series with the very first one released in 1989 by Tribes creators Dynamix. Mechwarrior 3 was released in 1995 from Microprose and developed by Zipper Interactive before Microsoft bought FASA and published the final Mechwarrior game in 2002 (with some stand alone expansions made by Cyberlore)

Microsoft decided to sell off the interactive rights to the FASA properties, including Mechwarrior, to a company called Smith & Tinker in 2007 (co-founded by FASA creator Jordan Wisemen). Since then there's been no word on the company's plans for the franchise. But who among us doesn't want to see a new next-gen Mechwarrior PC game in our hard drives? We think it would sell like hot cakes


Oddworld
 The development team at Oddworld Inhabitants, led by Lorne Lanning, created a series of very unique and humorous action games in the 1990's set in a strange and colorful mix of fantasy and sci-fi. The series began with Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee in 1997 and continued with Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus in 1998 (both published by GT Interactive).

However, Oddworld Inhabitants decided to go Xbox only for the series's next two installments (Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee and Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath) and in 2005 the company announced it was taking a break from game development. Recently Lanning has expressed interest in returning to making games. Let's hope that when he does he abandoned the console-only format and brings his next creation to the PC as well.


NASCAR Racing
 We are not talking about those console games that EA is now releasing. We are talking about the original and excellent racing sim series developed by Papyrus Design Group and published by Sierra. The game series began in 1994 and went through several incarnations before EA bought the rights to the NASCAR license in 2004.

Since then some of Papyrus' founders have launched iRacing, an online racing sim series. However we know that NASCAR fans would love to see a proper PC racing sim experience return to the PC. Perhaps EA could call on iRacing to do just that.


Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
 One of the first games made under Sid Meier's Firaxis Games studio, the 1999 sci-fi strategy game was designed primarily by Brian Reynolds who later left Firaxis to form Big Huge Games (creators of the Rise of Nations series). The game which saw humanity attempting to colonize an alien planet, is more or less a sequel to Civilization II.

Published by Electronic Arts the game received tons of praise from critics and spawned an expansion pack but with Firaxis' purchase by 2k Games the Alpha Centauri franchise now is owned by EA. Could EA make a new game in the series without Meier's or Reynolds' input? Or maybe 2K Games can purchase the Alpha Centauri IP from EA? Time will tell.


System Shock
Yet another game franchise created by Looking Glass, this sci-fi action-RPG was released in 1994 by EA's Origin branch. The gameplay, combined with a storyline about an AI gone bad, didn't sell well but got solid reviews. A sequel, System Shock 2, was released in 1999 and was made primarily by Irrational Games (their first major game project). It got even better reviews but again failed to achieve sales success.

Irrational Games was later bought by 2K Games and made their System Shock "spiritual successor" BioShock. Rumors still persist that EA wants to revive System Shock at some point. If the publisher does decide to move on that idea they will have to get some major development talent involved since the forces behind the first two games are now working for other companies.


The Journeyman Project
 Developer Presto Studios introduced us to this sci-fi time traveling adventure game series in 1992 and then released two more sequels in 1995 (which brought in live action cut-scenes and historical time lines) and in 1998 (one of the first games to be released on DVD).

Presto Studios was reportedly working on a fourth entry in the series before its shut down in 2002. Still the idea of a time travel themed adventure game is appealing and perhaps the franchise could be revived at some point as a true 3D adventure game title.


Thief
 Looking Glass Studios created the "sneaker shooter" genre with this medivel fantasy game franchise. The first Thief game was released in 1998 and gave us our first look at Garrett, an assassin and, well, thief who depended on keeping himself unseen to his foes. A sequel was released in 2000 which also turned out to be the last game for Loooking Glass.

In 2004 Thief Deadly Shadows was released via developer Ion Storm Austin (where many former Looking Glass members had moved to). Once again the game was praised for its mix of action and stealth. Since then Eidos has not expressed an interest in going back to the Thief franchise but if they can return to Deus Ex there's no reason why Garrett can't sneak into the shadows once again for a fourth installment.


Tribes
 In a time period where most first person shooters were in dark corridors, the release of the original Starsiege: Tribes by the now defunct Dynamix in late 1998 brought a whole new percepective to the genre. It was a multiplayer oriented game with upgradable weapons and items and vast outdoor levels that could hold as many as 128 players. Tribes became a cult hit and got a follow-up in 2001 with Tribes 2, which had several additional features but didn't become as popular.

In 2004, Irrational Games released Tribes: Vengeance which tried to turn the game into a more single player title. While the game was well made its publisher Vivendi Games cut support of the title (refusing to even release a major patch that Irrational had created) only a few months after its release.

While fans of the first two games in the series have kept the fan alive by offering multiplayer servers a full scale Tribes revival would likely be appreciated. With Vivendi's properties now owned by Activision Blizzard perhaps they might be interested in looking into a true multiplayer successor to the tribes series.
 
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