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[sn00zer]

Don't see an official video anywhere, but there was some gameplay in the conference pre show

OFFICIAL TRAILER
GAMEPLAY 1
GAMEPLAY 2

Screens from thesixthaxis

 

[Yoshichan]

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/SOTB_PS4_PreBeta_01_1445975715-1024x576.png

This is the one image that got me really excited. The rest was just meh. Also, where is this fucker?

This boss literally gave me nightmares as a kid

 

[sn00zer]

Trailer

 

[Stike]

The design is nuts. Looks just like a proper remake should look. They NAILED IT!

God, I am so happy. Not watching the videos, I think it's blackout time now for me :-D

 

[pislit]

Hoping that those flashing red screens can be toggled off.

 

[UncleSporky]

While I have a lot of respect for the original Shadow of the Beast series and its impact, I also recognize it as being incredibly flawed. A shining example of terrible game design (particularly in the second and third entries).

If you do this specific thing, you're screwed and can't win the game. If you DON'T do this specific thing, same situation. Stuff like, a one-time use item, that you can find exactly one of, and you lose if you use it in the wrong place. This repeats countless times across the games. No warnings, no clues, just dumb luck or trial and error...and this on top of brutally difficult gameplay.

I consider it one of the early shining examples of a priority on graphics over game design (being one of the first games with such a rich parallax effect).

I expect this new game will adhere to more modern game design principles.

 

[@MUWANdo]

While I have a lot of respect for the original Shadow of the Beast series and its impact, I also recognize it as being incredibly flawed. A shining example of terrible game design (particularly in the second and third entries).

If you do this specific thing, you're screwed and can't win the game. If you DON'T do this specific thing, same situation. Stuff like, a one-time use item, that you can find exactly one of, and you lose if you use it in the wrong place. This repeats countless times across the games. No warnings, no clues, just dumb luck or trial and error...and this on top of brutally difficult gameplay.

I consider it one of the early shining examples of a priority on graphics over game design (being one of the first games with such a rich parallax effect).

I expect this new game will adhere to more modern game design principles.

Euro_Computer_Game.txt

 

[Stike]

While I have a lot of respect for the original Shadow of the Beast series and its impact, I also recognize it as being incredibly flawed. A shining example of terrible game design (particularly in the second and third entries).

lolwat.
The game design has improved in each iteration. The game went from simple hack&slay to a proper action adventure with very clever puzzles. Sorry, this is simply false.

If you do this specific thing, you're screwed and can't win the game. If you DON'T do this specific thing, same situation. Stuff like, a one-time use item, that you can find exactly one of, and you lose if you use it in the wrong place. This repeats countless times across the games. No warnings, no clues, just dumb luck or trial and error...and this on top of brutally difficult gameplay.

Welcome to my childhood. Git gud.

I consider it one of the early shining examples of a priority on graphics over game design (being one of the first games with such a rich parallax effect).

That's what the first game was panned for in reviews, but it still managed to create a cult following due to its dense atmosphere, great visuals and iconic soundtrack. Gameplay was barebones, but it got the job done.

I expect this new game will adhere to more modern game design principles.

Check out the various interviews and gameplay videos that are already out. I bet you can comment on the new gameplay elements already.

 

[UncleSporky]

Oh, this is what I was looking for...longplay of the second game with text commentary. It's pretty nuts, the things that are demanded of the player. One minute into gameplay and there are already three instances of "must do this, or the game is rendered impossible." And one instance of knowing the exact specific word to type in when talking to an NPC to learn how not to die later.

 

[jett]

I'm unsure about this game. Visually it looks nice enough, but I feel like the action isn't snappy enough.

 

[AgentOtaku]

Why is no one hyped about this?

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

Why is no one hyped about this?

Shadow of the Beast was always fairly niche, so the potential attention a revamp could receive is already at a minimum. Makes me wonder if the game would have a little more hype had it been announced closer to release, as it feels the original announcement was quite awhile ago.

Regardless, I'm excited to check it out. Been waiting for a new entry for decades.

 

[TheSpoiler]

lolwat.
The game design has improved in each iteration. The game went from simple hack&slay to a proper action adventure with very clever puzzles. Sorry, this is simply false.


Welcome to my childhood. Git gud.


That's what the first game was panned for in reviews, but it still managed to create a cult following due to its dense atmosphere, great visuals and iconic soundtrack. Gameplay was barebones, but it got the job done.


Check out the various interviews and gameplay videos that are already out. I bet you can comment on the new gameplay elements already.

I'm sorry your childhood was rife with bullshit. "Git gud" isn't the best defense for a game that requires you to do things without error or else you are forced to restart.

 

[@MUWANdo]

Why is no one hyped about this?

I don't know if they announced it too early or if the game secretly sucks and they're trying to hide it but Sony has done a terrible job promoting this game--every now and again they'll throw out an "oh yeah, Shadow of the Beast" addendum to some press event and then it disappears for another few months without a whisper.

 

[ChosenPredator]

forgot about this game but originally it had me curious when i saw the cg trailer

 

[CLEEK]

Re: git gud.

The first Shadow of the Beast was a visual and aural treat, but the actual game was remedial as fuck. I couldn't believe it the first time I played it, thinking "is this it?". No amount of parallax scrolling could make the core game compelling.

If memory servers, the game had an invincibility cheat mode (I also had an Action Replay cart for my Amiga, so I could have used that). That was the only way I saw the game to the end and got to experience all the stages and music.

 

[Enk]

Why is no one hyped about this?

I would be hyped as I have played a hell of a lot of Shadow of the Beast back in the day, but the gameplay progression shown in every video I've seen has been hitting the "bad game design" cord in my brain.

I really despise when side scrolling action games, especially ones based off of existing franchises that didn't have this, constantly barricade you in a room and have you beat a swarm of enemies to progress. This becomes increasingly more annoying than fun and it's all I'm seeing in the gameplay. It's a shame too as that new trailer visually is evoking Shadow of the Beast, but that sense of running across a vast, wild land while quickly fighting off a variety of weird monster designs isn't to be seen.

 

[Dreamwriter]

That zoom in while slashing enemies is horrible, hopefully you can turn that off. I couldn't even really tell what was going on, the camera kept jumping for some reason.

 

[i-Jest]

I remember seeing what I think was a trailer for this maybe a year or two ago. Just fell off the map. No word or anything. Glad to see it's still alive.

 

[Zaptruder]

About as needed as Dragon's Lair the 70 million dollar animated movie.

 

[Godcannon]

I'm pretty excited about this. After watching some interviews to get a better sense of the gameplay depth, I do like how they stated that every level is designed to bring a different experience. Im hoping it's balanced enough so that it doesnt feel like left right punch the entire time. I also really like the visual aesthetics, and can't wait to explore all the different gorgous levels. That combat though.....could really use some tweaking.

 

[Phat Michael]

OK the game looks nice - but i remember shadow of the beast being a lot better than this...or maybe its nostalgia.

- the red screens suck
- the combat looks boring.
- the game design looks boring as well
- is this a $20 game or a full blown $60 release?

I used to have this on my Amiga 500 and i remember the music was so awesome - this looks like a really bad version of the old game.

 

[see5harp]

Oh, this is what I was looking for...longplay of the second game with text commentary. It's pretty nuts, the things that are demanded of the player. One minute into gameplay and there are already three instances of "must do this, or the game is rendered impossible." And one instance of knowing the exact specific word to type in when talking to an NPC to learn how not to die later.

Man i forgot how terrible that game was. Music still super cool though.

 

[michalmarek77]

Don't see an official video anywhere, but there was some gameplay in the conference pre show

I'm sold.
Day 1

 

[c0de]

I'm sold.
Day 1

I don't like the new colors,tbh. They look modern but miss the feeling the old one created.
Sotb always was special in the atmosphere it created. The atmosphere depended on the graphics and especially art and colors, the absolutely amazing soundtrack which I still listen to on Youtube sometimes and the game itself. Yes, it had flaws for sure and it was a bit trial and error but not excessive as Another World.
It was creepy in a way that the game was quite hard so you were always in danger to die and this combined with the graphics and sound design transported people into a mysterious world where you don't know what's going on. The setting itself was, at least to me, extremely playing with my fantasy. I always wanted to know where I actually am and wanted to know about this world.
Given, I was a kid back then and perhaps it is just unfair to assume the new one could even remotely give that feeling back but from what I see, they are not even really trying.

 

[leroidys]

Full disclosure, I have 0 nostalgia for this series, but this looks pretty bad IMHO.

 

[Mdk7]

I played it at E3, it was fun!

 

[Augemitbutter]

i like the visual style. i just hope the gameplay can keep up.

 

[Bishop89]

for some reason i had thought the whole game was going to be set in that desert wasteland like the reveal gameplay, but seeing these new locales, is back on my radar

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Loving the look of the grasslands - really strongly reminiscent of the original. Still not keen on all the blood, but aesthetically they certainly seem to be doing a really great job.

 

[Stike]

I'm sorry your childhood was rife with bullshit. "Git gud" isn't the best defense for a game that requires you to do things without error or else you are forced to restart.

Zak McKracken anyone?

 

[SpokkX]

I just want to hear som music
Hope it sounds like the original

 

[Stike]

for some reason i had thought the whole game was going to be set in that desert wasteland like the reveal gameplay, but seeing these new locales, is back on my radar

The director said they are making each level totally different from the previous one, they want to preserve the surprises the original had.

 

[Generic Power Ranger]

Looks really good. Gameplay looks very engaging and like you're actually interacting with the enemies physical bodies, which is rare.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

That zoom in while slashing enemies is horrible, hopefully you can turn that off. I couldn't even really tell what was going on, the camera kept jumping for some reason.

I'm disappointed this is still in. It was annoying in the first gameplay footage and it's the same here too.

They need to get rid of it or at least allow players to disable it.

 

[c0de]

After watching the gameplay videos, this is nothing compared to the original. Combos? Points? Multipliers? Sure, all the immersion breaking stuff of being in a distand world. Thanks for trying.

 

[Fasty]

After watching the gameplay videos, this is nothing compared to the original. Combos? Points? Multipliers? Sure, all the immersion breaking stuff of being in a distand world. Thanks for trying.

Have to agree. The originals were more metroidvanias than beat-em-ups, about exploring and being immersed in an amazing fantasy world and solving puzzles. It looks like they've really decided to focus on the combat, which was actually the weakest part of the original games. It pains me to say but this reboot looks super boring and not a patch on what made the originals special.

 

[8-Bit Sunset]

I just want to hear som music
Hope it sounds like the original

This so hard.
The first time I heard the music on my Amiga 500 was unbelievable.
Timeless music!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bgm-9yLsLo
Damn! This is already 16 years old!

 

[michalmarek77]

Have to agree. The originals were more metroidvanias than beat-em-ups, about exploring and being immersed in an amazing fantasy world and solving puzzles. It looks like they've really decided to focus on the combat, which was actually the weakest part of the original games. It pains me to say but this reboot looks super boring and not a patch on what made the originals special.

First of all - SotB 1 i 2 were TERRIBLE games. First one was a technical masterpiece but as gameplay goes - terrible, bland mix of mindless punch'n'run mostly. Boring as fuck but its art and sound design was superb. Second part was a one of the biggest clusterfuck on Amiga/ST gaming scene - this game was just BAD. Third one was okay but also completely different of its predecessors.
Remake is a spiritual successor of the first part, not a remaster/remake per se. I think they nail'd it. Design really shows inspiration from the original, gameplay wise it looks like it will be an energetic slasher in 2,5D. As SOTB always should be. Anyway, i really don't know why "metroidvania" as any of previous games has nothing to do with that (maybe third part in like 1%)

Despite its flaws original SOTB will always be among my most important games, so no matter what i just can't wait for this any longer

 

[Triggerhappytel]

I remember seeing what I think was a trailer for this maybe a year or two ago. Just fell off the map. No word or anything. Glad to see it's still alive.

They clearly showed this way too early - wasn't it two years ago when we first saw that CGI trailer?

- is this a $20 game or a full blown $60 release?

I'll be surprised if this isn't a cheaper digital release.

I'm disappointed this is still in. It was annoying in the first gameplay footage and it's the same here too.

They need to get rid of it or at least allow players to disable it.

I'd like to be able to switch off this and the blood.

Have to agree. The originals were more metroidvanias than beat-em-ups, about exploring and being immersed in an amazing fantasy world and solving puzzles. It looks like they've really decided to focus on the combat, which was actually the weakest part of the original games. It pains me to say but this reboot looks super boring and not a patch on what made the originals special.

But if the combat was the weakest aspect of the originals, maybe it's a good thing that they're focusing on it for this reboot? I just hope the exploration is still in there, preferably with some environmental puzzling a la Metroid. The original two Beast games were a bit too simple in their design to be called Metroidvanias IMO.

This so hard.
The first time I heard the music on my Amiga 500 was unbelievable.
Timeless music!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bgm-9yLsLo
Damn! This is already 16 years old!

Amazing music, but 16 years old - don't you mean 26 years old? I know they have a different composer for this one, but hopefully they have some throwbacks to the original's soundtrack.

 

[pottuvoi]

That zoom in while slashing enemies is horrible, hopefully you can turn that off. I couldn't even really tell what was going on, the camera kept jumping for some reason.

+1

Button presses would be ok without the horrid zoom and flashes, really distracts from the experience.

 

[ShogunDarius]

They clearly showed this way too early - wasn't it two years ago when we first saw that CGI trailer?



I'll be surprised if this isn't a cheaper digital release.



I'd like to be able to switch off this and the blood.



But if the combat was the weakest aspect of the originals, maybe it's a good thing that they're focusing on it for this reboot? I just hope the exploration is still in there, preferably with some environmental puzzling a la Metroid. The original two Beast games were a bit too simple in their design to be called Metroidvanias IMO.



Amazing music, but 16 years old - don't you mean 26 years old? I know they have a different composer for this one, but hopefully they have some throwbacks to the original's soundtrack.

game is up for pre-order on EU PSN, it's £15.99, RD 27/1/2016

 

[c0de]

First of all - SotB 1 i 2 were TERRIBLE games. First one was a technical masterpiece but as gameplay goes - terrible, bland mix of mindless punch'n'run mostly. Boring as fuck but its art and sound design was superb. Second part was a one of the biggest clusterfuck on Amiga/ST gaming scene - this game was just BAD. Third one was okay but also completely different of its predecessors.
Remake is a spiritual successor of the first part, not a remaster/remake per se. I think they nail'd it. Design really shows inspiration from the original, gameplay wise it looks like it will be an energetic slasher in 2,5D. As SOTB always should be. Anyway, i really don't know why "metroidvania" as any of previous games has nothing to do with that (maybe third part in like 1%)

Despite its flaws original SOTB will always be among my most important games, so no matter what i just can't wait for this any longer

I don't think sotb 1 was terrible, it was just incredibly hard because of game mechanics but it could be mastered, like many games that were released at that time.
The remake does nothing right that the first one made special in any way. This game does everything to not replicate the atmosphere and immersion sotb1 had (and still has). The gameplay looks like a 2.5d God of War or Ryse and this has nothing to do with sotb1. As I said, it's a modern game which copies the name of sotb and fails in trying to make a spiritual successor by adding scores, multipliers and making it a button mashing game instead of a game that let's you explore a mysterious world.

 

[eFKac]

Looks fantastic, they really nailed the look. Really, really excited for this and so happy it launches in January.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

game is up for pre-order on EU PSN, it's £15.99, RD 27/1/2016

Good stuff; that's about the price I expected. Hope we get lots more information over the next three months.

 

[Sidewinder]

1st screenshot is gorgeous.

 

[2+2=5]

I'm sold.
Day 1

Me too lol, also giant hands from the grounds!

I hope for flying eyesballs too!

I don't like the new colors,tbh. They look modern but miss the feeling the old one created.
Sotb always was special in the atmosphere it created. The atmosphere depended on the graphics and especially art and colors, the absolutely amazing soundtrack which I still listen to on Youtube sometimes and the game itself. Yes, it had flaws for sure and it was a bit trial and error but not excessive as Another World.
It was creepy in a way that the game was quite hard so you were always in danger to die and this combined with the graphics and sound design transported people into a mysterious world where you don't know what's going on. The setting itself was, at least to me, extremely playing with my fantasy. I always wanted to know where I actually am and wanted to know about this world.
Given, I was a kid back then and perhaps it is just unfair to assume the new one could even remotely give that feeling back but from what I see, they are not even really trying.

I agree with you too, but this is the closest we can get i guess, the harmony between colors, artstyle, music and atmosphere is still incomparable.
Just to make people understand what we are talking about here a comparison between the gazillion versions, when you will arrive to the amiga version you will understand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3b4h-MUjGo

This so hard.
The first time I heard the music on my Amiga 500 was unbelievable.
Timeless music!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bgm-9yLsLo
Damn! This is already 16 years old!

My favorite is the "to the castle" track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8e71RoObJU
Man it still gives me shivers, awesome.

EDIT:
i put wrong videos, now they are correct.

 

[KORNdoggy]

the more i see the less bad it looks. it's art at announcement made it seem like some side scrolling god of war. these new screens make me hopeful it's a true SotB game after all. they've really nailed the weird aesthetic of the original game.

 

[zweifuss]

for some reason i had thought the whole game was going to be set in that desert wasteland like the reveal gameplay, but seeing these new locales, is back on my radar

I just want to hear som music
Hope it sounds like the original

Yes please. Besides the haunting atmosphere this was one of the most redeeming qualities of this game! I have maybe 2 or 3 remixes of the entire soundtrack and I listen to it frequently.

 

[Guymelef]

This actually looks better than before, the worst thing is that parts where you simply kill hordes coming from left and right.