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[dark10x]

While I'm thrilled with the prospect of "another" Flashback... From the studio that brought you AMY.

Right...but did you know that Paul Cuisset, the head of Amy creator VectorCell, was the lead designer for Delphine and the creator of Flashback?

Maybe he's lost it?

Let's be honest, though, Flashback never played particularly well. It was a clunky game that prioritized animation over response. It was incredible for the time but it had issues. Fade to Black, then, was one of the clunkiest 3D action games released in the 90s and he worked on that as well.

 

[SovanJedi]

Hmmm... I wouldn't say the newer version looks BAD, but it's really generic and looks like a lot of other 2.5D games. Flashback had an intriguing, calculated artstyle to it, full of angles and sci-fi and a distinct colour palette, and it made everything look incredibly alien. This new version has almost none of that. The background, for example. In the original it was large coloured silhouettes of background scenery and it helped emphasise the scale and depth to the background. Here it's just a mess of blurry foliage.

Hopefully the gameplay is retained. I'll keep an eye on this one regardless since it's the original bloke working on it too, and the old Flashback was a really good game.

 

[Neuromancer]

Without the signature look and animation is this remake something people really want?

I played it a long time ago and have no idea if it was actually a really good game or just a really cool looking/feeling game. In other words, how much did the style and animation contribute to people's enjoyment?

This game was the total package. I loved the story, going to the different locations/planets, the combat was great and the music was excellent. The style and animation were just icing on the cake.

This remake though... I don't know about this. Looks like the Earthworm Jim HD remake in that its too different and weird. I'll try it when it comes out but I'm very concerned.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

lol, they changed the graphic style....which was the reason I bought the game 20 years ago.

Ubi suck with these remakes. Prince of Persia and Turtles in Time both sucked.

 

[Rygar 8 Bit]

wow that looks hot

 

[Sectus]

It's nice to see some of the original developers are behind this too, but I'm not having high hopes at all. That screenshot implies the gameplay is not gonna be very similar, and the primary thing I want from a Flashback game is the gameplay from Flashback.

Really? From what I'm seeing, they did an excellent job translating that first area into 3D. The wooden platforms, the shape of the leaves, the winding trees, the hanging vines etc. It's all there.

I think he's talking more about the visual style than setting. My first impression when seeing the screenshot was "Shadow Complex", not "Flashback", despite remembering Flashback very well.

 

[bede-x]

They should have kept the style of the original game, similar to how they did in Another World HD

Yep, the original looked distinctive, whereas this looks more generic. Hopefully it'll look better in other screens and when moving.

I'm actually going through the Jaguar, 3do and CD-i versions these days and it's still a stunning looking game and unlike Another World, it doesn't frustrate to the same extent with scripting memorization, though there are a few unfair places.

 

[HueyFreeman]

At least I managed to survive more than two screens in Flashback.

Sir, your work ethic is lacking. Subsequent levels in Flashback were completely different from the opener - different play styles, lots of character character interaction, incredible story, and a wonderful world design.

They were both games that definitely required patience but were extremely rewarding. They stand together as my two favorite games of the 16 bit era, and probably tied in my top 5 of all time (as per my avatar).

btw, i always thought flasback>>>> another world. The sequel was Fade to black wasn't it? was it any good ?

Flashback and Another World were really different beasts, tempting as it was to compare them - they really only had sidescrolling and rotoscoping in common.

Fade to Black was a steaming turd. It was just much too soon for a 3D re-imagining of the series, they'd do a much more interesting job now.

Let's be honest, though, Flashback never played particularly well. It was a clunky game that prioritized animation over response. It was incredible for the time but it had issues. Fade to Black, then, was one of the clunkiest 3D action games released in the 90s and he worked on that as well.

I think you're confusing being "honest" with being incorrect. Flashback still plays brilliantly - I do regular replays over the years - it's just slow and requires patience.

 

[Wonko_C]

I've always confused this with Blackthorne for some reason, even though I've never played both of them and only saw them in magazines back in the 90's. I'll give this remake a shot when it's out.

 

[jacob armitage]

I've always confused this with Blackthorne for some reason, even though I've never played both of them and only saw them in magazines back in the 90's. I'll give this remake a shot when it's out.

Blackthorne is worth a playthrough as well if you're ever given the chance. The 32x version if really quite interesting compared to the SNES.

But wow at this news, i'm really pleasantly surprised.

 

[revolverjgw]

Looks OK to me. Not as cool as the original, but the way people are complaining you'd think this is another Turtles in Time Reshelled. This might be worth playing.

 

[MickeyPhree]

this honestly made my whole day. i must have rented this game six times and could never beat it.

 

[twinturbo2]

vectorcell is the studio responsible for the fucking disaster known as AMY right?

Yeah. Don't confuse them with Vector Unit, the folks behind Hydro Thunder Hurricane.

 

[dark10x]

Yeah. Don't confuse them with Vector Unit, the folks behind Hydro Thunder Hurricane.

Like I said above, Vector Cell is the studio created by the ORIGINAL creator of Flashback.

I think you're confusing being "honest" with being incorrect. Flashback still plays brilliantly - I do regular replays over the years - it's just slow and requires patience.

So do I. I think it could be improved greatly.

 

[Ocaso]

Part of the reason I remember this game so fondly is because of how amazingly cinematic it was. As a Genesis owner seeing 3D rendering on the system was mind-blowing at the time and it's stil one of the console's best-looking games. A remake no longer has that "wow" factor going for it, and like others I'm not sure the graphical style shown in that screenshot really captures the spirit of the original. I'd still be intrigued by it and willing to play it, but it's not exactly what I'd imagined a remake would look like.

 

[Gustav]

Fuck ye....

...and I'm out.

 

[bede-x]

Blackthorne is worth a playthrough as well if you're ever given the chance. The 32x version if really quite interesting compared to the SNES.

I think it looks worse than the SNES/PC versions. The rendered sprites in particular is a sore point. Not that the game is as good or as interesting as Flasckack, due to its lack of variety, but it's worth checking out for fans of the genre. Shame the PC version isn't available digitally.

 

[mrplaid]

I totally remember shooting that door at the end. Fuck that door.

Also, the game was neat at the time. I remember going back to play it within the past couple of years and realizing that it didn't hold up too well. Glad they're going back to revamp some stuff.

 

[Davey Cakes]

I have not played through Flashback. That said, I also have never really liked these 2.5D re-imagining type games.

While I could at least appreciate Flashback for its style, this just looks kind of bland in comparison. Maybe I need to see more but the graphical change sort of removes the charm.

 

[Haunted]

Grid based movement still intact?

Even with their quirks, Another World and Flashback both were fantastic for their time. Chahi :bow Delphine :bow


This franchise is old enough to get an update for younger people. The 3D game they tried was terrible, keeping it 2D (gameplay) is smart.

 

[Currygan]

aaargh no

sorry, no. Flashback's original graphics are so atmospheric, and cemented in my memory no HD remake would convince me it's better than the old style


And it also looks horrendous

 

[Haunted]

aaargh no

sorry, no. Flashback's original graphics are so atmospheric, and cemented in my memory no HD remake would convince me it's better than the old style


And it also looks horrendous

It doesn't need to be better.

The Rocket Knight Adventure game was pretty good, even though no comparison to the original. This is not overwriting your memories of the old game.

 

[Currygan]

It doesn't need to be better.

The Rocket Knight Adventure game was pretty good, even though no comparison to the original. This is not overwriting your memories of the old game.

but I find the new style horrendous. Same way i couldn't digest the Monkey Island remakes...that atmosphere is just gone

 

[Haunted]

Also, if people want to play an HD version of Flashback with the gameplay intact (but new level design), you can always get Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken. That thing is faithful to Flashback's grid based movement to a fault - including the ridiculous roll length and everything. :lol

but I find the new style horrendous. Same way i couldn't digest the Monkey Island remakes...that atmosphere is just gone

Fair enough. If you don't like the style, there's probably not a lot here for you to like.

I'm a big fan of pixel art as well, but I thought the environments in the MI updates were gorgeous (characters are another matter >_>).

 

[metsallica]

Right...but did you know that Paul Cuisset, the head of Amy creator VectorCell, was the lead designer for Delphine and the creator of Flashback?

Maybe he's lost it?

Let's be honest, though, Flashback never played particularly well. It was a clunky game that prioritized animation over response. It was incredible for the time but it had issues. Fade to Black, then, was one of the clunkiest 3D action games released in the 90s and he worked on that as well.

I certainly did know that, which is why I bought AMY despite the reviews and almost sight unseen. My rose-colored love of Flashback will likely force me to buy this in a similar manner (sigh... maybe) but I'll probably grouse a bit.

 

[Acquiescence]

Played Flashback on the SNES so much when it came out. It was a technical marvel back then and really impressed on a visual level. Hard as all hell though. I'd be up for getting this remake as long as it doesn't take too many liberties with the original's vision.

 

[SapientWolf]

aaargh no

sorry, no. Flashback's original graphics are so atmospheric, and cemented in my memory no HD remake would convince me it's better than the old style


And it also looks horrendous

I think that's nostalgia. No one was asking for Shadow Complex to be more pixelated.

 

[Red Chocobo]

As a massive fan of the original on the Amiga, I thought this news would get me excited....

But that screenshot looks so bad All the charm of the original has been sucked out.

 

[galvatron]

YES!

*Looks at screenshot*

It looks like they removed everything that made the graphics stylish, it almost looks like a 2.5D Uncharted platformer now.

.

I think that's nostalgia. No one was asking for Shadow Complex to be more pixelated.

Not so much for me. I was expecting some "A Scanner Darkly"-level high-res rotoscoping.

 

[Disorientator]

Loved the old DOS game.
I'll watch this closely.

+1

 

[I speel my dreenk]

Interesting... I'll play this.

Now then, off to play the original.

 

[FGMPR]

oh fuuuuck. What an awesome surprise!!

Flashback was one of the most atmospheric games of the 90's, and one of the first foray's into cinematic storytelling via real-time cut-scenes. Day 1.

edit: uh crap, just saw what they are going for and I'm not liking the look of that at all. I hope it looks better in motion...

 

[Lord Error]

The game was so good for the first hour or so while you're in the jungle. Then it got plain and boring

 

[Andrew.]

Favorite level was Earth and playing the game show in order to win tickets. As a kid, it always reminded me of The Running Man. Also, taking the sub trains in Level 2 and doing all those odd jobs was fun as hell too.

For the first hour Lord Error? Sheeeit it got to a point when I was 11 or 12 where I could beat the entire game in an hour.

 

[bbdude]

The hell is with that convoluted, faux-Halo HUD thing in the corner...

 

[Lord Error]

GEven with their quirks, Another World and Flashback both were fantastic for their time. Chahi :bow Delphine :bow

Chahi had no involvement with Flashback.

For the first hour Lord Error? Sheeeit it got a point when I was 11 or 12 where I could beat the entire game in an hour.

Haha, I knew someone was going to say this. It took about an hour first time I was playing it though.

 

[Boney]

looks weird..

 

[Sinatar]

At least take the glowing blue shit off the dudes jacket. He really doesn't need to be "sci-fied" up.

 

[Shrike_Priest]

Damnit.

I was ecstatic when I saw the post, but then I saw they made it 3D…

Flashback had amazing animation, and is a no-brainer for a high res 2D remake. But why make it 3d?

 

[SapientWolf]

Not so much for me. I was expecting some "A Scanner Darkly"-level high-res rotoscoping.

Only the animation was rotoscoped in the original. The game itself was hand drawn. A modern game using similar techniques would look more like Street Fighter 3 than A Scanner Darkly.

The new devs/publisher had to ask themselves if they were going to recreate the look in 3D 1:1 or re-imagine what it would look like with modern graphical techniques and they chose the latter. Bionic Commando did a similar thing. It makes sense. Flashback looked the way it looked back then because of technological limitations, not because the original devs wanted that exact aesthetic.

Kentucky Route Zero is closer to the style you're talking about.

 

[CheesecakeRecipe]

I think that's nostalgia. No one was asking for Shadow Complex to be more pixelated.

Shadow Complex is fairly generic looking in most areas, and it wasn't exactly based off of an already existing game which was celebrated for its atmospheric visual style.

This just looks like an Unreal Engine game, and I feel absolutely zero of the wonder from the rotoscoping seen in the original. Disclaimer:

Spoiler

I never played the original, so no nostalgia.

 

[omonimo]

Fuck ye....



...and I'm out.

Can someone explain to me what's wrong with the graphic? :\ It seems the straight evolution.

 

[Gustav]

Can someone explain to me what's wrong with the graphic? :\ It seems the straight evolution.

It looks uninspired and bland. The original had a very unique look at the time.

 

[omonimo]

It looks uninspired and bland. The original had a very unique look at the time.

... this how current gen appears, it's not matter of looks, with all respect.

 

[Haunted]

Chahi had no involvement with Flashback.

I know.
:bow Chahi for Another World, :bow Delphine for Flashback (clearly inspired by Another World).

 

[DimmuBurgerKing]

Wow, the memories of playing this on the Genesis back in the day...

I'll check out the demo. Not a fan of the new graphics, but I think I could give it a whirl.

 

[maniac-kun]

More like subhd remake.

 

[krYlon]

Oh dear, I'm not liking what they've done with this at all.

 

[Littlegator]

seeing thread title: GET HYPE
seeing pic: dammit

 

[Ingueferroque]

Can someone explain to me what's wrong with the graphic? :\ It seems the straight evolution.

This 'evolution' seems to me like someone taking classic french comic art and 're-interpreting' every element literally, with no concern for aesthetics or visual balance.

You can't just take a comic panel and reproduce it as a photo and expect the same or better result..