NightDive Studiosis theking of old FPS remasters, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Some of their earlier work involved bringing back forgotten adventure game gems likeI Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream. More recently, the studio released its first original game, the remake of the originalSystem Shock. This title isn’t really based on the 1994 classic, as much as it is heavily inspired by it.
Thebest remastersare those that only change what is necessary to bring the original title to modern audiences and modern machines, while adding lots of bonus options and goodies on the side. This is what most NightDive releases are like: the game as fans remember it, not necessarily as it actually was. The games listed here are some of the best examples.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunteris a classic shooter developed for the Nintendo 64, which eventually found its way onto PCs. It wasn’t until NightDive’s remaster in 2016 that the game started fully using the new platform, with widescreen support, better mouse and keyboard implementation, and enhanced presentation.
What makesTurok: Dinosaur Huntersuch a classic also holds the title back. The game was developed at a time when dual analog sticks didn’t exist, making tank controls mandatory. This makes the level design quite confusing when playing with a mouse and keyboard. The levels are full of essential secret passages that are impossible to notice when constantly running at full speed. NightDive’s remaster, though, made it easier and more satisfying to play.
Harvestermight be best known for being at the center of a brief moral panic, which is curious because that’s pretty much what the game is about. Depending on who is talking,Harvesteris either a parody of the hyperviolence the broader public associated with video games in 1996, or a very silly attempt to take part in the debate.
One thing is sure:Harvesteris a product of its time. It’s engulfed in the sort of public discussion on video game violence we have (almost) forgotten about. It’s also part of the short-lived genre of FMV point-and-click adventures. Those aspects only make the faithful remaster by NightDive more important.
8Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri
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Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauriis a weird one. It’s a tactical mech-based shooter with some strategy thrown in for good measure, and a cheesy but charming story told mostly through FMV cutscenes. It’s made by immersive sim pioneers Looking Glass Studio, ofThiefandSystem Shockfame, even if it is nothing like the studio’s most well-known titles.
Terra Nova: Strike Force Centaurican be fun for players who don’t expect a very polished or welcoming experience. But like the originalSystem Shock, the game is simpler and more forgiving than it initially appears.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Screamis a very influential science fiction short story from 1967 by American novelist Harlan Ellison. It’s also the name of a video game from 1996 in which Ellison read the lines of the all-powerful supercomputer AM. Given the circumstances, it might not be surprising to learn thatI Have No Mouth, and I Must Screamis aweird adventure game.
InI Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,five characters are constantly tortured by AM, an artificial intelligence that took over the world during an unspecified post-apocalypse. The machine keeps those “five damned souls” alive only to see them suffer. But with the player’s guiding hand (and lots of trial and error), they might find a way to defeat AM.
In 1997,Bloodwas one of the few games to use the Build engine, originally created forDuke Nukem 3D. Unlike its predecessor,Blooddidn’t use the engine to create massive cityscapes with somewhat destructible environments. Instead, it forged a linear but dense environment in a unique 19th-century Gothic setting.
NightDive’sBlood Fresh Supplyadds better support for modern systems and new options like V-sync and widescreen support. It includes the ability to look up and down, which newcomers would likely find useful. It also improves the multiplayer support for up to 8 players and new game modes.
Blade Runnerwas very ambitious for its time. 1997 wasn’t the best year for adventure games, so the genre needed something new to draw in players. In the case ofBlade Runner, this incentive would come withrandomized elements and added replayability, which point-and-click adventures often lack.
Victims, culprits, clues, and everything in between are randomized in this investigation game. While this sometimes leads to some confusion and lack of direction, seeing it in motion is quite a spectacle. Games this old rarely rely so much on randomization, let alone adventure games.Blade Runner: Enhanced Editionmakes the title a little more playable, which is welcome, but the core experience was already memorable.
Doom 64is the version of FPS legendDoom, buton the Nintendo 64. And yet,Doom 64is so much more than what this description makes it out to be. This version ofDoomfeatures a new campaign, a totally different tone, and much slower gameplay.
Doom 64is actually a sequel to the id Software’s original. The protagonist has already stopped the demon’s invasion of Earth. Years later, the lone space marine is sent back to Mars to prevent a new invasion. TheDoom 64remaster has better visuals and widescreen support, but it also features modern FPS controls, which makes it much more playable to modern audiences.
Quake 2is a classic shooter of the late 1990s, the sequel of one of the most influential games ever made, and the first title developed at id Software without John Romero. It’s also one of thefirst shooters to focus on story. It wouldn’t be called a story-focused game nowadays, but the game’s many campaigns are made more enjoyable by this newfound interest.
NightDive’sQuake 2 Enhanced Editioncomes with the original’s first campaign, two official mission packs, a new expansion, and new levels from the Nintendo 64 port of the game. The new expansion,Call of the Machine, is an excellent send-off to experienced players, and can only be found in this version of the game.
One of NightDive’s latest remasters is also one of its best.STAR WARS: Dark Forcesis a classic 90s shooter built on theDoomengine and the very first game in theStar Wars: Jedi Knightseries. This game is also notable for being one of few shooters developed by LucasArts, otherwise known for its adventure games.
Compared to other games of its day,STAR WARS: Dark Forcesdoes a lot more than just set up action scene after action scene. This game has a lot more story than the typical boomer shooter. Not all gameplay challenges are about shooting, either. Puzzles and the occasional platforming sequence are almost as present as fast FPS action.
Some might confuseSystem Shock: Enhanced Editionwith NightDive’sSystem Shockremake/reboot, but the second is a much more complex project. TheSystem Shockremakecould even be considered the studio’s first original title, since it’s so different from the original game.
Meanwhile,System Shock: Enhanced Editionis a lightweight but efficient work of restoration, allowing players to enjoy this classic horror immersive sim without too much work. Some aspects ofSystem Shockhave aged gracefully, like atmosphere and story. Others, controls and visuals among them, have not.System Shock: Enhanced Editionis the best way to play this game while keeping close to the original.
