The 2018 release of God of War signified a new step and identity for the series. Featuring a new change of scenery by introducing the series’ protagonist, Kratos, to Norse mythology. Establishing a more mature and character-driven experience when compared to the other games in the series which came before it.
Reboots have been around for quite some time when it comes to video games (though God of War isn’t exactly a full reboot). Recently however, there has been quite the resurgence. Titles such as Doom and Tomb Raider are success stories which changed the course of their respective series going forward. Here are five games we hope receive the successful reboot treatment that God of War received.
Star Wars: TIE Fighter
There has been a considerable amount of drama surrounding EA’s handling of the Star Wars license. Yet, the company won’t be able to do anything to erase the legacy of LucasArts. The publisher put out games such as Star Wars: Dark Forces, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, and Star Wars: Republic Commando that lived up to the fantasies of firing a blaster or swinging a lightsaber.
Developed by Totally Games, Star Wars: TIE Fighter allowed players to live the fantasy of being a starfighter pilot in the Star Wars universe. Not only did it feature some of the best flight simulation controls for modern PC games, but it also managed to give players a story that featured a variety of twists and turns. Ultimately, the game was a complete package and held on its own without the Star Wars branding. The game, as a result, received positive critical reception.
Star Wars had its fair share of dog-fighting simulations, yet EA hasn’t managed to create a complete package surrounding the concept just yet. With how rich of a universe Star Wars is, there’s plenty of opportunities to add to it with a grounded action game that’s story-driven. With the technology surrounding video games evolving since Star Wars: TIE Fighter first released in 1994, it could return boldly and beautifully.
Dark Cloud
The Dark Cloud series were the RPGs that put Level-5 as developers on the map. The series combined elements of city-builders, as well as action-RPGs. Developed in part by Akihiro Hino, who went on to help direct Dragon Quest VIII and the Professor Layton series, the title was produced as an exclusive for Sony’s PlayStation 2. The combinations of genres and the series’ art style were met with critical praise.
However, while many games have taken inspiration from the Dark Cloud series. There hasn’t been a recent game which has shared the name. Since JRPGs have been coming back in stride with releases such as Persona 5 and No No Kuni II. Games have come a long way since Dark Cloud and its sequel, and it would be interesting to see exactly what a third game in the series would look like on the current console generation.
Legacy of Kain
The Legacy of Kain games were originally made by Crystal Dynamics and Silicon Knights. Originally premiering in 1996 with Blood Omen, the games featured a gothic-fantasy setting that allowed players to take the role of Kain, a vampire. It was ahead of its time, as it featured a cinematic story and voice acting. The series was lauded for its storytelling. The games were for the most part action games that featured RPG mechanics. With a lot of parallels being drawn to The Legend of Zelda series.
The final game in the series that ended up being released was Legacy of Kain: Defiance in 2003. Since Amy Hennig went to Naughty Dog at this time to helm the Uncharted series, Eidos put the series on hold with no further entries in the franchise coming to fruition. However, almost 30 minutes of footage of a canceled game in the series has surfaced. As to whether or not we’ll see another proper entry, is yet to be seen.
The series could benefit by getting a God of War treatment more than most of the other games on this list. Updating the combat system would be a must, and allowing the game to stand on its own would be primary. It would be interesting to see what avenues the story would take without Amy Hennig helming the series. Yet, there’s more than enough reason to give the game a reboot and introduce the series to new players.
Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal was a Sony property that was a vehicular-combat game. With a story mode that seemed like a grindhouse film, the series embraced its dark and gritty roots. Most notably, the series’ headliner was a character named Sweet Tooth. A clown whose hair was entirely constructed of fire. There were seven main games, with the most recent one releasing in 2012.
The first thing which would need to be changed in a rebooted version of the game would possibly be the controls. Updating the controls from the originals would allow for newcomers of the series to be able to wrap their head around it playing more like a shooter, rather than most games that featured vehicles. As well, the story could wipe the slate clean from its convolution and introduce a new cast of characters that retain the style and identity the series is known for.
Dino Crisis
Capcom hit it out of the park with Resident Evil VII. As a return to the survival-horror roots of the original games, it managed to be a welcome entry-point to series newcomers. Capcom could follow this, and also follow the recent success of the recently rebooted Jurassic Park franchise by reintroducing a series that has been dormant for too long.
Dino Crisis was directed by Shinji Mikami (who also directed Resident Evil). It featured series’ protagonist Regina as she investigated a secret weapons project that happened to be utilizing dinosaurs. The dinosaurs were massive and pushed the PlayStation 1’s graphics to its limits. The games were terrifying and involved numerous jumpscares and chase-sequences.
The series had numerous sequels but has remained dormant since 2003. A reboot for the series in lieu of Resident Evil VII would serve fans of both franchises. A change of perspective to first-person would allow the scale of the creatures to be fully-realized, and the inclusion of VR would enhance that even greater. It would hopefully be better than the action-oriented Dino Crisis 3.
What series do you think deserve a reboot akin to God of War? Let us know in the comments below.
