Only in the near past we noticed the anniversary of The Mummy Demastered, an instance of an amazing recreation based mostly on probably the most mediocre of films. Traditionally, licensed video games — often film tie-ins — have not loved the perfect of reputations attributable to them usually being rush jobs thrown collectively on a shoestring by an under-resourced developer crunching their socks off to make the film’s launch date and, presumably, capitalise on some cross-media advertising and marketing synergy and whatnot.
In fact, there are video games like GoldenEye 007 that arrived spectacularly late (21 months after the film!) and proved {that a} high quality recreation can stand by itself two ft, however regardless of a normal enchancment in high quality on the subject of licensed video games on consoles, there’s nonetheless a stigma round them. Licensed video games are unhealthy is the prevailing mindset, even when ‘common’ could be a extra applicable adjective.
Effectively, we thought it was about time to see how issues stand on Swap. Whereas the definition of licensed video games is a broad one — hey, what about FIFA or the NBA video games? — we have eschewed sport licences right here and caught with media properties which have made an amazing transition to Swap in a single kind or one other.
Able to roll? Let’s have a look — in no specific order — at a few of the greatest licensed Swap video games. We begin with one we have talked about already…
Writer: WayForward / Developer: WayForward
They are saying do not choose a guide by its cowl, and also you should not choose this recreation based mostly on its tie-in film. WayForward’s The Mummy Demastered deserves to face by itself as the most effective examples of not solely a retro-styled pixel artwork aesthetic, however as a wonderful mixture of run ‘n’ gunning, platforming and exploration. The sport advantages from paying homage to a number of 16-bit ancestors quite than strictly sticking to its celluloid supply materials; The Mummy Demastered is a cultured, completed and satisfying journey that may entertain extra than simply Metroidvania followers.
Writer: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Sport – Full Version is a superb beat ‘em up which grew to become accessible to buy as soon as once more again in 2021 after years caught in delisted purgatory. Combining parts of each Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels and Edgar Wright’s movie, the sport’s bombastic presentation and crunchy fight gameplay make it gratifying from begin to end. It may really feel prefer it runs a bit quick, and the issue spikes will be quite intense, anyone searching for a enjoyable, quick recreation to play in co-op is in for a deal with. Let’s simply hope it sticks round for longer than it did final time.
Writer: Dotemu / Developer: Tribute Video games
The Turtles have been in a good few video video games — with a lot of them being superb, too — however Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is the perfect Turtles beat ’em up ever made. It seems scrumptious, sounds very good, and rekindles childhood reminiscences past all expectation, time-warping you again to 1987 should you occurred to be alive on the time when the video games from The Cowabunga Assortment had been first launched. Shredder’s Revenge’s fight system is a lot enjoyable to mine that you simply really feel compelled to maintain coming again to strive new methods, and with its superior multiplayer the expertise evolves repeatedly. Like several beat ’em up, it does get repetitive as you enter the final third, however that’s extra a fault of the idea than the sport. A very glorious use of a licence, then.
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Writer: Ubisoft / Developer: Obsidian Leisure
South Park: The Stick of Fact proves itself simply pretty much as good a match on Nintendo Swap as South Park: The Fractured However Entire. Each a pastiche of basic RPG tropes and a splendidly empowering instance of tips on how to make an amazing trendy tackle the style, that is nonetheless one among Obsidian’s greatest exports and as genuine as any episode of the cult TV present it’s so carefully tied to. What extra might you need from a licensed recreation?
Writer: Telltale Video games / Developer: Telltale Video games
Whether or not you performed this again in 2012, or are utterly new to the collection, Telltale’s The Strolling Useless: Season One is a masterpiece in online game storytelling. It options a few of the greatest voice-over performances you’ll discover on any gaming platform and units the stage for a grand, multi-season odyssey of tragic proportions. Nonetheless, that is additionally a satisfying and poignant assortment even should you by no means play the next episodes. Even should you misplaced endurance with Rick Grimes and TV collection adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s comedian books, this stays an unbelievable interactive adaptation of Kirkman’s world of walkers.
Writer: WB Video games / Developer: TT Video games
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a implausible expertise, an amazing large celebration of every thing Star Wars. The upgrades to the collection’ core gameplay right here — the combo-focused fight, flashy area battles, boss encounters, over-the-shoulder capturing motion, and canopy system — all mix to make this the perfect Lego Star Wars has ever felt to play. Throw in a humongous open-world setting that is bursting on the seams with secrets and techniques and collectibles and you have an absolute smorgasbord of all issues Star Wars to dig into. Yub nub.
Writer: Saber Interactive / Developer: Saber Interactive
Your enjoyment of Ghostbusters: The Video Sport Remastered will rely nearly completely in your affection for the flicks. For anybody who adored the primary two, it is a great type of time journey — much better than the overwhelming majority of licensed Ghostbuster video games determined followers have tried to like over time. It has no actual enterprise calling itself a ‘remaster’ and is greatest approached as a straight port of a ten-year-old recreation, nevertheless it’s a superb one. Mechanically talking, there’s little you haven’t seen elsewhere, nevertheless it’s a handsome, enjoyable third-person romp dripping in slimy nostalgia, and the prospect to spend time within the firm of those previous mates – a few of them dearly departed – is just too good to go up should you’ve ever strapped in your college backpack and gone out to bust ghosts within the backyard.
Writer: SEGA / Developer: Inventive Meeting
Alien: Isolation is a survival horror masterpiece and straight-up one of many absolute best horror video video games ever launched in a collection that is had greater than its justifiable share of licensed online game misses. It is a nerve-wracking affair – a sluggish, methodical recreation of cat and mouse in opposition to a brilliantly intelligent recreation of one among cinema’s most notorious killers – however should you’re as much as the duty you will discover probably the most satisfying gameplay experiences within the style; a superb and delightful homage to one of many best sci-fi films of all time. Feral Interactive has finished a stellar job with this Swap port and the wonderful movement controls and inclusion of all previously-released DLC solely go to sweeten the deal. That is important stuff for survival horror followers.