Gaming reboots - your thoughts?

[Master_Craig]

What do you guys think about gaming "reboots", such as the most recent Tomb Raider and Devil May Cry? If you want, include movies too.

I think they're usually pretty good and sometimes, I think franchises need 'em, especially if they want to keep going. I guess it helps to open up to newer, younger audiences. Personally, I'm always interested to see the interpretation of characters/stories retold from another person, from a new and different perspective.

I drew this today in Photoshop and using my new Cintiq graphics tablet, which I'm still figuring out how to use... it's Megaman, my interpretation.

The drawing is based off my sketch here, which was drawn on a tiny post it note.

I'd love to see a reboot of Megaman. I think it's got great potential due to the storyline, setting and character. I know that sounds really dumb, considering Megaman was just a 2D side scroller shoot 'em up... but I'd really love to see what people can come up with. I hate having ideas, but being able to do nothing with them.

Are there any games (or hell, even TV shows or movies) which you think could use a reboot? If so, why? What ideas would you have for the reboot?

 

[intoTheRain]

i love reboots, always have, always will. nothing against them i love seeing my movies/games from a different perspective and created with the newest top of the line tech.

i lol at emotional whiners that claim it ruins their childhood. pro tip, the original still exists.

ninja turtles need an awesome game and movie. with michael bay doing the movie... it doesn't look promising. but the new game coming out looks mildly decent. but they both deserve to be done exceptionally.

not so much a reboot, but i really think, and have always thought fairy tales need to be made into good games/movies. there is so much potential for a market there. and the originals, not the new super happy tame versions we have now.

there have been a few attempts but they've all been taken way over the top with too much focus on special effects and unnecessary action, and the acting/story etc. has taken a backseat. needs to be the other way around. they could be made into excellent horror movies.

i want to see an independence day reboot. keep the old actors i don't care. it's my favorite alien movie ever still, aside from aliens/prometheus. it still actually holds up to this day, but i'd still like to see it done again.

 

[Master_Craig]

I completely agree, most reboots are pretty awesome and well done. I'm always interested just to see ideas and perspective off someone else, especially if they're trying to start again and start fresh.

That's why I was happy with the new Devil May Cry, "DmC". It felt very fresh to me and despite Dante's initial design, it interested me and I wanted to see the final piece. I'm pretty happy with it.

I agree. Heaps of people whine and complain about how the original is the best, shouldn't be touched etc. It reminds me of when Resident Evil 4 came out. There was an outrage about the game's change from "true fans" of the series.

The only reboot I wasn't exactly that impressed with was The Amazing Spider-Man film. It was good, but I was disappointed by it at the same time. Also, I think a reboot may have been a bit too early but... oh well, that's Hollywood.

 

[intoTheRain]

I completely agree, most reboots are pretty awesome and well done. I'm always interested just to see ideas and perspective off someone else, especially if they're trying to start again and start fresh.

That's why I was happy with the new Devil May Cry, "DmC". It felt very fresh to me and despite Dante's initial design, it interested me and I wanted to see the final piece. I'm pretty happy with it.

I agree. Heaps of people whine and complain about how the original is the best, shouldn't be touched etc. It reminds me of when Resident Evil 4 came out. There was an outrage about the game's change from "true fans" of the series.

The only reboot I wasn't exactly that impressed with was The Amazing Spider-Man film. It was good, but I was disappointed by it at the same time. Also, I think a reboot may have been a bit too early but... oh well, that's Hollywood.

in some ways i thought the amazing spider man was much better, and in some ways it was much worse. reptile was AWFUL, he ruined the movie for me. that part was terribly done.

i think overall i do prefer the first sam raimi one. but reptile aside i did love the amazing spiderman as well.

 

[Paradox]

i want to see an independence day reboot. keep the old actors i don't care. it's my favorite alien movie ever still, aside from aliens/prometheus. it still actually holds up to this day, but i'd still like to see it done again.

Instead of a reboot, how about sequels? So far they're called ID Forever Part 1 and 2.

Courtesy of JoBlo.com

Roland Emmerich revealed that he wrote the scripts with original INDEPENDENCE DAY cohort Dean Devlin and they are currently being rewritten by WHITE HOUSE DOWN scribe James Vanderbilt.

Here is the concept for the new movies, which take place 20 years after the first movie after a distress call from the aliens is answered, sending reinforcements to our planet for another attack.

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[Longo_2_guns]

To me, reboots done by another are in about the same category as cross-media recreations. Like, movie-based games and game-based movies.

That said, if you have an established franchise and you make something that's nothing like the original, why even bother? Personally, I felt the whole DmC thing was kinda stupid. I mean, I don't even like DMC games, but when it was well established as being its own thing, why try to make it something different?

I guess reboots have some of the same problems that sequels alone have. You gotta do something new, but it shouldn't be TOO new, or TOO similar. I think the game version of The Warriors is, and will be, the premier example of how best to do it.

Or, hell, the new Star Trek. Is it more flashy? Sure. But it keeps a lot of the same personalities, and gives good reasons for the different stuff to be, well, different. It does its homework, and it doesn't go too far with it's interpretation. It makes some errors with the Enterprise (ie, space ships should stay in space), but it goes well with the original series.

 

[MattAY]

Well, the two most recent ones - Tomb Raider, I haven't played. But I've heard nothing but positives from everyone. DmC was fucking awesome. I've played through all difficulties and still want more. Best DMC in terms of gameplay, only thing missing is some gothic atomsphere like the others.

I welcome most reboots when needed. Game series' will go stale eventually. But I can feel for hardcore fans when they do change it. I imagine the only real issue would be character change, because most reboots I know keep the core gameplay from its predecessors.

 

[cyberjim2000]

I don't mind reboots. I think they're actually needed after the series gone stale and need a new direction but know it's not a cure-all for series that gone stale. Like Enemy Unknown, Tomb Raider, DmC, etc. are all examples of good reboots (or remake). While Prince of Persia (2008) is a reboot of a reboot. I heard they might reboot THAT Prince of Persia as well so the new one is a reboot of a reboot's reboot.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

I'd love to see a reboot of Megaman. I think it's got great potential due to the storyline, setting and character. I know that sounds really dumb, considering Megaman was just a 2D side scroller shoot 'em up... but I'd really love to see what people can come up with. I hate having ideas, but being able to do nothing with them.

You mean like Megaman Legends?

Also, you know what reboot was awful? The New 52. Like, at least Marvel had the decency to make the Ultimate universe separate.

 

[Chris_Crime]

They'll never reboot a shitty franchise, right? So I don't hate the idea of reboots, I just hate it when a reboot sucks and doesn't live up to the original.

The new Transformers movies all suck. The G1 Transformers animated movie was fucking great.
Those aren't reboots in my opinion. That's just Hasbro and company cashing in at the right time.


As for game reboots, it depends. It's not like Tomb Raider needed a fucking reboot. The story of Lara Croft isn't so involved that you have to retcon the entire thing just to put out Tomb Raider 6, 7, 8, or 9. This isn't even about rebooting the franchise, it's about getting away from the numbering system because it made the franchise look dated to these young, meddling kids.
And it worked I'm guessing. I'm sure the sales are up because they got rid of the number system. Fooled you again, you stupid kids! But what was rebooted? Quick time events, right?

Games aren't rebooted if they come with the same controls, same camera....same everything. They're just rewritten, and you're supposed to suspend belief while playing, telling yourself the whole time "This is like a totally different game now!" Ha. No.
And that's because games are limited, and so are our expectations of what qualifies as a game reboot. So any change is seen as monumental. But change Dante's hair color or Cole's appearance and you better prepare for a shit storm.
Devs gotta walk the line everytime when rebooting. limited.

In my opinion, a game reboot should take a complete tonal shift or gameplay change, like the changes from Super Metroid to Metroid Prime. That's my kind of reboot.

You mean like Megaman Legends?

this guy gets it

People are okay with being lied to, they just want it on a grand scale. Tomb Raider isn't a bad game, reboot is just a bad term.

 

[Green_Lantern]

Not sure it really counts but I'm excited for the HD FFX release

 

[danielrbischoff]

Not sure it really counts but I'm excited for the HD FFX release

I've never played FFX or X-2 so same here.

 

[UrbanMasque]

^Do NOT waste your time w/ X-2... please.

 

[GiftedMonkey]

Put me in the anti-reboot camp. I (mostly) see reboots as the symptom of an industry too bloated and obsessed with profits to take a risk and try something new.

You've taken the story of Lara Croft or Dante as far as is can go? End it. Come up with something new. Use your creative energies to bring fresh characters, settings, stories, and styles of gameplay to the audience. If you fail, you've failed trying something new and different, which I find far more admirable than failing (or even adequately passing) something we have grown accustomed to.

 

[Master_Craig]

You mean like Megaman Legends?

I guess so. I've never played Legends though. Was it any good?

Also, you know what reboot was awful? The New 52. Like, at least Marvel had the decency to make the Ultimate universe separate.

I've read some of the new 52... I'm mixed about it. Some of it is okay while some of it is, well... not okay. It is good that Marvel made the Ultimate series a separate series and not "the" new series.

In my opinion, a game reboot should take a complete tonal shift or gameplay change, like the changes from Super Metroid to Metroid Prime. That's my kind of reboot.

Good call. That's the perfect example of a pure "reboot". Super Metroid and Metroid Prime are two completely different games, but the transition made from side scrolling platforming adventure, to 3D first person shooter, it was a hell of a risk but a great game. I guess that is indeed the true reboot I am talking about - keeping the same overall storyline and setting, but completely changing how the game is actually played.

 

[Sourdeez]

Idk so much about reboots. I however do enjoy seeing games I enjoyed in the pass re-released in a new engine.

I had the chance recently to play through the remade halo on the xbox360.
Games I liked in the past, could easily be sold to me again with upgraded graphics engines.

Its why I bought FF7 remake on the PC. Even if its only higher res.

 

[LinksOcarina]

Doesn't bother me that much.

Some people seem vehemently against reboots, at the same time though it refreshes a franchise IP and brings new ideas to the table at times, or updates a classic into a modern era. Either way is acceptable if its done right.

I think the issue is where its so subjective, in how its done, basically.

 

[Master_Craig]

Doesn't bother me that much.

Some people seem vehemently against reboots, at the same time though it refreshes a franchise IP and brings new ideas to the table at times, or updates a classic into a modern era. Either way is acceptable if its done right.

I think the issue is where its so subjective, in how its done, basically.

I agree with that, for sure.

As it was pointed out before, again a good example is Metroid: Prime. Essentially a "reboot" of the franchise, but told from the perspective of another developer and completely changing how the game is played. Granted, elements from the previous 2D games are still there - the character, the setting, the timeline, the story, the platforming play, exploration, acquiring of new items etc, but changing it to a 3D first person shooter is in a sense a complete overhaul of the game play, which frightened and angered some fans but at the end of the day, turned into an awesome game.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

And then there was Other M...

 

[Master_Craig]

And then there was Other M...

Oh God no.