Elliot Lake
Managing Editor/ Game Reporter

Sir Daniel Fortesque – a beloved hero with a sugar-coated war story – had his original debut on PlayStation One in 1998. 2019 opened the Halloween season with a lovingly crafted remaster of the original MediEvil and while the remaster is very lovingly crafted, it unfortunately falls a little flat for the modern gaming era.

The original release of this game was overshadowed by a good many other hard-hitters in ’98. 1998 is often referred to as “the greatest year in gaming” because of popular releases like Metal Gear Solid, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil 2, and Naughty Dog’s trilogy finale Crash Bandicoot: Warped. With all these spectacular releases, it’s no wonder the original MediEvil was forgotten among that list.

MediEvil has a sort of cult following now. The plotline follows a deceased war veteran’s skeleton after he tragically dies first in the vanguard (arrow through the eye – ew). Fortesque is hailed as a hero, despite never really doing anything of value, and this plays very well into his smart remarks and personality. He’s recruited in his afterlife to deal with the infamous sorcerer from the first battle: Zarok. The player goes through 22 levels fighting off different minions and mini-bosses before facing Zarok himself in the final battle.

Everything thematic about the game is the same as the 1998 release. Other Ocean Emeryville, the remaster’s developer, wanted to keep true to the original. Music was researched, dialogue was recycled and decompressed (aside from main man Dan) and level layouts were kept the same. This decision helped pay homage to voice actors who couldn’t perform any longer, such as Zarok’s voice actor, Paul Darrow, who passed away in early 2019.

Despite the game being an amazing remaster that warms the hearts of 1998 fans, the game has not aged well. Many of the original flaws remain, or have been made more obvious, because of modern gaming technology.

Enemies in the 1998 version had a huge knockback when hit by Dan. This would launch them backward a few feet, giving the player a chance to rebound from the initial weapon’s swing. This remaster has removed most of, if not all, the knockback, making death a very close friend in this playthrough. Enemies hit Dan much easier this time around, and a lot of them are significantly quicker as well (I’m looking at you, graveyard zombies).

The controls are almost clunky, and Dan feels very heavy. His sprinting takes a while to gain momentum, as opposed to a jump to speed in the original. Even though the sprinting takes a moment, Dan’s almost always ready to fling himself across the level, so using these controls in tight spaces is incredibly difficult. The camera is just as irritating as the original’s was, with it getting caught behind corners and flipping around at inopportune times the game’s difficulty spikes.

While the controls and slight upgrades make the game feel more difficult, or even more irritating at times, the charm from the 1998 version is still present in surplus. Dan’s quips are still just as funny as they were the first time, and a lot of the dialogue between characters is fluid and hilarious to listen to. Dan’s head being left behind during his Daring Dash move and extra long falls adds a little twinkle to the game.

So how much players enjoyed the 1998 release of this game will probably decide whether they end up liking it or not. Many players who enjoyed the original will find the remaster just as charming and fun. I highly recommend giving it a shot despite its downfalls. MediEvil has always had a special place in my heart, and I believe it’s worth the chance to play even in our current gaming climate. Any new players will just have to keep an open mind about the outdated gameplay style, and remember, it is a remaster of a ’98 game.

For nostalgia’s sake, I’ll give MediEvil (2019) a strong 7/10. Give it a chance.