Heavy Spectrum's affectionate, idiosyncratic reboot summons the spirit of the original Shadow of the Beast, as well as some of its faults.
Key events
16th May 2016
21st April 2016
30th March 2016
20th August 2013
Digital FoundryDigital Foundry vs Shadow of the Beast on PS4
Altered Beast.
Created by small development team of seven people over a three year period, there are immediate parallels between the new Shadow of the Beast remake on PS4 and the Amiga original released in 1989 - both games were produced by modest studios looking to take advantage of the latest visual technology available, while showcasing their creative spark.
VideoWatch: Ian plays the PS4 exclusive Shadow of the Beast remake
Whittaker look at this, live at 3:30pm.
Shadow of the Beast is a weird game. It's rock hard, incredibly clunky and by modern day standards, a little bit pants. But for whatever reason (almost certainly David Whittaker's incredible soundtrack) it remains a fond favourite for many nostalgic gamers out there.
News of this remake took everyone a little bit by surprise but as Martin found out last year, it's a real passion project for developer Matt Birch and his Kingston-upon-Thames-based studio Heavy Spectrum.
So, how does the remake compare to the original Amiga release? Find out at 3:30pm when I'll be streaming the first 90 minutes worth in that little video box below. See you there, I hope!
Amiga power.
Few video games have been as well served by their box art as the Commodore Amiga's Shadow of the Beast. Roger Dean's airbrushed panorama is both prehistoric and futuristic. It shows a thicket of rangy trees, each one blasted with red leaves, while, in the middle distance, two gleaming Jurassic contraptions pass one another, oblivious of us onlookers. The game's title, rendered in a scythe-like font, completes the alien, prog-rock aesthetic (Dean also drew covers for albums by Yes and Asia).
Shadow of the Beast
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Shadow of the Beast remake will include the original Amiga game
As well as its soundtrack as an unlockable.
The upcoming Shadow of the Beast remake will include an emulated version of the 1989 original Amiga adventure.
Here's new gameplay of the Shadow of the Beast remake
Does it claw you in?
Sony's released a new gameplay video that gives us an updated look at the Shadow of the Beast remake.
The video, below, focuses on combat, but also touches on platforming, exploration and puzzle solving. There's an upgrade system, too, called Wisdom of Shadows.
As for the combat, the main thing I took from the video was block. Block a lot.
Shadow of the Beast remake gets a release date
Gorgeous new trailer shows off silky smooth combat.
The PS4-exclusive remake of Shadow of the Beast will launch on 17th May, developer Heavy Spectrum has announced.
The vicious sci-fi action-adventure follows a freed slave fighter named Aarbron as he tackles the hazards of the strange, beautiful world of Karamoon. Heavy Spectrum is very adamant that this modern update on an Amiga classic will feature 60 fps, which is very integral to the game's complex combat system. Just look at its latest trailer to see those sweet slaughtering animations in action.
As revealed on the PlayStation Blog, those who pre-order Shadow of the Beast on the PlayStation Store will receive a free dynamic theme featuring creature designs by illustrator Roger Dean, who created the original cover art for Shadow of the Beast and its sequel in 1989 and 1990 respectively.
The new Shadow of the Beast is one man's dream come true
How Heavy Spectrum's reimagining came together - and how it's shaping up.
I defy you to find a happier person in video games than Matt Birch right now. I defy you to find a more nervous one, too.
Shadow of the Beast remake announced as PS4-exclusive
Altered beast.
A reboot of the 1989 Amiga side-scroller Shadow of the Beast is heading exclusively to PS4, Sony has announced.
The original game was developed by Reflections Interactive and later ported to the SNES and Sega Master Drive. It followed a monstrous warrior named Aarbron as he sought revenge against the beast lord that transformed him from a human. Now, Heavy Spectrum Games - a new studio comprised of devs who've worked on Need For Speed, Star Fox, Battlefield, and the Sims - is re-imagining Shadow of the Beast as a hyper violent next-gen adventure.
"Playing it [Shadow of the Beast] conjured a world of mysteries, something that went beyond what was shown on the screen, a world where my imagination had cause to soar," said Heavy Spectrum CEO and founder Matt Birch on the EU PlayStation Blog. "Even when not playing, I couldn't help but wonder about the strange creatures and places I had seen, and ponder what further details would reveal themselves the next time I would play."
