MediEvil: Resurrection

MediEvil Resurrection
Cover art
Developer(s)	SCE Studio Cambridge
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Producer(s)	Piers Jackson
Designer(s)	Dominic Cahalin
Artist(s)	Mitch Phillips
Writer(s)	Patrick McCarthy Martin Pond Dominic Cahalin
Composer(s)	Andrew Barnabas Paul Arnold
Platform(s)	PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita
Release date(s)	PlayStation Portable EU September 1, 2005 NA September 13, 2005 PlayStation Store EU May 29, 2008 NA June 26, 2008
Genre(s)	Action-adventure game, Hack and slash
Mode(s)	Single-player, multi player
Distribution	UMD, Download

MediEvil: Resurrection is a 2005 action-adventure game for the PlayStation Portable and is the third instalment in the MediEvil video-game series. It is a reimagining of the first instalment in the series, MediEvil, with many alterations to the original structure and content, such as the addition of the "Anubis Stone" sub-plot which never appeared in the original. Many things such as level design and characters were changed drastically, and some levels from the original were removed altogether. New levels and characters were introduced, the cutscenes are completely original, and the game was given a much more comical, cartoon-like style as opposed to the Gothic horror-comedy of the original. The soundtrack is completely orchestrated, and half of the themes from the original were removed while new themes were created to fit with the new levels. Unlike the original, there is no alternate ending; Dan still goes to the Hall of Dead Holy People That Most Likely Heros regardless of whether he collects all of the chalices. The game also features a variety of voice talent, including Tom Baker as the narrator and the Grim Reaper.

It was released as a PSP launch title on September 1, 2005, in Europe and on September 13, 2005, in the United States. It was made available for download from the PlayStation Store in Europe on May 29, 2008, and in the United States on June 26, 2008.

Gameplay

Gameplay is similar to that of the original game in which players control Sir Daniel Fortesque as he travels through Gallowmere to stop the evil Zarok. Dan can utilise a variety of weapons, including melee weapons such as swords and axes and ranged weapons like throwing daggers and crossbows. If Dan defeats enough enemies to collect the Chalice of Souls hidden throughout each level, he will be able to travel to the Hall of Heroes where a legendary hero will reward him with a new weapon or other helpful items. Dan possesses a single life bar throughout the game, which can be sustained by collecting Life Bottles throughout the game which can be replenished by energy vials and Life Fountains. The PSP version also includes some exclusive minigames which can also be played in multiplayer.

Plot

In 1286, an evil wizard named Zarok sought to take over the Kingdom of Gallowmere. Legends tell of a brave knight named Sir Daniel Fortesque who slayed the evil wizard and brought peace to Gallowmere. In actuality, however, Dan was the first to die in the Battle of Gallowmere, struck down by an arrow in the eye during the first charge. A century later, in 1386, Zarok returns and casts a spell over Gallowmere, robbing the souls of its people and raising the dead. This spell also resurrects Dan, who is accompanied by Al-Zalam, a genie who was robbed of his powers by Zarok and cursed to reside in Dan's skull. Seeing his resurrection as a chance to prove himself a true hero, Dan goes on a quest to seek revenge against Zarok, collecting pieces of an artefact called the Anubis Stone along the way. After collecting all the pieces and making his way to Zarok's lair, Dan is confronted by Zarok and his immortal army, but Dan manages to stop this army by using the Anubis Stone to summon the souls of those who fought in the Battle of Gallowmere. Zarok transforms into a cobra and a last-ditch attempt, but Dan manages to defeat him. As Zarok perishes, he sets his lair to self-destruct in the hopes of taking Dan down with him, but Dan is saved by Al-Zalam, who had been freed from his curse upon Zarok's demise. As peace returns to Gallowmere, Dan returns to his eternal rest, where he finally earns his place as a true hero in the Hall of Heroes.

Development

Development of MediEvil: Resurrection began in 2003.^[1] The senior management team at Sony Europe wanted a launch game for the PlayStation Portable and it was decided that a remake or “remix” of the original MediEvil was the way to go. Part of the reason for this was a very short predicted development time – the development team was given only a year to get the game ready, while an original title would likely have taken considerably longer.^[2]

Despite the success of the original, and despite having been developed within SCE Cambridge Studio, MediEvil: Resurrection was not created by Chris Sorrell or the original PS1 team. Sorrell had stressed to his studio management that he would love to direct the PSP game and bring MediEvil up to date, but the license to the 24 (TV series) had become available to Sony and he was instead instructed to direct the video-game adaptation, 24: The Game. Since the release of MediEvil: Resurrection, Sorrell has expressed disappointment with the changes to the game and the fact that his superiors did not allow him to direct it.^[3]

Piers Jackson was instead appointed as the producer for MediEvil: Resurrection. He directed development and project managed the title, working closely with a new design team led by Dominic Cahalin. Mitch Phillips, who was the character animator for the previous two instalments, was appointed as lead artist for the game. He and Bob and Barn, the soundtrack composers, were the only people from the original team to return.

The game was originally developed on a PS2 and then ported to the PSP - lead designer Dominic Cahalin lamented that the PS2 version was never made available as it was more playable on PS2 than the PSP version, benefiting greatly from the precision of the dedicated PS2 controller.^[4]

According to Piers Jackson, the thrust of the design was to produce a title that could showcase the full abilities of the PSP, including its built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.^[5] He also said that everything about the game was different from the original MediEvil. Whilst they had taken the basic story and some of the locations from the original game, all the code, graphics and voices were different and they expanded the plot, added mini-games, multiplayer facilities and a PSP-friendly save anywhere function. He also said that they had tried to preserve ideas that they thought worked well in the original, though their use was altered or repositioned to keep the game fresh even to those who had played the original. The addition of the Anubis Stone sub-plot was to strengthen the story arc and the creation of Al-Zalam was to act as Dan's internal monologue and the player's guide.^[6]

Soundtrack

The music is split into two halves. The cues from the first half are largely reminiscent of a select number of cues from the original game (1 track from the second game was also used), with the addition of extra thematic elements to strengthen and tie them together. The other half of the music is totally original, and written exclusively for this iteration of the franchise. All the music was performed live. The orchestra consisted of around 80 players and was made up of members of the Prague Philharmonic and recorded in Prague on the Barrandov Recording Stage. In addition the score benefits from a 32 piece choir, also recorded in the same venue. This follows in the tradition of Sony Cambridge's previous orchestral game Primal which was also recorded there by the same performers.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 68.96%[7] Metacritic 66/100[8] Review scores Publication Score Edge 5/10 Electronic Gaming Monthly 6.2/10[9] Eurogamer 4/10[10] GameSpot 6.1/10[11] GameSpy [12] IGN 7.3/10[13]

MediEvil: Resurrection received mixed to positive reviews upon release. The game holds average rankings of 66 on Metacritic and 68.96% on Game Rankings. General complaints from reviewers were directed at the camera control, which was cited as being particularly poor during combat sequences, and occasional frame rate drops. The combat was also criticised for its awkward hit detection. IGN gave the game a 7.3, praising the graphics, soundtrack, and content but said that the fighting mechanics needed work. GameSpot gave the game a 6.1, stating "The game hasn't aged well, and although it has plenty of personality, the maddening camera control and broken combat mechanics quickly spoil the fun". GameCritics was one of the harshest reviewers, giving the game a score of 4/10 and stating "I honestly do think that Sir Daniel Fortesque is a good character with potential, but I would have much rather seen an all-new game with a nod towards current methodology than a rehash of something that honestly wasn't all that great in the first place".^[14]

Chris Sorrell and Jason Wilson, co-creators of MediEvil, have also expressed disappointment with the game. Neither of them had any involvement with MediEvil: Resurrection, and when they were asked about the game during an interview with RetroGamer, Jason Wilson said, "It was a strange feeling to see something you loved being remade by others. I now know what all those directors feel like when their movies are remade". Chris Sorrell said that he was disappointed by the redesign of the game and how there were a number of aspects to MediEvil PSP that weren't really what he would have chosen. He did say, though, that the development team did an impressive job creating the game considering the time constraints they were up against.^[15]

The game did receive a more positive reception and higher review scores from several sites. Critics unanimously praised the game’s graphics, soundtrack, voice-acting, and over-all content for the PSP. Game Over Online countered arguments by many critics, stating that although the camera issues and combat problems complicated several things, the game itself was still more than adequate as a basic platformer and awarded it a 7.7/10.^[16] Gaming Illustrated gave it an 8.2, saying that it was a solid title whose best features include the humour, story, and amount of modes the game had to offer.^[17] Game Chronicles gave the game a score of 86% stating that the game "Offers a quality presentation of a sometimes-awkward game, but for the most part you can overcome the quirky camera and really get into the melee and ranged combat. And the collection of mini-games rivals a handheld version of 'Mario Party'."^[18] Game Zone website added that the title is "Really easy to pick up and play. The controls are very easy and responsive. The mini puzzles that are presented to the gamers are easy enough to understand yet still provide a nice challenge."^[19]

Sales

Despite mixed reviews, MediEvil: Resurrection was a commercial success. The game was reported to have sold over 1 million copies worldwide, which was far more than originally predicted.^[20]

References

External links

• MediEvil: Resurrection at MobyGames
• Official MediEvil Resurrection website