Medievil: PS4 Review

Medievil: PS4 Review

Developed by Other Ocean Emeryville
Released by Sony Interactive
Platform: PS4

Medievil is the latest remaster to shuffle out of the PlayStation grave.

The early nineties hack and slash platformer was a beloved staple of the first generation consoles.

But in truth time has not been kind to the world of Sir Daniel Fortesque, the eyeball missing, arm-detaching skeleton.

The remaster takes you back to Gallomere to try and salvage sir dans reputation which fell at the first hurdle. Once again a sorcerer Zarok (the late lamented and deeply missed Paul Darrow) is back wreaking havoc in the city and it’s up to you to beat the baddies and save the day.

While the cut scenes register a kind of cartoony Nightmare before Christmas vibe, Medievil is not really interested in doing much to break the mould in a remaster that feels like a quick Halloween cash grab rather than a built up from the ground do over a la Ratchet and Clank.

Sure it looks fine, and plays for the lower competency end of the gaming spectrum, but the terrible camera that afflicted the original has been ported over to the latest version.

It’s jarring at best and bone crunchingly annoying at worst, as it spins around giving you little chance to recentre when necessary.

Levels are fairly rote and short too: hack your way through imps and the undead, get a door opening rune and then move on.

It’s not rocket science and while it’s playable enough, for the more seasoned gamer, it’s too basic and not exactly essential.

We may be coming to the end of the PS4’s life but we may also be approaching the end of the remaster necessity as well - unless they add something new or are so beloved we can’t do without them, (Ape Escape, I'm looking at you).

Sony would be wise to take each offer on merit - and to leave some dead and buried like they should and deserve to be.