Editorials
5 Reasons ‘MediEvil 2’ Deserves a Remake
It may have taken 14 years to rise from its grave, but the recently remastered PS4 version of MediEvil marked the return of one of Sony’s most beloved cult classics. While critics of this reanimated masterpiece may have issues with its dated mechanics, Sir Dan’s comeback serves as a way of getting his skeletal foot back in the door.
With the PlayStation 5 on the horizon and rumors brewing in regards to MediEvil’s future, now might be a good time to consider what we’d like to see the one-eyed wonder get up to next. Despite not quite living up to the standards of Dan’s first undead quest, MediEvil’s original sequel has a lot of redeeming qualities, most of which could really shine if given the opportunity.
With that in mind, here are 5 reasons why MediEvil 2 deserves a second chance at life.
All New Victorian Setting, Same Old Sir Dan
Players often expect video game sequels to offer something new, so having Sir Dan take a 500-year nap before embarking on his next adventure was a bold but brilliant move. That’s right, we’re not in Gallowmere anymore, Toto, as MediEvil 2 instead takes place within the strange new world of… London. After being rudely awoken by yet another smarmy sorcerer, Dan discovers that he’s now part of an exhibition at a museum in Kensington, which also happens to be overrun by zombie Londoners.
As Sir Dan, you’ll find yourself wrestling across crazed carnivals, weed-whacking your way through gruesome gardens and even dodging the law within the streets of Whitechapel. Each area has its own set of puzzles, challenges and enemies that wish to strip any flesh you have left from your bones, which means you’ll never be twiddling your decrepit thumbs. The variance in level design goes above and beyond the graves of Gallowmere, introducing us to a new and dangerous version of the land we once knew.
MediEvil 2’s choice of setting is hilariously refreshing, providing a similar undead playground to the first game alongside the ability to experiment with levels and gameplay. By simply tweaking the environment, MediEvil 2 was able to shake up its level design and provided the foundations for a whole new comedic conquest, one of which would only be enhanced after receiving the remake treatment. Adapting MediEvil 2, rather than burying it all together, could mean this brilliantly absurd theme could be expanded upon, perhaps featuring additional locations and challenges to overcome.
A Preposterously Amusing Plot and Dialogue
As you’ve probably already guessed, the plot to MediEvil 2 is absolutely ridiculous. In many ways, this sequel features a narrative that can only be described as some sort of warped version of Back to the Future. You’ve got a mad scientist, a time machine, and even a love interest, who just so happens to be a resurrected Egyptian mummy. This is definitely a plot that shouldn’t be taken remotely seriously, even if you did think its predecessor had a compelling story.
Just like the first game, MediEvil 2 is legitimately funny, with some great light-hearted gags weaved into its story. Unlike the first game, where Dan is determined to make a name for himself, he’s mostly disinterested during this escapade, probably disgruntled at the fact he’s been summoned away from feasting at the Hall of Heroes. MediEvil 2 is admittedly not quite as witty as the first game, but it sets the foundations for being so, especially if any of the content was being revised as part of a remake.
There are, however, some odds and ends that could be tidied up if this game was being recreated. Sir Dan sounds relatively different in MediEvil 2, in part because he’s voiced by Marc Silk this time rather than Jay Gunn. Along with this change in voice actor comes a change in style, one of which sounds more akin to Mr. Bean than the Dan we know and love from the first game. It might be unachievable, but it’d be nice to have Jay Gunn voice our jawless hero once again, in the instance that the game is recreated.
Brilliantly Bizarre Boss Battles
MediEvil 2’s Victorian arena features some of the best boss encounters the series has to offer. Sure, the original game had stained glass demons and ghost pirates, but this glorious sequel features the likes of Dracula, Jack the Ripper, and a Mary Shelley-inspired boxing match. While these boss fights do feature a similar premise to those in the first game, there’s something about the presentation of each character that makes each battle unique.
Dan’s approach to combat has changed very little since his first outing – with most of his technique consisting of a dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge routine, followed by getting a few hits in where he can. Some of the more intriguing battles feature some additional quirks, such as using mirrors to reflect light onto The Count or trying to keep your Egyptian girlfriend alive while The Ripper claws at her decaying flesh.
Just like with the setting, the boss fights within MediEvil 2 add to the comedic flair that makes the series so special. There’s something specifically funny about having one of gaming’s goofiest characters facing off against London’s most notorious serial killers. Mechanically speaking, the gameplay involved in slaying these demons could be branded as dated, but there’s definitely enough to work with here in terms of a remaster or remake. These battles are already reason enough to play MediEvil 2 but with some enhancement magic and perhaps some additional foes, the experience could become even more iconic.
An Inventory of Periodic Firearms and Outfits
As previously discussed, Sir Dan is going to have his hands full fighting all sorts of undead oddities, so it’s only fair that he’s provided with a new range of weapons, new and old. Classic weapons such as swords, shields, hammers and axes all feature in MediEvil 2’s inventory, only this time they’re accompanied by pistols, blunderbuss’ and even a Gatling gun. These all add to the silly nature of combat that MediEvil has to offer; not that you can get sillier than using your own arm as a club.
Sir Dan’s inventory is also graced with a few outfits, which are obtained at specific points in the story. While these don’t offer any advantages in combat, dressing Dan up in a fake beard and top hat is worth it for the laughs alone. Outfits do, however, tie into specific gameplay situations, usually involving sneaking into specific areas in disguise, be it into a London brothel, or the camps of a weird sewer-dwelling tribe that seemingly think you’re a god.
The inventory in this game could become a treasure trove of fun if given the remake treatment, with scope for the developers to add even more absurd weaponry and attire. Perhaps these could even provide a reason to have additional objectives and side quests weaved into the existing fabric of the game, which would also help expand the replayability of a potential remake.
A Fantastic Audio/Visual Aesthetic
If there’s one thing that MediEvil is renowned for, it’s unique visuals and an outstanding soundtrack. On a visual level, MediEvil 2 retains a lot of the same aesthetics, applying its gothic style to a new Victorian setting. Despite relying on dated PS1 graphics, MediEvil 2 manages to be just as charming, with some nice textures despite the limitations. Some of the levels within MediEvil 2 are arguably more detailed than the first game, meaning that recreating these visuals with modern tech could be a spectacle to behold.
Other Ocean’s take on the franchise for the PS4 might have stuck with a relatively safe glow up, but perhaps things could get a bit more courageous when it comes to a follow-up. A grittier, less cartoon-like take on this caper could benefit the series, keeping it fresh as we charge on into the next generation. MediEvil 2’s focus on the Victorian era perhaps provides a stage grim enough to make this work, with the transition from the mystical world of Gallowmere to the morbid streets of poverty-struck London adding some continuity to the potential change in aesthetic.
Accompanying these terrific visuals is a hauntingly good soundtrack, once again composed by the legendary Andrew Barnabas & Paul Arnold. These Elfman-inspired tracks are just as gorgeous as before, matching their assigned environments perfectly. From jaunty and silly, to sinister and menacing, these are tracks you’re not going to forget in a hurry. If this soundtrack was to be re-recorded using an orchestra, like its predecessor, then we could potentially end up with some of the best video game music of all time.
It might be tempting to start afresh, or indeed just lay the franchise to rest, but MediEvil has the potential to become the series that fans have always craved. MediEvil 2 might have its flaws, but this game holds the key to building upon the humor, gameplay, and world-building that first emerged during the dawn of 3D gaming. With a little bit of refinement, a touch of modernization, and a dash of technology, we could see Sir Dan’s journey reimagined, through this forgotten sequel and potentially beyond.
Can you believe it’s already been fifteen years since 2009? I feel older than Jason’s mother’s head. But never mind all that. We’re going to look into the past in celebratory fashion today and take a month-to-month look at what the world of horror looked like back in 2009.
The dreaded month of January kicked things off in usual January fashion with a forgettable title, The Unborn. A David S. Goyer picture that’s not very memorable but managed to be the sixth most successful horror film of 2009 domestically, raking in over $42 million at the box office.
Right behind it on the calendar was Patrick Lussier’s My Bloody Valentine 3D starring “Supernatural” actor Jensen Ackles. This slasher remake took the idea of January horror and embraced it, making a silly and gory slasher that was the world’s first R-rated film to ever use Real3D technology. Anyone looking for legitimate scares was probably pissed (the film has a 44% Rotten “Audience” rating) but genre fans had fun with it to the tune of over $51 million at the box office (on a $14 million budget).
Next up, releasing on January 30 was the sleepy PG-13 horror flick The Uninvited. For the life of me, I’ll never understand the choice to release a movie called The Uninvited two weeks after a movie called The Unborn; to be fair, most of us are unable to remember much about either of them.
The reboot of Friday the 13th was served up to us for Valentine’s Day Weekend 2009. A slasher movie that made a ton of money and had fans begging for a sequel… that never came. The Platinum Dunes reboot may not be universally beloved, but I know a fair share of fans (myself included) who thought the new Jason, Derek Mears, and team made a film that was both fun and brutal. And it was juicy enough to come in as the number three most successful domestic horror film in 2009 to the tune of over $65 million. Friday the 13th ’09 was nowhere near perfect but it was a damn fun time with some underrated Jason Voorhees moments and a sleek plan to tell Jason’s origin story quickly via flashbacks that some superhero franchises could learn from. Oh yeah, and it starred the other “Supernatural” bro, Jared Padalecki. I’m sensing a pattern here.
‘Last House on the Left’
Next up, yet another remake of a classic horror film: The Last House on the Left. Wes Craven wanted to see what his low-budget horror film would look like with a little walking around money and the results were that we, the audience, got to see a dude get his head microwaved. The critics weren’t huge fans but let’s be honest, it could have been a lot worse given the subject matter and lack of nuance in the 2000s. Last House went on to land itself in the top ten horror box office returns of the year.
March would also feature one of the many notches in Kyle Gallner’s horror belt, The Haunting in Connecticut, a movie with maybe too many generic possession genre moments to make a major dent in the status quo but enough to make it memorable. I’d take it over many of The Conjuring franchise spinoffs of today, personally. Though, they’re all very much alike.
April Horror would conjure nothing for audiences but Sam Raimi would bring the loud, scary, and funny back to the genre with Drag Me to Hell on May 29. This film that was somehow still PG-13 even with a cat murder, flying old lady eyeball, and mouth-to-mouth puke action was a blast to experience in the theater. Audiences agreed as the film ranked #7 on the horror box office of the year, cashing out at $42 million thanks to a loveable lead in Alison Lohman, the forever horror victim Justin Long, and some good old-fashioned, Evil Dead II-type fun.
‘Drag Me to Hell’
July would shock horror fans in a completely different way with adoption horror flick Orphan. The ending may have had all of us feeling super uncomfortable and shocked but the movie itself had adoption groups majorly upset at how the film depicted the dangers of adoption. So much so that the studio had to add a pro-adoption message to the film’s DVD. No matter, the performance of Isabelle Fuhrman would carry the film to a $41 million box office run and later spawn a decent prequel in 2022.
Speaking of collecting, The Collector was also released in July 2009 and was a pleasant surprise featuring a shitload of originality and some scares to boot. Yet another horror success that would make $10 million on a $3 million budget and spawn a sequel. We’re still waiting on third installment, which abruptly stopped shooting several years back under strange circumstances.
The fourth Final Destination film graced us with its predestined presence in 2009 as well with The Final Destination; the 3D one with the race car track opening. The film was (stop me if you’ve heard this one before) a financial success, raking in over $186 million (worldwide) on a $40 million budget.
Rob Zombie went Rob Zombie’ing as hard as he’s ever Rob Zombie’d with Halloween II later that month. He’d Rob Zombie so hard that we wouldn’t see Halloween on the big screen again until almost ten years later with Halloween 2018. And nothing controversial ever happened in the franchise again. *Shuts book* Stop trying to open it! NO! NOOOOOOOO!
‘Halloween II’
Another remake in Sorority Row was the first film to follow Rob Zombie’s divisive stab-a-thon with a schlocky Scream-esque slasher flick that had a good enough time and even boasted a few neat kills. Critics weren’t fans of this one but if you were? You’ll be happy to hear that writer Josh Stolberg just announced he’s working on the follow-up!
Sexy Horror September continued a week later with Jennifer’s Body and an all-new, emo kind of Kyle Gallner. Jennifer’s Body didn’t exactly crush it for the critics or the box office but has success in its own right and is considered somewhat of a cult classic thanks to some hilarious writing and leading performances from Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. Also, shout out to Adam Brody’s band Low Shoulder. Machine Gun Kelly could never.
Part of the low box office for Jennifer’s Body could have had something to do with what came next as Paranormal Activity would rock the horror world a week later. The genius marketing of the low-budget film would feature clips of audiences on night vision cameras losing their minds. Whether it scared you to death or you found the entire concept ridiculous, you had to see it for yourself. Paranormal Activity would bring in almost $200 million worldwide on a 15 THOUSAND dollar budget. I’m no mathematician but I’m pretty sure that’s good. The horror game changer may just be the most remembered of all the 2009 films and it’s one every studio in the world wanted to replicate.
‘Paranormal Activity’
One film’s game changer is another film’s flop as Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster’s space horror Pandorum had the unfortunate scheduling of lining up against Paranormal Activity on that fateful day and in turn, being mostly forgotten.
Spooky Season 2009 kicked off with the beloved horror-comedy Zombieland in October, complete with Jesse Eisenberg’s meta-rules for surviving a zombie apocalypse, Bill Murray, and Woody Harrelson who just wanted a fuckin’ Twinkie. There’s nothing like a good horror comedy and Zombieland proved that all the way to the bank, making $74 million domestically en route to a second film that brought back the entire cast.
It’s only been twelve seconds since I said the word remake, so let’s fix that. The Stepfather remake would follow a week later and be met by an audience getting a little sick of them. Unlike some of the other spirited remakes that surrounded this era in horror (not that they ever stopped), The Stepfather felt like an uninspired retread of the understated but completely messed up 1987 Terry O’Quinn horror cult classic. It’s largely been forgotten over the years.
“Who am I here?” Oh yeah, it’s October in the 2000, there’s bound to be a Saw movie around here somewhere. Saw VI would be released on the 23rd of October and continue the story of Detective Hoffman while adjusting the rates of some shady insurance adjustors. Saw VI would also fall victim to a little bit of Paranormal Activity mania with the film being bested by the continued rollout of its predecessor. Things were looking a little bleak for the franchise at this point. Probably none of us would have imagined that fifteen years later we’d be talking about the same director (Kevin Greutert) returning for the eleventh movie in the franchise.
‘The House of the Devil’
After all these humongous box office successes, sequels, and remakes it would be three memorable indie flicks that would round out October of 2009; the ultra fucked up Willem Dafoe, Lars von Trier sex/horror flick Antichrist, followed by Ti West’s ’70s haunter The House of the Devil and rounded out with some Australian torture horror in Sean Byrne’s The Loved Ones. All three movies each make their mark in their own special ways. What a way to end October.
But it was November that would bring the movie that scared me more than any other on this list: The Fourth Kind. A lot of you are assuredly rolling your eyes right now but this one messed me up on a cellular level despite it being a complete and total fake. The Fourth Kind decided to meld a traditional horror film with the stylings of The Blair Witch Project in an opening designed to make you believe it was based on a true story. An embarrassing attempt but the film itself had me afraid to sleep near windows at night after seeing those found footage abductions. It still messes with me, to be honest. WHY ARE THEIR MOUTHS STRETCHING SO MUCH?!?!
December was too busy doing Avatar and Alvin and the Chipmunks-type family affairs for any horror movies but even without it, 2009 was quite a year for horror. I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention some other memorable films that were released either straight to video, limited or overseas that year including Case 39 (that oven opening!), Exam, Daybreakers, Splice, Dead Snow, The Hills Run Red, The Descent 2, Blood Creek, Cabin Fever 2 and [REC] 2.
What were your horror favorites from 2009? Comment below and let us know!
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