With the release of SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated almost upon us, fans are starting to notice just how improved Nickelodeon's yellow sponge looks on current generation hardware. Published by THQ Nordic and developed by Purple Lamp Studios, Rehydrated brings the 2003 platformer into the modern era with updated graphics, improved gameplay, and a few sequences saved from the cutting room floor. The new release was first announced in June of last year during E3 2019, and it's one of many remastered and reimagined works put out by THQ Nordic in recent years. The strategy is part of an effort to reinvigorate the brand after THQ's closure in September of 2013. Now under new management, Rehydrated joins Destroy All Humans, Saints Row: The Third, Red Faction: Armageddon, and the Darksiders series on modern platforms and PC.
THQ Nordic first announced an intent to publish new and remastered works based on Nickelodeon characters back in 2018, mentioning titles based on everything from Invader Zim to El Tigre. When that news broke, many fans speculated that Battle for Bikini Bottom would be the first game to get the remastered treatment, as it is considered a great era-centric platformer despite its origins as a licensed kid's game.
That brings us to the comparison between the 2003 release and this month's remake. The good folks at IGN put together a video showing the two games running through similar scenarios, and the difference is plain to see. The world of Bikini Bottom has a distinct blur in the original game that's completely gone in the new release. Aspects of the backgrounds that were once plastered on textures are now fully 3D objects, and character models are far more complex. Everyone from Plankton to Patrick Star matches up much more to their television counterparts in both looks and animation, with dialogue making the game feel like it's a perfect recreation of the cartoon show.
One aspect of the comparison video that has garnered some criticism is the game's framerate, which looks less smooth than the original gameplay it's presented alongside. This doesn't seem to be a problem with other gameplay videos that have come out regarding Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated, so it could be an issue with the source recording used in the comparison. Developers at Purple Lamp Studios have vowed that the game is aiming for 60FPS on all platforms. This also goes for the game's new multiplayer component, a horde mode where SpongeBob and the gang have to fight mobs of robotic foes for as long as they can.
It's rare to see licensed games from the PlayStation 2 get such a welcomed upgrade on modern platforms, but we may see more of that as time goes on. Nostalgia is always a viable product, and the people who grew up on games like Halo: Combat Evolved, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and The Bouncer are now old enough to demand returns to their childhood. After all, SpongeBob celebrated its 20th-anniversary last year, and there are now fans of the property in many different age groups. The fact that such an impressive looking reimagining is afforded to a licensed property is even more astounding considering how many of those games get lost to the annals of time.
While many games from the '90s and noughties won't be getting a next-gen upgrade anytime soon, we can hope that the best games of each era can live on in this way, even if they included characters from other mediums.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated arrives on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 23, 2020. Purchase it here: https://rehydrated.thqnordic.com/#order-here
More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces Voice Cast for 'Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years', First-Ever 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Spinoff!
Originally source: Screenrant.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and SpongeBob SquarePants News and Highlights!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have your say by leaving a comment below! NickALive! welcomes friendly and respectful comments. Please familiarize with the blog's Comment Policy before commenting. All new comments are moderated and won't appear straight away.