Editorials
6 MORE Horror Games That Deserve Next-Gen Remakes!
As we continue to get used to our shiny new consoles and prepare for the glorious games — some familiar, some not — they have in store for us, I’d like to take a moment to look back at some of the standout horror franchises of yesteryear that have yet to make the transition to next-gen. These are the games that deserve a second chance, an opportunity for another generation of gamers to experience their wonders much like many of us did so many years ago.
Read on for my list of 6 MORE Horror Games That Deserve Next-Gen Remakes!
I couldn’t decide between the two, so I decided to cheat and include both. The reasoning behind this is that while it’d be weird to remake System Shock 2 before tackling the original, personally, I would much prefer a remake of the second game over the first. Granted, System Shock 2′ “big reveal” is fairly well-known by now, but that doesn’t keep me from craving another go through the Von Braun.
System Shock and its sequel released in 1994 and 1999, respectively, so I’m sure there’s a large number of horror fans out there who haven’t experienced the creepy survival horror majesty that is this series, and specifically, its malevolent rogue AI antagonist, SHODAN. It’s been so long since she called me a “pathetic sack of meat and bone.”
Every time I think about Fatal Frame and start to feel myself getting bummed out, I remember DreadOut — indie gaming’s answer to the industry’s seeming inability to give gamers what they want. While there’s a solid chance we’ll never hear from this series again, or at least not outside of Japan, I have hope that someone, somewhere, at some time will decide to give one of the early entries in this beloved franchise a reboot. No other series offers the visceral thrill that comes with waiting until the very last second to snap a picture of the malevolent spirit that’s coming your way.
I’d even settle for an “HD” port. That seems to be the craze these days, and while it wouldn’t even come close to a next-gen reboot, at this point, I’ll take any opportunity I’m given to return to this awesome survival horror series.
Back in 2001, Clive Barker took a break from wrapping people up in leather and hanging them from chains and various torture devices to bring us the overlooked and largely underappreciated horror gem that is Clive Barker’s Undying. A bit of the occult mixed with elements of the supernatural, Undying might not have aged well, but it’s still very much worth your time. I’d venture to say it’d be even more worthy if it had a fresh coat of paint slapped on it.
I still need something to wash the bitter taste left by Jericho out of my mouth.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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