Video Games
‘Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition’ Delayed From 2020 Release
Some unfortunate news this weekend from Nightdive Studios, as the anticipated release of Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition has been pushed back. Originally due out later this year, Nightdive Studios CEO Stephen Kick made the announcement in an interview with Eurogamer that the game will no longer be released in 2020.
The reasoning behind the delay is due to the multiple challenges the team has faced since they began the remaster. “There have been some obstacles we’ve had to overcome in terms of the old technology the game uses,” Kick said. “And our hunt for the original source code and assets have come up empty.”
Kick continues, saying that Nightdive has had discussions with EA (which had bought Westwood Studios) about anything else related to the game that was in EA’s vaults, but couldn’t get a definitive answer. “And even if there was something, it’s very unlikely they would release it to us for legal reasons, mostly, which is a bit of a disappointment, because we were hoping to at least get the original audio recordings. So we’re basically working off what was in the original game at this point and not having access to any original stuff.”
As a result, Nightdive has has to reverse engineer the code, which is a task in an of itself, as the team has to create tools that will allow them to extract the original art assets. Complicating matters is the fact that Westwood had to heavily compress the video for the game, meaning that the video will more than likely have to be upscaled.
While this is an unfortunate setback, if you’re looking to get your Blade Runner fix , you can always buy the original version of the game from GOG.com, which now runs on modern PCs.
Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Video Games
Immerse Yourself in Mystery with Narrative-Driven Folk Horror Title ‘The Polar Darkness’ [Trailer]
Independent developer Horsefly Games has announced their own brand of folk horror with The Polar Darkness, a narrative-driven mystery inspired by Finnish folklore, classic investigative adventures, and cosmic horror. Accompanying the announcement is the first trailer, which offers the first look at the game’s visual style, mystery-driven gameplay, and isolated northern Finnish setting.
Coming to Steam next year, the game is set during the polar night (Kaamos) of 1980s northern Finland. Players take on the role of journalist Emma Järvelä as she travels to the isolated village of Sysiluoma to investigate a controversial revival movement led by a charismatic cult leader and her child preacher. When the child mysteriously disappears during a sermon, and a blizzard cuts off all contact with the outside world, Emma becomes trapped in a community where every resident seems to be hiding a different version of the truth.
The Polar Darkness emphasizes investigation, dialogue, observation, and deduction. Players will question villagers, gather clues, solve environmental puzzles, and piece together a mystery rooted in local history, folklore, and something ancient buried somewhere deep.
“Classic mystery adventures such as Gabriel Knight were a major inspiration,” said Juho Kuorikoski, creator of The Polar Darkness. “I wanted to create a story that captures that sense of investigation, folklore, and slow-burning dread, but through a distinctly Finnish lens.”
The story unfolds across three days using a time-based structure mechanic. Complete tasks and objectives to advance the game’s internal clock. Characters move and events change as time passes, and choices determine what you see and what you miss. Each playthrough reveals a different perspective on the truth.
The game features a distinct visual presentation that combines photographic 2D characters based on real actors to atmospheric 3D environments. Complementing the visuals is a soundtrack heavily inspired by Finnish folk music, composed and performed by Finnish folk artists.