THQ Nordic's first digital showcase marked the official reveal of Destroy All Humans 2! Reproped, one in a long series of remasters and remakes that the publisher and its fellow companies under the Embracer Group has put out. Destroy All Humans! joins Red Faction, Darksiders, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Kingdoms of Amalur as cult hits that fans are happy to see make their return to modern platforms. Still, the vaults at THQ Nordic are bursting with other older games that could make a splash in today's environment. As players prepare for Crypto's best-remembered adventure to hit their consoles, perhaps it's also time to speculate as to what games from generations past should make their surprise return in the near future.
Some of the games players might think of as THQ classics aren't actually under the THQ Nordic banner. Much of the brand's late run in the Xbox 360 era (Darksiders, Metro, Saints Row) is currently housed under Deep Silver. Other older franchises may have appeared briefly under the THQ Nordic name before the overall group changed its name to Embracer Group. This means that there are new Painkiller and TimeSplitters games in the works, but they'll also be published under a company other than the existing THQ Nordic.
It's certainly a lot to keep track of, but with several of Embracer's publishing arms beginning to have their own presentations and identities, perhaps it will get easier over time. For now, the following games remain prime candidates for a THQ Nordic revival either due to their original developers or an established history with the brand that could bring back fans. Considering that these releases also save these games from the dustbin of history, THQ Nordic's ongoing plans to embrace the past are a win-win for everyone.
Destruction derby fans who enjoy Wreckfest would appreciate a look back at developer Bugbear's previous car games, the Flatout series. The three original Flatout games were cult hits in their time, garnering enough popularity to push Wreckfest to crowdfunding success. The original game and its sequel were from the PS2 era and released there alongside ports for the original Xbox. An enhanced port of Flatout 2, known as Ultimate Carnage, was also released on Xbox 360, providing many with their first glimpse of the series. Each game made its way to PC in due time, and they remain available on Steam, but their compatibility with modern systems is shaky at best.
A Flatout revival would require some negotiating on the part of THQ Nordic to acquire the franchise rights from Nacon, who last published a Flatout game with a different developer back in 2017. If a deal can be struck, a collection of the three original games with all the bells and whistles could be a fine companion piece to Wreckfest that preserves those games for modern audiences. Perhaps it could also be a window into whatever racing game the team has in the works for the future.
Known today for the MX vs. ATV franchise and their recent pair of Monster Jam games, developer Rainbow Studios has a rich history of interesting titles that haven't seen the light of day in quite a while. One such game is Splashdown, a jetski racing game in the vein of Nintendo's more well-known Wave Race.
The first Splashdown was a realistic take on the sport and was originally published by Infogrames before it became Atari. In the second game, Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild, Rainbow Studios went for more of an arcade racing vibe with over-the-top vehicles and roller coaster-esque track layouts. Even Nintendo hasn't revisited the concept since the GameCube days, meaning that a well-made remake or reimagining of either of these water-bound racers could be the kind of niche filler that THQ Nordic specializes in.
Rainbow Studios is primarily a racing game studio, but its catalog also has some unique gems that are well worth another look. Perhaps the most unique of these is Deadly Creatures, a Wii-exclusive action game where players take control of a scorpion and a spider and try to survive out in the wild against natural predators. The game features vocal performances from Dennis Hopper and Billy Bob Thornton, but that wasn't enough to save it from low sales at release.
Despite failing to generate interest upon its initial release, Deadly Creatures has garnered a cult following from anyone who did have a chance to play it. While it was released on the Wii, it didn't have any pointer controls or other features that would make it hard to translate to a traditional gamepad. Considering how much of a buzz Maneater generated based on its concept alone, it's clear that another game where players take on the animal kingdom on its own terms could be a hit.
The PlayStation 2 era was a time of experimentation for gaming, with many developers testing the limits of 3D game design now that they had a handle on it. This meant lots of new franchises, including Alter Echo from THQ and developer Outrage Games. Released just on PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2003, it was one of many unique games competing for market share in a time where significantly fewer people were playing video games.
While the developer is no more, Alter Echo is one of the games acquired by THQ Nordic in its initial purchase during THQ's bankruptcy sale. The game itself matches with Destroy All Humans, providing a unique blend of 3D action and puzzles that just needs a new coat of paint to shine on modern hardware.
Another unique pair of games from THQ's vault is Stuntman and its Xbox 360 sequel Stuntman: Ignition. Developed by the now-defunct Paradigm Entertainment, the Stuntman games had players taking on the titular role on movie sets that were very reminiscent of films popular at the time. Instead of racing, this driving game was all about hitting certain objectives and making the scene go smoothly, which is something that hasn't really been matched in another game since.
Much like how New Blood Interactive's Ultrakill drops players into famous action scenes, THQ Nordic's Stuntman could once again let them relive the best car chases in cinematic history. While the game would probably benefit most from a sequel considering how many Fast and Furious movies have been released since the last entry, even a remake would be welcome. It would just be a shame to leave such a unique concept on the cutting room floor for much longer.
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