Project Formation Z -- The Remake

[m.sniffles.esq]

From your buddies at Granzella

Coming in 202X

[Rastan78]

Watching that trailer reminded me of the Thexder Neo remake for PSP. That one was done by Zereo who also did the newer Ikaruga ports.

[Sengoku Strider]

That looks dope. I'm in.

[DenimDemon]

Those explosion are taken directly from Final 2. The whole trailer looks like a Rtype Final 2 DLC.

[xxx1993]

Ooh, this is unexpected…

[Sengoku Strider]

Those explosion are taken directly from Final 2. The whole trailer looks like a Rtype Final 2 DLC.

I mean, who knows if they even have a pre-alpha build at this point. if they're putting year X in the release date they can't be very far along, I'm sure we're seeing a lot of placeholder assets.

[kid aphex]

Doesn’t look awful… but certainly doesn’t look great.
Looks… lifeless.
Sort of like R-Type Final 2.

[Necronom]

Those explosion are taken directly from Final 2. The whole trailer looks like a Rtype Final 2 DLC.

It's obviously the same engine. They're also recycling assets...in a sort of creative way
I don't mind if it plays fine.

[BulletMagnet]

if they're putting year X in the release date they can't be very far along, I'm sure we're seeing a lot of placeholder assets.

Alternatively, how many times did Cave recycle the explosion graphics and sound effects from DoDonPachi over the years (some bullet types too, IIRC), and they're not remotely alone in that regard, either within the realm of shmupdom or without; everyone draws the line where reused content crosses over into "excessive" territory in a different place, but I personally wouldn't be surprised, or necessarily put off, if the existing assets do wind up in the finished product.

[Sengoku Strider]

if they're putting year X in the release date they can't be very far along, I'm sure we're seeing a lot of placeholder assets.

Alternatively, how many times did Cave recycle the explosion graphics and sound effects from DoDonPachi over the years (some bullet types too, IIRC), and they're not remotely alone in that regard, either within the realm of shmupdom or without; everyone draws the line where reused content crosses over into "excessive" territory in a different place, but I personally wouldn't be surprised, or necessarily put off, if the existing assets do wind up in the finished product.

How many times did every Japanese company in the 90s recycle anime explosion sounds? Like, all of the times.

[Lander]

It certainly has that Granzella style - solid assets run through a top-level renderer (I shan't say top-level engine, since Unreal is an arthiritic old crank underneath all of its graphical bells and whistles ) with a lack of attention paid to the PBR channels and other art parameters needed to really get the most out of the tech.

I won't be holding my breath for polish, seeing as Final 2 still has some ropey-looking base game areas a year or so into its life. Perhaps this will be different since it's a focused remake rather than an anthology-dlc-content-platform-a-do, but better to assume that what we're shown is close to what we'll get.

Criticism aside, the gameplay looks like some novel fun. Kind of reminds me of Transbot on the master system, only with much more going on and better differentiation between the jet and robot forms. Angling your shot based on ship pitch seems unconventional (read: utter heresy), but has the potential to be a powerful tool if it controls well.

And that city stage fly-in is very R-Type Delta I'm a sucker for the imagery of a starfighter screaming in to save the day, so that's an easy and effective pop-off.

[To Far Away Times]

if they're putting year X in the release date they can't be very far along, I'm sure we're seeing a lot of placeholder assets.

Alternatively, how many times did Cave recycle the explosion graphics and sound effects from DoDonPachi over the years (some bullet types too, IIRC), and they're not remotely alone in that regard, either within the realm of shmupdom or without; everyone draws the line where reused content crosses over into "excessive" territory in a different place, but I personally wouldn't be surprised, or necessarily put off, if the existing assets do wind up in the finished product.

There's a particular "egg shell shaped shrapnel bit" that is used in nearly everything CAVE ever made. Blow up a giant bug or a dinosaur... okay that checks out. But shoot down a giant space ship, the still use it. Destroy a guy with a crazy angelic wing back back, sure it fits there too I suppose. Blow up a giant cow, why not use it there too? You don't pay per use.

They can't resist that thing the way foley artists in movies can't resist the doppler shift semi truck horn sound.

[Rastan78]

I feel like Psikyo had to be recycling a lot of explosion effects between games. Never looked at them close enough to be totally sure though.

Actually a lot of great games heavily rely on reusing assets. Even some of the best of all time. Metal Slugs, Raiden Fighters, Capcom and SNK fighters ad nauseum, Zelda Oracle of Ages/Seasons, guest ships in Batrider etc etc.

Sure you don't want to excuse some kind of cheap ass shovelware approach, but if reusing some assets leads to a better game within the given time and budget I'm all for it.

I think there's also something to be said for how certain series ie the Slugs, Raiden Fighters and Zelda GBC games form sort of a cohesive set of games out of familiar building blocks.

[EmperorIng]

The asset reuse is amusing but not a big deal for me. Honestly what strikes me the most about the trailer is the random, "my first game made in Unreal" tier enemy placement and movement (sine waves!). I know it's a proof of concept but Granzella should have more tricks up their sleeve than that, it looks very similar to the barebones Final2 trailers and those were years ago now. Here's to hoping we see some real improvement.

[Jeneki]

I see transforming mechs, I want to play.

It's certainly been an interesting past few years. Cotton sequel, Terra Cresta sequel, now Formation Z.

[Despatche]

Oh, I was wondering what that image was about. Interesting, wonder if it'll be something like Sol Cresta.

"something that was never great in the past", Christ people do not deserve video games.

[Rastan78]

There's a new trailer for this one

https://youtu.be/SDY2VM7XNJc?si=kXwda8PcNj0HxQyZ

[Lander]

They sure frontloaded the weakest part... The disparity between image quality and everything else in that hangar / takeoff scene could easily pass for an asset flip.

Worlds are at stake.

Tell my significant other 'hello'.

The rest looks a bit more promising - nice deep parallax on some of those city backgrounds.