In the long-forgotten year 2003, an FPS named XIII was released. Based on a graphic novel, the title was lauded for its cel-shaded look, making it appear as a comic book come to life. Back in 2020, a remake of the game was released for modern consoles. It was terrible. Besides numerous bugs, the game’s aesthetic was made more lifelike, destroying one of the original’s key innovations. Patches for the XIII remake rolled out, but the damage was done. Now, publisher Microids is working to correct its mistakes. A remake of the XIII remake is headed to Nintendo Switch on September 13, and the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions will also get a patch containing all the enhancements.
Here is footage of the Switch version in action:
Right off the bat, it is obvious this updated version of the FPS is adhering to the original’s art style. The gameplay looks smooth as well. Online multiplayer and reworked AI were also added.
Microids Is “Terribly Sorry”
Over at the Microids blog (via VGC), the publisher stated French studio Tower Five is handling developer duties this time. (The 2020 version was helmed by PlayMagic.) Stéphane Longeard, CEO of Microids, addressed the sorry state of the 2020 version, stating, “We are fully aware and terribly sorry that the initial launch of XIII Remake on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC did not reach players’ expected quality standards.” He also said, “We really wanted to take the time to fix the game and offer owners of XIII Remake a free update paying the best possible tribute to the original game we all love.”
To reiterate, the vastly updated XIII remake will launch on September 13 on Nintendo Switch. The free major update will be available the same day for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions. Good on Microids to address players’ concerns in this way. I hope it is not too little, too late.
