Nights
During their recent fiscal report, word came out that Sega is planning a “revival of major IPs.” This could mean any number of things are on the table, but there’s a few Sega series, in particular, that we think need to come back.
Character action and platforming games are going through a resurgence these days what with titles like Yooka-Laylee, Super Mario Odyssey, A Hat in Time, and Sonic Mania. Nights is yet another of those games that could easily capitalize on the revitalized genre, and a remade and rebooted title could create another minor mascot for Sega.
When it released on the Sega Saturn, Nights’ use of 3D graphics was incredibly impressive and the flying gameplay controlled surprisingly well, giving you much more of a fine-tuned control scheme versus the high-speed action of Sonic. Only two games were ever released in the series, the original and a sequel on the Nintendo Wii. Both games were received moderately well and their visuals and aesthetic were quite unique from anything else out there. The deluge of Sonic games has definitely started to takes its toll in recent years with titles like Sonic Boom and Sonic Forces, even if we also got the phenomenal Sonic Mania. Maybe Sega can try giving Sonic a little bit of time off, take a year or two to reset things and really invest in development, and in the meantime reboot Nights with a brand new entry.
There’s certainly potential in this short-lived series, especially on a console focused on families and younger gamers, like the Nintendo Switch.
Space Channel 5
If the recently announced Tetris Effect looks right up your alley, well you probably want to check out Space Channel 5 which comes from the mind of Tetsuya Mizuguchi, also working on the former. If you’ve played any of Mizuguchi’s other games like Rez or Child of Eden, you’d probably expect that Space Channel 5 is one trippy experience.
Space Channel 5 takes place 500 years in the future and has you playing the funky space reporter, Ulala. Throughout the game’s levels, you have to save hostages by grooving to the music in rhythm gameplay, as well as shooting bad guys in shooter style gameplay. The strange mix of gameplay styles makes Space Channel 5 something entirely unique, and one heck of an experience. With recent rhythm games like the Persona dancing titles and Taiko Drum Master, there’s certainly enough interest to drum up for a new Space Channel 5, and it’d be great to see Mizuguchi flex his creative muscles once again. Strangely, a VR experience titled Space Channel 5 VR: Ukiuki Viewing Show, but we’ve heard very little news since. Hopefully, Sega has something in the works for this quirky series.
Panzer Dragoon
Back in the days of plentiful rail-shooters Panzer Dragoon was at the top of the pack, dropping players into the middle of an epic fantasy story that lets them pilot a crazy powerful dragon equipped with lasers and guns. The series takes place on an unspecified post-apocalyptic planet, where civilization uses powerful technology created by The Ancients to wage war.
The series had quite a few entries, all the way up to Panzer Dragoon Orta on Xbox in 2002. Since then, however, the franchise has been completely quiet, something sad to see for what used to be such a huge series for Sega. It’s high time that Panzer Dragoon made a comeback, and it doesn’t even need to be a rail shooter. Go big and make an aerial combat game a la Lair, but without all the janky motion control and gimmicky elements. People love dragons, and there just aren’t enough games out there that let you ride your own. Considering how upset everyone was when Scalebound was canceled, maybe another dragon series could swoop in and save the day?
Jet Set Radio
Out of all of Sega’s many franchises and IPs, Jet Set Radio is probably the one demanded the most by fans. The stylish action/platformer title became a huge cult classic within gaming culture, and people absolutely adore its incredible sense of style and cool edginess. Jet Set Radio uses a simplified control scheme only requiring a few buttons, and each level has you playing as one of a gang of graffiti-tagging inline skaters. The goal is to rush around the level and tag each of the required spots, avoiding the authorities along the way. Jet Set Radio’s vibrant art style came to life with cel-shaded graphics that made the game look like it just sprang out of the pages of a comic book.
Sadly, since the release of the original game on Dreamcast we’ve only gotten one other game, Jet Set Radio Future on Xbox. The sequel is just as beloved as the original, if not more so, and diehard fans have been clamoring for another entry since. It seems like a prime candidate for Sega to revive, as their modern style is definitely about bringing very unique original experiences; just look at Yakuza, Valkyria Chronicles, and Super Monkey Ball. With the Japanese games industry going through a resurgence, now’s the time to bring a few hidden gems out.
Altered Beast
After its initial release and a sequel on for the Game Boy Advance, Sega tried to update Altered Beast with a new entry on PS2, rather unsuccessfully. The PS2 game simply titled Altered Beast never made it to North America, and was met with a very mixed reception in Japan and Europe in 2005. Since then, however, the character action genre has gone through leaps and bounds with series like God of War, Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and more all bringing some fantastic updates to the genre.
With Nintendo footing the bill for Bayonetta right now, Sega could use a quality character action game to round out their library. While the original Altered Beast was set in ancient Rome and used magical spirit balls to turn the protagonist into a werewolf, the newer game opted for a modern story with a scientific experiment as the explanation. It’d be much interesting to go back to an ancient setting and let players run around a historical area as a mutated creature. The first Altered Beast was a well-loved game, and it’d be great to see a proper comeback.
Streets of Rage
Streets of Rage is one of the most beloved cult classic series that Sega has ever made, even though we haven’t seen a new entry since the days of the Sega Genesis. The game casts you as three young former police officers named Adam, Axel, and Blaze as they fight to take back their city now overtaken by criminal syndicates. Streets of Rage and its two sequels were some of the defining beat ’em up games of the day, and gorgeous sprite work, as well as a rocking electronic soundtrack, made the games even better.
Sadly, Streets of Rage 3 on Sega Genisis would be the last new entry we’d see for the series, meaning we haven’t seen something new since 1994. All three games have been re-released countless times, but fans begging for more Streets of Rage have been left high and dry. If Sega’s going to bring anything back for a remake, Streets of Rage has to be in the mix. Either a brand new beat ’em up or a completely reimagined remake, no matter which avenue they might choose Streets of Rage deserves to come back.
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