There are plenty of enterprising gamers out there that are willing to go the extra mile to do what others don’t even dream of doing. One instance of this occurrence is the “re-imagining” of class, retro, games such as Mario, Sonic, Zelda, etc. These are beloved games (even if their more current iterations leave something to be desired) and fans are not quite ready to accept the current builds as “the end all be all” for these, and other series. Here are a handful of some of the more interesting Unreal Engine 4 re-imaginings by fans. Keep in mind these are not official and will probably never be fleshed out to be more than what they are at the moment (those pesky lawyers tend to get involved around this point).

#1- Shenmue Dojo and Hazuki Residence

Considering the hoopla that Shenmue is receiving right now, thanks to quite a successful Kickstarter campaign, we felt it only fair to include this stunning piece of detailed work (working for clicks folks). The detail we see in this video (above) is quite stunning, this is quite a fan service for many fans of the Shenmue series so enjoy. Everyone else has already scrolled past.

Source: Game Freak 365

#2- World of Warcraft Location Re-Imagined in Unreal Engine 4

World of Warcraft is quite an interesting title to study. Starting as a paid subscription based Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) that has seen quite a bit of success. On the other hand, there is also a free to play version that allows cheapskates to get in on the game, get hooked or drop it like a hot potato and only be out the time of a download. The interesting part is that they run both options simultaneously, something other MMORPG titles have not been able to replicate.

The video shows off a meadow style area that, if you click over to Gamespot, you can see is quite an upgrade from the original version. The scene changes time of day as the video plays, showing off quite a bit of care from the developer trying to “get it just right”.

Source: Gamespot

#3- Half Life 2 Opening Area

This is not a video but a series of screen shots by an artist that wanted to use Unreal Engine 4 to show others what the opening scene of Half Life 2 could look like. The detail is quite striking when compared to the original versions by Valve’s team. The first thing that will strike most that view these shots is that everything is not “pristine” and perfect, rather there is trash strewn about and decay visible.

Source: http://www.geek.com/news/this-is-what-half-life-2-would-look-like-in-unreal-engine-4-1590023/

#4- Pokemon Run Wild

Ever want to see what Pokemon would possibly look like when Nintendo releases their latest console in 2053? Thanks to an indie developer using Unreal Engine 4, you can see what Pokemon might possibly look like in the future. That is if you are a Charizard fan, anyhow, you will be liking this video quite a bit.

Source: Gamerant.com

#5- Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (saving the best for last)

This was one of those titles that Nintendo really needed on the Nintendo 64 back in the day. OoT was seen by fans in a similar fashion as Super Mario 64 was received- a 3D update to a classic that was loved by many gamers the world over. What you can expect in this video is a remake of the “Temple of Time” and it has never looked this good, certainly not on the Nintendo 64.

Source: GimmeGimmeGames.com

There you go, five interesting re-imaginings of classic retro games using Unreal Engine 4. Do you have a recommendation of a classic game getting a facelift using modern engines?

Carl Williams

It is time gaming journalism takes its rightful place as proper sources and not fanboys giving free advertising. If you wish to support writers like Carl please use the links below. https://www.paypal.me/WCW https://www.patreon.com/CarlWilliams