"Zone of the Enders" is one franchise which PC gamers must have thought would never grace their computer screens (without using emulators, anyway). That prediction is set to be proven wrong, as during the Tokyo Game Show Konami confirmed that the second, and best, game will be receiving a 4K remaster in 2018.
Entitled "Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - MARS," this enhanced version of the original "The Second Runner" will be available on PC and PlayStation 4.
A retrospective
For those who did not own a PlayStation 2 or could not get their hands on a copy of the original, this is great news.
One of the hardest games on the console, "Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner" mixed hack and slash gameplay with third-person shooting. Originally released in 2003, as a follow-up to the decent but unextraordinary "Zone of the Enders," this improved upon its predecessor in pretty much every way imaginable.
Removing the more open gameplay from the first entry in the series, "The Second Runner" benefitted from linear levels and a focus on gameplay above anything else. The combat is still really enjoyable, and fast-paced, so we can see it transferring well to the current generation.
The plot is rather complicated to explain, as it involved a power source called the Orbital Flame and evil corporations.
Admittedly, "Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - MARS" is unlikely to surprise anyway in terms of story, especially if they are familiar with anime.
This is not the first time the series is being brought back from the dead, as an HD collection including both games that were produced and released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
While it was a pack worth buying, just because the original versions were not the easiest to find on the previous generation, the upcoming version might end up being the definitive version.
What will be included?
From what is announced, "Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - MARS" features improved visuals and reworked audio.
As the original is one of the best looking games of the time, with the HD version being particularly impressive, not a lot really needs to be done to bring this remaster up to scratch.
Frankly, the thought of experiencing Konami's classic on a high-end gaming PC is exciting, to say the least. It is even set to be playable on the PlayStation VR, which might make that expensive system worth buying.
For those still not convinced, it is best to check out some gameplay videos. Prepared to be amazed.
