Flashback (2013 video game)
Flashback (2013 video game) is a 2.5D platforming video game developed by VectorCell and published by Ubisoft. It is a remake of the 1992 game Flashback: The Quest for Identity, updating the graphics to high-definition and adding new gameplay mechanics while retaining the core story and environments.
Gameplay: The 2013 Flashback largely follows the same narrative as its predecessor, casting players as Conrad B. Hart, an amnesiac agent who must uncover a sinister alien plot. Gameplay consists of platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat. Compared to the original, this version incorporates new features like an experience point (XP) system that allows players to upgrade Conrad's skills, a new inventory system, and the ability to record and rewind sections of gameplay to overcome difficult challenges. Combat includes both ranged and melee options.
Story: Conrad B. Hart awakens in the jungles of Titan, a colonized moon of Saturn, with no memory of his past. As he explores, he slowly uncovers fragments of his identity, revealing that he was an agent investigating a conspiracy involving shape-shifting aliens known as the Morphs who are plotting to infiltrate Earth. Conrad must recover his memories and prevent the alien invasion.
Development: The game was developed by VectorCell, headed by Paul Cuisset, the lead designer of the original Flashback. The development aimed to modernize the classic game while maintaining its spirit. However, the remake received largely negative reviews due to its perceived clunky controls, inconsistent art style, and deviations from the original's design.
Reception: Flashback (2013) was generally poorly received by critics and players. Common criticisms included awkward controls, a weak storyline adaptation, graphical issues, and the feeling that the remake failed to capture the charm and challenge of the original Flashback. The addition of an XP and upgrade system, while intended to modernize the gameplay, was also criticized for not fitting with the original's design.