Classic Sci-Fi Game ‘Flashback’ is Getting a Sequel (Again)

Gaming developer Microids has just revealed some pretty fantastic gaming news. They’ve revealed that they’re working on a direct sequel to Flashback! This is amusing, as they seem to be glossing over the fact that it already had a sequel that came out in the mid-’90s. My history with Flashback goes back to the Sega Megadrive (Sega Genesis to some international readers). The 16-bit sci-fi side scroller was just about the coolest thing ever, with its slick (for the time) CGI introduction and surprisingly minimal yet engaging story, and stunning rotoscoped animations. I can still remember the damn level codes for the game; we played it so much back in the day!

However, I also recall playing a fully 3D sequel on the PlayStation 1 called Fade to Black. It was a jerky mess and pretty clunky to play, but find me a full 3D shooter from the PlayStation in 1995 that wasn’t. However, other than a few enemy interactions and puzzles, it was pretty forgettable to me compared to the original, but also painfully hard to play, so I don’t think I ever finished it.

Fade to Black

Flashback Remake/Remaster

Of course, the original 1992 game also saw a full remake in 2013, giving it a 2.5D treatment, some voice-overs, and a whole new look. I prefer the original myself, but the remake was a lot of fun too and I even recently started playing through it again!

Flashback 2

Now with Flashback approaching 30 years old… yikes, Microids has revealed Flashback 2, suggesting they’re sidestepping the Fade to Black release entirely. It’ll hit consoles and PC some time next year, and while details are limited, we’re broadly aware that E3 is next month, so we may see some more information then.