Nightdive Studios has revealed Killing Time Resurrected, the latest of their deep cut 1990s shooter rereleases.
The trailer confirms that Nightdive is working on this title with Ziggurat Interactive, who is likely the IP holder for this game. It was also confirmed for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. It is also coming to PC on Steam, Epic Games Store, and on Humble Bundle. But of course, we expect this multiplatform release for a Nightdive title.
Killing Time is an interesting choice for a remaster project for so many reasons. Primarily, there was a big reason to embark on this remaster for so many years. Killing Time was originally a 3DO exclusive, and it came to Windows and Mac in the following years. That 3DO exclusivity made it one of the biggest titles for that platform, which, of course, didn’t help the game itself all that much.
But it shouldn’t have been this way. Acclaim announced they got the rights to port Killing Time to Windows, PlayStation, and the Sega Saturn, alongside other 3DO titles. They ended up not following through with this promise, and 3DO itself would make the Windows and Macintosh ports. This is the first time that the game will be released on PlayStation or Nintendo platforms, which did exist back then, as well as Xbox, which wasn’t even around at the time.
Killing Time also has a unique premise in a time when FPSes were only starting to explore ideas beyond the Doom and Doom clone paradigm. The game is set in a 1932 rich person’s party, which goes awry when someone invokes an Egyptian curse. Instead of a gungho boomstick wielding Bruce Campbell type, you are an archaeology student, stuck in an heiress’ isle surrounded by all manner of ghouls and ghosts. But at least you’re uniquely qualified to get into the bottom of this mystery.
So you’re doing double duty as the private investigator, as well as the police action. But the game also looks completely unique, to this very day. Aside from the live action FMV style cutscenes, you will see live action full motion footage of characters in the middle of gameplay itself. That’s pretty much how each enemy looks like.
But if you were expecting the stiff movements of a Mortal Kombat, that’s not what this is. Instead, think more like Atari’s Area 51 light gun shooter, perhaps a little more effectively spooky to boot.
The preview footage we have seen so far makes it look like Nightdive used their proprietary KEX engine, but also used the original game’s live action full motion footage, and upscaled and sped up their animations. If you’re someone who’s played the original, no doubt, this remaster looks like it got hyped up on caffeine and nootropics.
This one looks like a game to watch out for, for at least its novelty factor. You can watch the announce trailer for Killing Time Resurrected below.
