I picked up MediEvil on the advice of my girlfriend, the original being one of her favourite games from her childhood and went in initially quite sceptical as to whether or not I would I enjoy it having never played the original.

At first the clunky controls and camera were off putting but once I adapted to the old school feel of it I was really able to let go and enjoy the game for what it was.

MediEvil is without a doubt a game of its time. A game from a time when games were made just to be fun without the need for a grand narrative or bloated filler content and that is just what it is. Fun.

Whilst overall MediEvil is a relatively easy game, every level brings new challenges through new tougher enemies, platforming and puzzles. The boss fights can also be quite challenging and feel downright chaotic at times especially when you get low on health knowing that if you die you are going to have to do the whole level all over again.

There were a couple times where I wished there were checkpoints after dying but in hindsight I am glad they were not added into this remake because it really added to the intensity of Boss Fights. There were at least 3 bosses that I emerged triumphant against critically close to death and feeling of victory was great under those circumstances.

I can't finish this review without touching on the updated graphics and music which I thought were absolutely fantastic. MediEvil really is the perfect Halloween video game and feels like playing a Tim Burton movie which I thought was awesome.

While painstakingly recreating the feel of the original, this version nails a superior remake with excellent upgrades to graphics and music and tweaks both core gameplay and adds bits and pieces that make it truly special to both people who loved the original MediEvil and those venturing into Gallowmere for the first time.

Sir Daniel Fortesque is a dead warrior brought back from the grave to fight the evil sorcerer Zarok and release his hold on the kingdom of Gallowmere. You'll be hacking and slashing through a variety of spooky levels and environments and slowly accruing upgrades to health and weapons via chalices you obtain when killing enough of enemies in a level. The game has a shield, a dash, a slash, and a charge, giving the player plenty of opportunities to waste enemies. You'll get basic weapons like a sword and a club and get more unique with magic longbows, dragon armor, and lightning down the road. The game's combat feels a bit smoother, with camera controls that operate similarly to the original but updated enough to give the player all the control they need during a fight.

There's a fantastic array of set pieces in the original MediEvil and they all come back for the remake. Haunted corn fields, pumpkin patches, the asylum grounds, a pirate ship - this game reminds us how wild and original these places were, and the graphics/music upgrades help. Characters and enemies are lovingly animated with their original voices intact (why fix what isn't broken?) and the music hits the same notes as the original but much more gothic and spooky. Bosses also get tweaks here and there, with the Pumpkin King getting a total overhaul to the captain of the Ghost Ship getting an extra phase to spice things up. Near the end is a set of Lost Soul quests that will give players too familiar with the original a lot more to do, with a special surprise that will warm their hearts.

MediEvil can be criticized for not being brand new, but the original game was already so well-crafted that all it needed was a few tweaks here and there to become an absolute classic. This remake goes the extra mile with those tweaks and a gorgeous graphical overhaul to make it the definitive MediEvil game.