3 Reasons Why Pandemonium Should Be the Next Crystal Dynamics Remaster

In the last few years, there have been many game remasters that few players expected to see. This includes the original Tomb Raider games and the first three Metal Gear Solid entries, all to the delight of many. Yet there are some games out there that are still lost to time.

One great example is Pandemonium, a 2.5D platformer that first debuted in 1996 for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles and PC. This year was transitional for developers, as they were getting to grips with the newer hardware that could render fully 3D worlds but weren’t sure how they could yet take advantage. 3D games like Crash Bandicoot and Tomb Raider, released in the second half of 1996, were great examples of what could be done, but Pandemonium did something unique.

Instead of just having a 2D game with 3D graphics, levels would wrap around certain objects, like bosses, letting the player take advantage of certain magical abilities and other aspects that made the game feel fresh. The sequel took this a few steps further, with drivable tanks, slippery slopes, and funkadelic music.

It’s all the more reason why, with remasters of Gex and Croc in development, it should be next. With this in mind, we’ve listed three reasons why developer Crystal Dynamics should do this and bring the series back into the public fold with a Pandemonium remaster or remake.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 3 Reasons Why Pandemonium Should Be Remastered
3. The Bottom Line
4. FAQs
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 3 Reasons Why Pandemonium Should Be Remastered
3. The Bottom Line
Show Full Guide
4. FAQs
5. References

3 Reasons Why Pandemonium Should Be Remastered

1. The Bosses Were Innovative in 1997

Although both Pandemonium games are 2.5D based, the bosses were innovative for their time. For example, the final boss in the first game, Wishing Engine, requires you to fire a cannon against the spider-like enemy by jumping and running on the cannon’s controls. Another is a giant henchman, where you have to jump up high in the sky to defeat him, and before the hits are made, the boss looks up as if to realize it’s the end for them.

Pandemonium’s sequel only takes this up to another level, with the ability to control a mech, fly around an evil Buddha as you fire projectiles, and even more. Seeing all of these remastered, similar to Soul Reaver, would be fantastic to see.

2. The Sequel Is Nuts

In the ’90s, you would expect a videogame sequel to simply build upon what worked while introducing new mechanics. Tomb Raider 2 and Crash Bandicoot 2 are great examples of this, but Pandemonium 2 took this mantra and ran away with it.

While the first Pandemonium game offered abilities like ice projectiles and transformations into different animals, the sequel lets you control mechs and tanks, wear moon boots, play a take on the classic game, Breakout, and much more. Every one of the 10 levels offers something you don’t expect — take a look at YouTuber Sean Seanson’s analysis of the game to see how random the game is capable of.

Yet for all of this madness, it still works and fits the series, so to see these levels in a remastered form in all their 4K glory would be a psychedelic trip for many, but a fun one.

3. The Music Is Iconic

A big feature of the Pandemonium series is the music, which is a mix of slapdash medieval themes, mixed in with mid-90s trance music. Just listen to both soundtracks from Pandemonium and its sequel, and you’ll be tempted to listen to both from start to finish.

There’s something that gives a ‘just one more listen’ vibe to these soundtracks. Thanks to the advent of consoles using disks, we could listen to music full of instruments, rather than midi-music, which was abundant in the previous console generation. Here is a slice of the potential of CD Audio, and if there’s ever a remaster of the Pandemonium games, a dedicated music player mode would be very welcome.

The Bottom Line

The 90s are seeing a resurgence in many ways, not just with gaming. Fashion trends like horizontal-striped t-shirts, dungarees, colored sunglasses, and more are rumored to return in force for 2025 and beyond. After seeing so many games from the 90s be re-released for modern platforms, it makes sense for lesser-known franchises to be given another lease of life for new and nostalgic players alike.

Pandemonium is one of the greatest examples of this. The first game, in particular, marked a time when developers were transitioning from 2.5D to 3D graphics, but original developers, Toys for Bob, knew they could make something fun for players who were discovering what the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles were capable of.

Seeing the Pandemonium games remastered would be fantastic and would showcase how a lesser-known series fared in a time before Tomb Raider and Super Mario 64 arrived to redefine gaming. After all, if something like Gex can return, why can’t Pandemonium?

FAQs