There’s one thing… effectively… magical about 2010’s Wii-exclusive Epic Mickey getting a remake in 2024. As those that performed the unique know, the sport itself is a quest by way of a realm of forgotten Disney characters and sights referred to as the Wasteland and, after enjoying a demo of Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed at D23, I’m extra assured than ever that this journey with a powerful new coat of paint will fortunately not be misplaced to the unforgiving palms of time, like some that sadly got here earlier than it.
What impressed me probably the most about Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is how a lot it seems to be and, maybe most significantly, appears like a 2024 sport. In our unique Epic Mickey evaluation, we gave it an 8/10 and stated that this ‘Nice’ sport was held again by a digicam and management system that have been “flawed to a degree the place the bigger expertise turns into broken.” None of these points have been current in what I performed of the remake and it felt like an absolute pleasure to play. Oh, and it working at a clean 60FPS didn’t damage its case both.
Mickey himself has additionally improved within the 14 years since he first entered the Wasteland, as he can now dash, sprint, and floor pound across the gorgeous-yet-dark world that could be very very similar to a twisted model of Disneyland. These new traversal additions are the Minnie to Mickey’s paint brush skills, and so they dance in a approach that’s simply as lovely as Disney Parks’ finest nighttime spectaculars.
I simply had the largest smile on my face as I jumped across the opening degree of Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and didn’t need to take care of the irritating movement and digicam controls of the Wii model, leaving me to color and skinny with ease whereas feeling a lot extra agile. The perfect remakes implement modifications that appear virtually preposterous to suppose they have been by no means there, and these match that invoice.
A Remake in Each Sense of the Phrase
As for the visuals of Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, they’re one other spotlight largely to remake developer Purple Lamp’s determination to not solely rebuild the entire sport with the unique belongings so it was playable from begin to end, however to then remake each asset from scratch and do it once more. This dedication seems to have been value it, because the Wasteland is now a spot I want I may discover perpetually.
From the inky black paint-like blot floating off Mickey as he runs and jumps to the colours and sharpness of the alternate flying elephant and tea cup sights, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed takes place in a world that I can simply watch and hearken to a delicate and haunting model of ‘As soon as Upon a Dream’ and nonetheless really feel like I had a worthy play session.
The side-scrolling, 2D projector phases that take Mickey from one degree to a different additionally look so significantly better and, in one of many new additions to Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, you’ll be able to return and play by way of them once more as you want within the sport’s Most important Road Cinema. This implies you’ll be able to replay ranges based mostly on such traditional Mickey cartoons as Steamboat Willie, Mickey and the Beanstalk, and extra as you please.
Now, there isn’t a ton new in Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed as it’s a very devoted remake, however followers will be capable of sit up for thrice as many collectibles to search out, from pins to movie reels to paintings and a lot extra. The workforce additionally informed me there shall be some new puzzles to unravel, however that’s actually about it.
So, in case you didn’t love the story or portray gameplay or the primary interplay between Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Fortunate Rabbit, these trendy upgrades might not be sufficient to sway you. Nonetheless, like me, in case you noticed within the unique one thing that was held again from greatness on the Wii – otherwise you by no means had a Wii and simply love Disney and Mickey – that is one journey it’s best to keep watch over.
I’ll be very curious to see how the remainder of the sport holds up, as I used to be solely in a position to play that opening degree, however what I skilled left such an impression on me that it’s making September 24 a complete lot more durable to attend for.
To finish, I simply needed to share a couple of phrases from my chat with sport design legend Warren Spector, the artistic director on the unique who additionally consulted on Rebrushed, as he sums up why Epic Mickey is one the video games he’s “most pleased with.” Excessive reward from the creator of Deus Ex and System Shock.
“The factor that I like probably the most about this sport is that it touched folks emotionally,” Spector stated. “I needed to make a sport for households that folks and youngsters may play collectively, that youngsters may train their mother and father find out how to play as a result of that is the way in which it might work, not the opposite approach round.
“Moreover, one of many issues that characterizes Disney is that issues final. They’ve lasting worth. What number of 1937 movies are folks nonetheless watching immediately that weren’t made by Walt Disney? So, the concept that a sport had that type of impression and longevity is admittedly particular. However the greatest factor, actually the largest factor, is when folks come as much as me as they’ve at D23 and say, ‘I performed this sport as a baby and now I get to play it with my youngster.’ That brings tears to my eyes. It simply exhibits the actual energy and potential of video games to do greater than I believe most of us notice.”
