Atari Reanimates Its First-Ever Survival Horror Game

[vansau]

Atari Reanimates Its First-Ever Survival Horror Game

Atari's bringing one of its classic games back to life, and pitting players against updated ghosts and monsters in a new version of Haunted House.

One of Atari's advantages is that it has a surplus of classic properties that are rich for IP mining. The publisher has dug through its dusty vaults and emerged with Haunted House, the title considered by many to be the first survival horror videogame and which was originally an Atari 2600 game released in 1981 was rereleased for Microsoft's Game Room. The new game will be released for digital download on PC and "other platforms" (XBLA and Wii versions have been announced, though a PSN version hasn't been revealed) in September. No price point has been announced yet, either.

According to Atari, Haunted House's premise isn't all that different from what it was 29 years ago, as you dodge bats, spiders, and ghosts while searching for a magical urn in the titular building. The remake is going to keep the perspective of the original, though some new gameplay elements will be included, too, like hidden treasures, various puzzles, boss fights, and a final showdown with Zachary Graves. Overall, it sounds like a spooky-yet-kid-friendly little title.

The <a href=http://www.atari.com/hauntedhouse>game's website is live, but the only option available right now is to sign up for further information.

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[silver wolf009]

I want a reboot of Asteroids with improved graphics 1st!

OT: i might give this one a looksie.

 

[Blue Musician]

Never heard of this game. Hopefully it will be entertaining.

 

[HT_Black]

Here's a question, and I challenge you all to answer it:

Why does this need to exist?

 

[Hiphophippo]

Here's a question, and I challenge you all to answer it:

Why does this need to exist?

Why does any game need to exist?

I remember playing this game. Was lots of fun.

 

[Coliumbos]

Gah! Zachary!

It Buuuuuurns!

 

[Nocta-Aeterna]

I've seen the original game on AVGN, seems interesting.

Also, a shame(or luckily) there're no zombies involved, because then I could make an incredibly lame pun about the article's title.

 

[craddoke]

I remember this game on the Atari 2600, too.

My question is will it be just as tantrum-inducing/punishing as the original?

 

[Susan Arendt]

I remember this game on the Atari 2600, too.

My question is will it be just as tantrum-inducing/punishing as the original?

You thought the first one was hard? Really? Huh. I played the hell out of that one, never had any trouble with it. Just to make sure, we're talking about the same game, right? Eyeballs, matches, ghosts that blew out said matches, awesome noise when you went up or down stairs?

 

[starwarsgeek]

Here's a question, and I challenge you all to answer it:

Why does this need to exist?

1. The survival horror genre needs a classic game to kick it back on track.
2. There's a group of gamers that enjoy retro-style games, so there is a market for it.
3. It's a survial horror that's not ripping off Resident Evil or Silent Hill
4. It looks pretty (we need moe cartoon survial horrors)


So, here's a question for you. Why does this need a reason to exist other than the developers wanting to make it?

 

[The Real Sandman]

Why does this need to exist?

Why does any game need to exist?

Why does any form of entertainment need to exist?

 

[Jared]

Oh wow...really taking me back there...really. But...I suppose if they got time, why no remake a classic!

 

[Doclector]

This could be interesting. I remember trying it on game room, and thinking, "how could I possibly be scared of a few pixels?". Answer: Those pixels take you down in one hit, causing an instead feeling of "OMG run run RUN!" as soon as they appear on screen. The downside being that it begins to annoy you as the game soon reveals itself as nigh-on impossible, thus why I didn't get it on game room. If they find some way of rectifying these problems without losing the "OMG if I touch it I die!" feeling, they could be on to something.

Of course, don't ask me how. I don't make the games, I just play them. Then spout BS about them on the internet.

 

[death525]

20 bucks says it sucks just like all the other revamps they have done recently like alone in the dark

 

[Hiphophippo]

Why does this need to exist?

Why does any game need to exist?

Why does any form of entertainment need to exist?

Why do I need to exist?

/suicide

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

Here's a question, and I challenge you all to answer it:

Why does this need to exist?

because the original is over 29 years old? because its original might just be the first ever survival horror?

 

[The Real Sandman]

Why does this need to exist?

Why does any game need to exist?

Why does any form of entertainment need to exist?

Why do I need to exist?

/suicide

Oh now why did you have to go and do that?

I just mopped the floors.

 

[Hiphophippo]

Why does this need to exist?

Why does any game need to exist?

Why does any form of entertainment need to exist?

Why do I need to exist?

/suicide

Oh now why did you have to go and do that?

I just mopped the floors.

Why do floors need to ex...wait I'm dead.

 

[craddoke]

I remember this game on the Atari 2600, too.

My question is will it be just as tantrum-inducing/punishing as the original?

You thought the first one was hard? Really? Huh. I played the hell out of that one, never had any trouble with it. Just to make sure, we're talking about the same game, right? Eyeballs, matches, ghosts that blew out said matches, awesome noise when you went up or down stairs?

Yeah, that's the one - I was awesome at River Raid, Enduro, Pitfall, Asteroids (with the patches to prove it, too!), but Haunted House was my nemesis. Of course, being six years old or so, it may not be saying much to call a game "tantrum-inducing."