A Blade Runner Remaster Is Coming

The 1997 Blade Runner point-and-click adventure game is getting a remaster for current-gen consoles and PC (via Steam). Nightdive Studios, which restored games like System Shock and Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, is teaming up with film production company Alcon Entertainment for this endeavour.

As originally reported by Hollywood Reporter, the Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition will be restored using Nightdive’s KEX engine, which was also used for System Shock and Turok. Updated visuals and widescreen resolutions aside, there will also be keyboard and controller customization, among other features. The original translations for languages like German, French, and Chinese will be maintained too.

Nightdive’s head of business development Larry Kuperman told Hollywood Reporter that because the original source code was lost, the studio “painstakingly reverse-engineered the code, importing it into our own KEX engine, a powerful tool that allows us to do console ports of classic titles, even in the face of quite challenging situations”.

While the graphics will be updated, Nightdive will keep Westwood’s original vision intact. “Blade Runner is still a jaw-dropping achievement on every level, so while we’re using KEX to upgrade the graphics and respectfully elevate the gaming experience in a way you’ve never seen before, we’re still preserving Westwood’s vision and gameplay in all its glory,” said Nightdive CEO Stephen Kick.

The original version of the game can be found on GOG for $9.99 (RM42.76). You play as detective Ray McCoy, who is on the hunt for rogue androids and uses something called ESPER to identify replicants. The story is non-linear and features cast members from the original film, like Sean Young and James Hong.

Adventure games are one of the many genres I’m not really into, but Blade Runner certainly has a nice sense of style and atmosphere. I’m looking forward to seeing how Nightdive remasters the experience.

In the meantime, you can hear a sample of the Blade Runner game OST below.