Accusations Of AI Art Deflate Archer Maclean's DropZone 40th Anniversary Announcement

Nov 27, 2024

System 3 has revealed that it will publish a 40th-anniversary edition of the classic Archer Maclean title DropZone on Steam, Switch, PS5, and Xbox next month.

"On November 27th 1984, DropZone, the legendary Defender-style game from Archer Maclean, first took flight, captivating players across the globe," says the game's Steam page. "DropZone was widely regarded as the best Defender-style game on home computers and consoles, leaving a lasting mark on retro gaming history, inspiring generations of gamers, and setting the standard for its genre."

This new release is described as being "reimagined for fans both old and new and crafted from Archer's original source code" by developer Hashcode Digital and will feature "upgraded graphics that retain the retro aesthetic - a balancing act of old and new."

Here's some more PR:

Upgraded Graphics: The game will showcase high-definition visuals that preserve the pixel art charm characteristic of the 1980s, yet are adapted to captivate on modern high-resolution displays. Uniquely, players can press a button while playing to seamlessly toggle between the original 8-bit graphics and the updated visuals without interrupting the action. This feature allows switching between graphic modes in real-time during gameplay—a pioneering feature for a retro game remake.
Enhanced Controls: While the original game was celebrated for its precise control scheme, this new edition optimizes those controls for modern hardware, delivering a seamless gaming experience that honours the past while embracing the future. Play with a keyboard (not recommended) or a PC, Xbox, PS4 or PS5 controller.
Full Original Retro Mode: Experience the original game with its authentic graphics and sound, accessible at the press of a button during gameplay. Seamlessly switch between the classic retro look and the updated graphics version in real-time in game as you play. This feature is made possible by using the original source code provided by Archer Maclean.

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Disappointingly, it looks like the cover artwork for the game has been produced using AI – something that predictably hasn't gone down well with some fans:

VGDensetsu (@vgdensetsu.bsky.social)

I wonder if Archer MacLean (who died 2 years ago) would have appreciated his name being attached to a game whose main visual was obviously generated by an AI... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ4PZUEl92E

bsky.app

Archer Maclean tragically passed away in December 2022 at the age of 60. In addition to DropZone, he was also responsible for titles such as International Karate, Jimmy White's 'Whirlwind' Snooker and Archer Maclean's Mercury.

We don't have a solid release date yet, but System 3 says Archer Maclean's DropZone 40th Anniversary will launch this December.