Remakes can be a fun thing in gaming, with many improving elements over the original and showing how the game can be just as fun today as it was originally. But then there are the remakes that slap on a fresh coat of paint, but do not change elements that need addressing and these remakes tend to disappoint. Sadly, Montezuma’s Revenge: The 40th Anniversary Edition falls into this second category and fails to bring the game into the modern era properly.
Montezuma’s Revenge is a forty one year old game and gaming has come a long way since its first release. Games like Ninja Jajamaru have successfully modernized with new entries by taking the best elements and perfecting them, but Montezuma’s Revenge: The 40th Anniversary Edition feels like a game stuck in the past. All the quirks you hated then are here now, with horrible physics, fall damage and controls that can feel unresponsive.
This is made worse when you factor in that with the new visuals also comes a new and confusing level layout that will throw off players new and old, and that is not all. The framerate is awful and that in turn throws off the physics and controls even more. There are no quality of life improvements that you would expect from a remake either, so what were are left with is a poorly playing version of a game that was in need of an update and only received some new makeup to look nicer.
It is not all bad though, as the original game is included as well and is still a classic even with the issues brought on by age. The issues of the original can be forgiven due to its age though, while the issues with the remake cannot be excused. This was a chance to revive a classic game and everything about it felt half baked at best, and extremely lazy. I should not be having more fun with the original game than the remake, but here we are sadly, and as a result I have to wonder what the point even was with Montezuma’s Revenge: The 40th Anniversary Edition.
Ultimately, I cannot recommend Montezuma’s Revenge: The 40th Anniversary Edition. This is just a waste of an opportunity and a game that would have been better off not being made. If anything it feels like an insult to the original game and that is the worst thing about the whole situation.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
