Added: 20.04.2015 12:05 | 6 views | 0 comments

, went on to found Heavy Spectrum with his wife. Though the project would likely be far further along in production had he hired more staff, Birch would be the one paying the salaries, and as such decided to keep the team small.

"I really appreciate how Sony respected my wishes for the studio to stay creative and small," he says. "Sony is one of the companies that are still trying to make games better."

For Birch, better doesn't necessarily mean original. In terms of its core combat design, Shadow of the Beast has common with games from the eighties (Kung Fu Master, Double Dragon, et al) than those of the modern era. Granted, there is a God of War rhythm to the light and heavy attacks, and moments of strategy and counter-hits, but overall it's a cathartic massacre played out by pressing the same sequence of buttons a few hundred times.

Which is to say, it's just like the original Shadow of the Beast; a game released 25 years ago and generally forgotten by the masses, but arguably the reason why Birch took a career in games and wanted to retell its story to new people.

"Shadow of the Beast was a defining moment of my childhood. I remember going around a friend's house; he just got an Amiga and showed me the game. I remember being just... awestruck by it, and every time I took the bus home from his house it was all I could think of.

"Those bus journeys were probably the moment I realised games were not just about challenge. They have worlds and stories that you can take with you."

Shadow of the Beast will ship exclusively on PlayStation 4. Heavy Spectrum has yet to confirm its release date plans.

Added: 20.04.2015 12:05 | 9 views | 0 comments

, went on to found Heavy Spectrum with his wife. Though the project would likely be far further along in production had he hired more staff, Birch would be the one paying the salaries, and as such decided to keep the team small.

"I really appreciate how Sony respected my wishes for the studio to stay creative and small," he says. "Sony is one of the companies that are still trying to make games better."

For Birch, better doesn't necessarily mean original. In terms of its core combat design, Shadow of the Beast has common with games from the eighties (Kung Fu Master, Double Dragon, et al) than those of the modern era. Granted, there is a God of War rhythm to the light and heavy attacks, and moments of strategy and counter-hits, but overall it's a cathartic massacre played out by pressing the same sequence of buttons a few hundred times.

Which is to say, it's just like the original Shadow of the Beast; a game released 25 years ago and generally forgotten by the masses, but arguably the reason why Birch took a career in games and wanted to retell its story to new people.

"Shadow of the Beast was a defining moment of my childhood. I remember going around a friend's house; he just got an Amiga and showed me the game. I remember being just... awestruck by it, and every time I took the bus home from his house it was all I could think of.

"Those bus journeys were probably the moment I realised games were not just about challenge. They have worlds and stories that you can take with you."

Shadow of the Beast will ship exclusively on PlayStation 4. Heavy Spectrum has yet to confirm its release date plans.