October 20th 2024.
Should Sony consider reviving the Ape Escape franchise? That's the question posed by a reader who was recently inspired by the success of Astro Bot. Their idea? To commission a series of low budget reboots, starting with Ape Escape and LocoRoco.
While the reader is unsure about the exact sales numbers of Astro Bot, they are confident that it will be a top contender for game of the year. And rightfully so, as it is a fantastic platformer and a wonderful tribute to the PlayStation brand, even if it does feel a bit strange not using any recognizable names.
The reader's personal highlights from the game were the final stages in each galaxy, where they had to play through parodies of famous PlayStation first party games. While the modern games like Uncharted and God of War were enjoyable, the best ones were those based on LocoRoco and Ape Escape.
For those unfamiliar, Ape Escape was the first high-quality 3D platformer for the original PlayStation. But it wasn't your typical platformer, as its main objective was to capture a group of escaped monkeys using a net. It was a unique concept that made for a fun and unpredictable experience.
The Astro Bot homage to Ape Escape was particularly impressive, as the original game had some issues with its controls and camera. But with updated graphics and gameplay mechanics, it was a huge improvement on the original.
Despite the success of the first Ape Escape game, its sequels and spin-offs were not as well-received, with some even being exclusive to Japan. This reader believes that with the success of Astro Bot, now is the perfect time for Sony to revive the franchise, with the Astro Bot team at the helm.
Their suggestion is for Sony to produce a new series of lower budget reboots of older titles, such as Ape Escape and LocoRoco, and even throw in some classics like Alundra and PaRappa the Rapper. This would not only satisfy fans' nostalgia, but also address the issue of games taking too long and costing too much to produce.
The reader also agrees with the former Sony boss who believes that games should be cheaper, shorter, and quicker. They believe that this approach would be the perfect solution to many of the industry's current problems, as long as it doesn't turn into a live service game.
In the end, the reader makes a compelling argument for Sony to consider reviving the Ape Escape franchise, especially with the success of Astro Bot. Will Sony take notice? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure, there are many fans out there who would love to see a new Ape Escape game, and this reader is definitely one of them.
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