The Mummy Demastered is a brand-new game for me. Yes, I know it’s not new-new but I’ve never written about it, so it makes it a novelty in my head. And here’s something else that’s a novelty for me. Writing about The Mummy. No, not the Brendan Fraser Mummy trilogy, although I’d like to write about that.
But no. The trilogy will perhaps come at another time. For now, my main focus is the 2017 reboot that didn’t quite impress. However, it did give us some valuable lessons. More on that later.
First and foremost, I believe that a word or two about the game is in desperate need here.
What’s The Mummy Demastered All About?
Developed and published by Way Forward, The Mummy Demastered is an action-adventure for the Mummy fan in you. And in it, a powerful ancient evil has arisen. So, naturally, the war to save humanity has begun! The Mummy Demastered throws you into a 16-bit-inspired battle against the undead in a 2D, nonlinear, action-packed adventure. As an elite agent in the monster-hunting Prodigium organization, you must use a variety of weapons, and upgrades.
And yes, mysterious artifacts to defend mankind against the supernatural hordes of Princess Ahmanet. Your Prodigium unit is already on the scene, but HQ lost contact with them hours ago. Only by exploring tombs, forests, abandoned tunnels, and the cursed streets of London will you discover the fate of your allies. But beware! Ahmanet commands legions of undead, insects, plague-ridden vermin, and worse! If you’re not careful, you’ll be the next soul in her army.
The Mummy Demastered is available for purchase here at Indiegala. Get it now.
And What Are Some Of The Steam User Comments Saying About The Game?
Loved it. Good Game-Play. GREAT soundtrack. A must-have retro-style Metroidvania if you’re looking for a good one. Says SquishyNose in his review.
While Neoenseraphim adds: I still think is a 10/10.
The Mummy Demastered and The Cinematic Universes
Look. We already explored all kinds of cinematic universes here at IndieGala. The one from Marvel and even the Capcom one. You can read all about it here. But The Mummy reboot gave us a pretty solid idea on how NOT to build a cinematic universe.
Which leads us to the main point of the article. What went wrong in the 2017 rebooted movie? Well, for one it tried too hard to kickstart the new Dark Universe. Like it tried way too hard. The movie’s premiere wasn’t even over and the studio was announcing the start of the Dark Universe. Multiple movies, multiple characters being cast with multiple amazing actors. You saw the group photo that was published along with the movie. Everything was ready for a new glorious cinematic universe. Except… The quality of the first movie from the rebooted Dark Universe. Which ultimately led to its early death.
Great Cast Though
How can a movie with Tom Cruise, Russel Crowe, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, and Jake Johnson flop so hard? The producers had an incredible blend of actors that could deliver it all. Action, drama, humor… And above all…. Talent. Everything that a movie of this caliber needs right? Well, wrong. Although the cast was great on paper, when put together on camera it didn’t deliver the stellar reputation it had prior to joining the movie. Annabelle and Tom had 0 chemistry, the generic story had a tough to follow (and overly complicated plot), and the humor fell flat…. And 5 years later I still don’t know what was going on in the movie. I don’t even remember one scene from it.
Unlike… let’s say the 1999 Brandon Fraser movie, which was and still is to this day is awesome. It had everything that 2017 was lacking. Chemistry, humor, fun, scares and plenty of action to go along with it. Not to mention an awesome script and engaging direction. That should have kickstarted the Dark Universe, not the Tom Cruise movie.
The Old Mummy VS The New
There’s not even a question about which movie is better. The 2017 movie was a mess. Yes, one of the biggest sins a movie can commit is not knowing what it wants to be. A horror movie, an adventure? The 2017 movie was a culprit of that confusion. Unlike the 1999 movie which blended plenty of genres perfectly. It had plenty of adventure for sure. And lots of action. The humor was there throughout the movie, and don’t even get me started on the chemistry between Brandon and Rachel. Damn, they were fine.
Hey, even Roger Ebert loved it and gave it a glowing review:
There is hardly a thing I can say in its favor, except that I was cheered by nearly every minute of it. I cannot argue for the script, the direction, the acting, or even the mummy, but I can say that I was not bored and sometimes I was unreasonably pleased. Said Ebert in his review.
The sleeper hit success of the 2020s The Invisible Man reignited interest in the premise of reintroducing the Universal movie monsters via new horror outings. However, that movie boasted a far darker tone than 1999’s The Mummy which leads me to my final qualm.
Why does every rebooted movie have to be dark and gloomy?
Do the studios think that it’s the only way we could like the movie? Or take it seriously? Is it’s devoid of life and color? I mean just take a look at the color pallet on the 2017 movie. The grey/blue undertones are not doing it any favors. Unlike the rebooted mess, the 1999 movie had plenty of colors and a whimsical, light energy in it. The cinematography was awesome, and even the CGI was great. You know, with the technology of that era.
But Are You A Fan Of The Mummy Demastered?
Let us know in the comment section. And feel free to share some of your favorite Mummy movies. We’d love to know all about them too.
