THQ Nordic Is Cooking Up Some Big Surprises - Will It Be Enough To Captivate Audiences?

Summary Wreckfest 2 announced with destruction physics focus and robust sound system for immersive experience.

The Eternal Life of Goldman revealed as platformer with hand-painted artwork and unique exploration format.

Updates on returning IPs, such as Gothic remake and Titan Quest 2, focus on loyalty to original titles with modern tweaks.

From Wreckfest 2 to Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, there's a lot in the works from THQ Nordic right now, and the publisher has just provided some updates on what to expect from the upcoming roster. Originally formed in 2011 as Nordic Games, THQ Nordic later grabbed the trademark of defunct game company THQ and plenty of licenses alongside it. It's been publishing a mix of new titles and continuing IPs in the years since, with some of the most popular releases being remakes and remasters of memorable games.

The newest updates from THQ Nordic come courtesy of an August 2 digital showcase, held several weeks in advance of the publisher's presence at Gamescom 2024. The showcase offers a look at some works in progress and a couple of key announcements, and Screen Rant attended a pre-briefing that covered details about what to expect from the upcoming slate, including gameplay reveals and feature updates.

New Game Reveals From THQ Nordic

Wreckfest 2 & The Eternal Life Of Goldman Could Be Surprises

The biggest new announcement from THQ Nordic is the official reveal of Wreckfest 2, a sequel to a 2018 "no-rules" racing title developed by FlatOut creator Bugbear Games that picked up a lot of fans. Like before, Wreckfest 2 focuses on destruction physics, striking a balance between the somewhat arcade-y nature of most destruction racers and a dash of more realistic simulation. THQ Nordic is also emphasizing a robust sound system in Wreckfest 2 to make for a more immersive experience.

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THQ Nordic's other entirely new reveal is a platformer called The Eternal Life of Goldman, which tosses an apparently un-heroic protagonist into a journey inspired by adventure serials. The big selling point here is the hand-painted artwork and frame-by-frame animation, which looks great both in still frames and in fluid motion. Goldman can use his cane as a pogo stick in a manner very reminiscent of Ducktales, and the overall structure, which promises exploration with minimal backtracking, also sounds like its sticking more to a classic platforming vein than the popular Metroidvania format.

Gothic, Titan Quest, & Epic Mickey All Get New Details

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One of THQ Nordic's long-gestating projects is a remake of the 2001 game Gothic, an RPG known for its harsh, interesting world and a smattering of interesting mechanical ideas. The remake is intended to stay loyal to the overall approach of the original title while focusing even more on the idea of a "living world simulation," expanding stories from the colony and adding some new ones. Combat is being modernized while retaining slower-paced tactical elements, but the gameplay trailer only shows off a few moments of bloody battle in a reel of footage more focused on the world at large.

THQ Nordic first tested the waters for a Gothic remake with a playable teaser in 2019, but it looks like the game has evolved significantly since then.

THQ Nordic's other major RPG project is Titan Quest 2, the sequel to a 2006 action RPG in the tradition of games like Diablo. Unlike the common medieval fantasy flavor, the Titan Quest games take inspiration from Greek mythology. Titan Quest 2 isn't planning to reinvent the wheel, sticking to the classic formula in core regards instead of incorporating modern trends like Soulslike elements. Character-building is an essential part of the Titan Quest 2 experience, with unique systems to combine masteries and modify abilities.

Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is the closest thing on the horizon, set to launch on September 24, 2024. It looks like a generally faithful remake of the unusually ambitious Disney game, which sees Mickey tossed into a quest to restore the Wasteland, a dark, decaying riff on a Disney Park. Mickey's primary tool in this adventure is a paintbrush that can be used to either restore or destroy environments and enemies, and the motion controls that defined the original Wii version are now confirmed to return through the PS5's gyroscope functionality along with the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons.

Related Epic Mickey Creator Addresses The Possibility of a Third Game Warren Spector, the creator behind the cult classic game Epic Mickey, speculates on the possibility of developing a third game in the franchise.

THQ Nordic's line-up isn't necessarily going to grab any eyes that weren't already pointed in the publisher's direction, but when it comes to faithful fans of the company's franchises, the sequels and remakes all seem focused on recapturing what made the games attractive to begin with. As the only completely new title, The Eternal Life of Goldman might be destined more for niche success than mass market appeal, but it has the potential to be a strong platformer experience. For anyone lucky enough to attend, hands-on opportunities should be available for some of the games at GamesCom 2024.