A passionate fan-led project is breathing new life into the classic Sega Genesis title Altered Beast. Spearheaded by fabianodigital and the creative team at CRIAPOLIS Inteligência Criativa, the team is developing Altered Beast 2, a completely original sequel built from scratch for the Sega Genesis. Unlike a typical ROM hack, this ambitious project is an entirely new game, created with modern tools but designed for vintage hardware. After debuting the game at Retro Con in Brazil this yearhe developers recently reached the Alpha stage and released a playable Alpha ROM showcasing their progress. It only has the first stage and boss, but it’s enough to provide a clear idea of what to expect from the final product.
The storyline of this sequel builds upon the mythos of the original game. After centuries, archaeologists uncover the chamber of the legendary battle between Alex, the centurion, and Neff, the villainous sorcerer. Their discovery inadvertently triggers Neff’s return. No longer content with capturing Athena, Neff now seeks to destroy humanity and steal souls to fuel his resurrection. In desperation, Zeus resurrects Alex, humanity’s last hope, to stop the unleashed evil from escaping the depths of Hell.
This new iteration of the arcade classic remains, of course, unofficial and unaffiliated with Sega, yet it demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship and dedication. The developers use the Scorpion Engine to build the game, incorporating new sprites, transformation mechanics, and new enemies while retaining the classic side-scrolling action we’d expect from anything Altered Beast. The project also credits a variety of contributors for assets, including music adapted to the Genesis’s FM chip, and recognizable elements such as Pinky from DOOM making a cameo.
Altered Beast 2 looks like it will not only honor the original game’s legacy but also showcase once more the vibrant creativity still thriving in the Genesis retro gaming community. Fabianodigital invites fans to experience the early stages of what could become a great fan-made sequel. Its combination of nostalgic flair and original storytelling might finally give us the continuation of the first game we all played on our Genesis consoles way back in 1989. The demo gameplay shows clear progress, though there are still plenty bugs and unpolished aspects that one should expect at this stage. Fabianodigital has listened to feedback from the demo thus far and isn’t rushing the next version.
We’ll be previewing Altered Beast 2 when more complete demo arrives, and we’ll keep you posted on the game’s hopeful and eventual release.
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