Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Here, you can get help with anything or just chat about the original Commander Keen games.
Post Reply
Gridlock
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 617
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 2:20

Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Gridlock »

So, Bethesda online studios just announced at E3 that they're doing a mobile reboot of Commander Keen in the style of Saturday morning cartoons. Here's an early article: https://stevivor.com/news/commander-kee ... bile-game/

I... don't even know where to begin on this one. My first impression is... what the heck have they done to Keen? This frankly looks like cynical mobile garbage. Speaking as a game developer myself, I have to wonder if the people working on this have any passion for the Keen IP? If anyone does genuinely care, maybe there's a chance it could have some redeeming qualities?

I have no idea what this means for the IP or this forum going forward. Could this eventually lead to us getting a proper Keen game in the future? Regardless, seeing Keen return is kind of surreal, even if the style feels completely wrong to me personally. Curious what other people think.

Tom Hall gave his initial reaction on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ThatTomHall/status/ ... 8773065729
Tom Hall wrote:To comment: glad there is a female protagonist too, wish it wasn’t F2P mobile (mostly for controls, but gameplay so far looks kinda meh?), doesn’t at first blush feel like Keen. We will see. #CommanderKeen (And to answer the other question, not involved.)
Image
Armageddon Begins Again. The Alphamatic has arrived.

Atroxian Realm: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3536
The Alphamatic: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4086
JoeCapricorn
Grunt
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 19:01

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by JoeCapricorn »

The gameplay doesn't seem all that interesting, but with the trailer it was hard to tell what was gameplay at all.

There is another video showing "battle mode" which doesn't look interesting at all. Doesn't look like it is a platformer, but instead some kind of tactical game.

Since it is free to play I might give it a chance.

When I posted my speculation back in December, I had a theory that maybe there was a tie to Wolfenstein: Youngblood. The weirdest thing is, I was right. On the wall with all the family photos, you can see the twin protagonists from Youngblood, as well as a sepia toned picture of B.J. Blazkowicz.
User avatar
Spikenexus
Vortininja
Posts: 58
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:37
Location: Australia

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Spikenexus »

Was definitely not expecting a new Commander Keen game.

Not sure how I feel about the gameplay, will probably have to actually play it to really make up my mind.

The announce trailer was pretty cool though - whoever was behind that has obviously been paying attention. Family photos shot has a photo of B.J, as well as the photo of Billy and a Vorticon from the end of Keen Must Die. The trailer's also got Keen's workshop, as well as some standard galactic alphabet, and an assortment of other references. That's pretty cool.
User avatar
Roobar
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 3267
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 16:12
Contact:

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Roobar »

That's actually big news. I really didn't expected this.

It's finally time to be excited about keen actually. Let's at least acknowledge that they're finally making SOMETHING with Keen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQjGPfkEe8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZD9_tLwgA

Image

And yep, they're calling it just "Commander Keen"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... CAkvYvc3oc

https://twitter.com/i/status/1137890382556094464
User avatar
Spikenexus
Vortininja
Posts: 58
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:37
Location: Australia

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Spikenexus »

Never would have thought I'd see another Commander Keen game after GBC, regardless of format.

Also just noticed the everclear powering the Bean with Bacon Megarocket in roobar's screen cap. Neat.

Edit: I've been reading some of Tom Hall's thoughts on this (on Facebook). It's a real shame Tom didn't get to be the one to bring Keen back. He would have done something great, I'm sure.
User avatar
Nisaba
Janitress
Posts: 1597
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 23:34
Location: The Outpost
Contact:

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Nisaba »

I feel like my childhood is being violently assaulted.

can we as a community agree to ignore this shameful announcement and pay no attention at all?! this seems to me the only reasonable response!
Last edited by Nisaba on Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:23, edited 1 time in total.
out now (link) : Image
User avatar
proYorp
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 472
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:56
Location: Orbit
Contact:

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by proYorp »

What
the
heck.


That is all I have to say right now.
"Friendly. Very friendly. Too friendly." Image
User avatar
aintnofuntime
Grunt
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2019 16:00
Contact:

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by aintnofuntime »

Maybe Bethesda will look at the overwhelmingly negative response to this and realize that people actually have affection for this IP.
User avatar
Roobar
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 3267
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 16:12
Contact:

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Roobar »

No wonder they didn't invite Tom. He would have not approved of this.

Honestly, I dig the cartoony style and the small references here and there. Other than that there's not anything else much to like. Could this be even worse than the Keen Game Boy color game? We'll see.

Also i gotta say that all of our fears of a mobile game reboot are coming to life... the one reboot we didn't want.

But honestly, I really hope this turns out to be successful in order to further develop this franchise. Think of it as a trampoline for a future platformer...
Last edited by Roobar on Sun Jun 16, 2019 14:39, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Grimson
The Dragoner
Posts: 1833
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:55

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Grimson »

Even though the actual game looks rather bland, and I don't play any mobile games myself, I absolutely love that trailer. Imagine if we had a cartoon like that back in the 90s... also, I don't mind having two Keens, I get the idea of having both sexes represented and all that crap, but really, it adds a nice new element to the story. Even though the mobile game will likely have as much story as the original game(s) :P
Roobar wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 5:46But honestly, I really hope this turns out to be successful in order to further develop this franchise. Think of it as a trampoline for a future platformer...
This seems to be a trend, they re-establish some forgotten franchise with a mobile game, and if it does well or at least sparks enough interest, they might start pumping out desktop games.
"All those thousands upon thousands of junk foods made for me on the various planets I explored make me wonder how I'm still alive."
User avatar
No. 1 Machop Fan
Vortininja
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:01
Location: Victoria, Australia

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by No. 1 Machop Fan »

First impression: Bad graphics, bad gameplay, but at least it appears to stay true to the originals.

Hopes:
1: That this is a continuation of the original story. If so, then it's plain obvious that Keen successfully saved the universe from destruction, and that opens up enormous potential for backstory should this be successful. How did he do it? What happened after Keen 6? Who's his new wife and how did they meet? Is she Molly?
2: That we see Shikadi, and their graphics stay true to Keen 5.
I love my cute little Machop!

Come on, you know Machop is cute! I mean, how could you not love those endearing eyes? That adorable face? That loving embrace?

Just don't call it cuddly or else it will hurt you.
User avatar
eggs_box
Grunt
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2019 9:55

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by eggs_box »

Image

this is an eternal mood tbh
User avatar
Roobar
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 3267
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 16:12
Contact:

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by Roobar »

Can we take a moment and discuss this?

Image

So apparently, the real Commander Keen is now dad of two kids, the new Commander Keens, and according to this new (or maybe modified) timeline, the doom guy is no longer related to keen, unlike what John Romero and Tom Hall have said.
User avatar
eggs_box
Grunt
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2019 9:55

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by eggs_box »

Roobar wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:04 Can we take a moment and discuss this?
Is that Mortimer McMire in sepia did they kill Mort off screen
User avatar
No. 1 Machop Fan
Vortininja
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:01
Location: Victoria, Australia

Re: Commander Keen Mobile Reboot

Post by No. 1 Machop Fan »

Roobar wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:04 Can we take a moment and discuss this?

Image

So apparently, the real Commander Keen is now dad of two kids, the new Commander Keens, and according to this new (or maybe modified) timeline, the doom guy is no longer related to keen, unlike what John Romero and Tom Hall have said.
Also Dadkeen has gotten bloody swole! Look at those arms as he holds his kids! We must've had an era of peace if he had enough time to go to gym!

Yet he still can't fight off captors! :/
I love my cute little Machop!

Come on, you know Machop is cute! I mean, how could you not love those endearing eyes? That adorable face? That loving embrace?

Just don't call it cuddly or else it will hurt you.
Post Reply