Unearthed: Neversoft's lost Ghost Rider game
by Jared Rea 
{ Jan 29th 2007 at 6:20AM }
Long before they dominated the world with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series and even before they proved that games based on comic books didn't have to suck something awful with Spider-Man, Neversoft toiled away at an adaptation of Ghost Rider. While the game never saw release, much less got into its first, legitimate step in development, Playstation Museum has received an ancient demo of the game. The results? A shame to behold.
While 2K Game's Ghost Rider movie tie-in effort looks to be a God of War clone, Neversoft's take was a 2-D platformer in the vein of Castlevania. Presumably canned for being so, would-be publisher Crystal Dynamics passed it up for not sporting that extra third dimension. Judging from the recorded footage (embedded after the break), it only needed more in the way of time than anything else.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
IslandLife @ Jan 29th 2007 7:14AM
That's a few minutes of my life, I'll never get back.
After so many years of hoping that my favourite Marvel character would get the film and video game love he so deserves, all they can come up with is a shameful God of War rip off and a overrated doofus playing the role of Johnny Blaze. Sorry Ghosty, you deserve better than that.
Rubang B @ Jan 29th 2007 7:17AM
Please don't call him Ghosty.
iJanda @ Jan 29th 2007 7:42AM
Please don't say please.
ill trooper @ Jan 29th 2007 8:47AM
Isn't it wonderful how we can all look back at something cancelled over 10 years ago and say it sucks? C'mon, man - it was meant to be on the PS1, and this is a technical demo! Yes, it sucks, but it would have likely been just "below average" if it came out back then... The PS1 was in that 'transition' phase where there were plenty of 2D games for every 3D game. And mind you, stuff like this still is coming out on the DS! I've got to cut it some slack.
If this was released on XBLA you'd probably praise it as a "retro gem" worthy of passing the time until 'Castle Crashers' comes out.
demonryu @ Jan 29th 2007 10:21AM
It kind of looks like the beginnings of the Apocalypse engine, as some of the moves remind me of that title.
icruise @ Jan 29th 2007 11:01AM
"The results? A shame to behold."
Where does this comment come from? They say that they were "very impressed to say the least" the "chain mechanics are truly amazing" and that the "flaming skull is amazing" and "breath taking" (sic).
joseph matt @ Jan 29th 2007 11:55AM
Wait, God of War rip-off? This game was for the PS1 over a decade a go, how can it be a God of War rip-off? Did the developers bend the laws of space and time to copy the game then go back to their time?
That comment is like saying Super Mario Brothers is a rip off of Sonic!
icruise @ Jan 29th 2007 12:15PM
I was confused by that as well, but they are referring to the NEW Ghost Rider game, not the one in the video.
michael @ Jan 29th 2007 3:50PM
man some people on here must be borderline retarded. the new one is a god of war rip off and its a shame that it didn't come out, and i agree it looked good
Dave Silva @ Jan 29th 2007 3:28PM
@6:
I think it's a shame to behold because it actually looks pretty good. I can't believe that's a PSX game, it looks damn good.
Jigsaw @ Jan 29th 2007 9:46PM
That looks amazing! Sad that it would never be released, I'm sure it could've been a really great game.
PS Museum @ Jan 30th 2007 7:08AM
Some things in this game did influence parts of Apocalypse. I thought the meter was one thing but I can't locate it in my notes at the moment.