Cel-shaded FPS XIII is returning to PC with a remake

The first person shooter XIII is getting a remake for PC, Mac and current consoles. The 2003 title will bring its unusual art style to larger screens on November 13, after the work of Microids and PlayMagic.

Originally developed by Ubisoft, the XIII quickly became a cult classic. The shooter follows an amnesiac soldier through a long campaign after he is accused of assassinating the US president.

He lends his cel-shading to the set of 1984 on which it is based, while his plot comes from the first five volumes. He received average ratings on his release, but gained strength with fans for his style, narrative and music.

Microid's Coulon reveals very little about the techniques of remake, but shares art and inspiration.

"The idea for this remake idea came naturally because we felt that this unique kind of story-driven FPS experience was missing from the current game scene," he writes on the PlayStation blog (via PCGamer). "Our goal is to take the attractive story of XIII to a new generation of players with the best graphics and animations possible, the result will be nothing short of spectacular as we promise to celebrate the incredible work done in the original game."

A trailer of XIII plays with the remake, but does not contain any sequence of gameplay. Coulon promises more details soon. However, on Microid's blog, PlayMagic CEO Giuseppe Crugliano says the mechanics are also being reshaped "to modernize the experience in a way that engages the spirit of the game."

Some reviewers have scored the original version of enemy AI and the inconsistent weapon swing. Theoretically, these are areas where PlayMagic could focus without having to adjust the level design too much.

It is technically possible to get the old version of the XIII running on the PC currently, but the copies are quite difficult to find. Used to be available at GOG, but disappeared from the store in early 2013.

Related: These classic PC games also deserve a remake.

As a result, longtime fans of the franchise will be eagerly awaiting their re-launch. It will not be as popular as the remake as Spyro, but at least that will not be exclusive to the PS4.