Summary
The talent that some fans have forcreating modsfor video games is incredibly impressive. They not only enhance games with improved visuals or additional content but, at times, they also revive a game that has seemingly become extinct—long after the official developers have ceased any form of support for it.
Gamers andmodders often unite to improve gamesthat have lost their appeal over time or that initially flopped, for one reason or another. Some modifications might simply focus on fixing glitches and errors, while others can completely overhaul the game, transforming it into something that feels almost entirely new.
Bad textures, animations, and even audio were the least of the problems inS.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Skyas a sequel, with save corruption and crashes being unacceptably common to the point that the game was considered unplayable. The creation of theSky Reclamation Projectfixed the majority of issues thanks to the mod’s creator, Decane.
Even with the mod,S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Skymay not be as good of a survival horror game as its predecessor (or its successor), but it is worth checking out to see the night and day differences. It’s now a competentfirst-person shooter that mixes stealth, horror, and RPG elements, even if the sequels and prequels are far superior.
Aside from a drastic change in style,Mass Effect: Andromedawas controversial because of its glitches, especially the PC version. It wasn’t just a few texture pops or animation errors either; some glitches would keep the player from progressing, and the teams at EA and BioWare did nothing. TheMEA Fixpackhas since become the go-to mod for the game.
The MEA Fixpack keeps the game running smoothly, feeling more polished than ever.Mass Effect: Andromedastill may not be for everyone, but it no longer feels like it’s going to crash at any moment. As a bonus, the game is still a fun open-worldadventure for exploring alien planets, and it becomes a more satisfying experience with the MEA Fixpack.
The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3Dis mostly regarded asa poor remake for the Nintendo 3DSdue to some of the changes it made to the original.Project Restorationis an attempt to take the remake and implement the superior mechanics of the original while keeping the enhanced visuals and a few improvements from the remake to create a perfectMajora’s Maskhybrid.
Most of the nerfed elements fromMajora’s Mask 3Dare back to being challenging again with Project Restoration. There are even fixes that resolve issues fans have had with both the Nintendo 64 and 3DS versions, such as being able to map masks to the D-Pad. The result might just be the definitive version of the game.
Of the manygames set in theAliensuniverse, one of the most notorious flops wasAliens: Colonial Marines. It turns out that a simple typo was the cause of a major issue with the Xenomorphs, causing them to barely move or function, hence the creation of theACM Overhaul Mod. As a result, the Xenomorphs go from broken and easy to kill, to actually providing a challenge.
The mod doesn’t fix all the game’s issues, such as the fact that promised content is still not present. However, the ACM Overhaul mod turnsAliens: Colonial Marinesfrom a disappointing mess into a solid first-person shooter that is at least fun to play thanks to tweaked gameplay mechanics. The improved graphics and animations are the icing on the cake.
The first game is considered a classic RPG, while the sequel,Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2 - The Sith Lords,developed by Obsidian Entertainment, is infamous for being unfinished and glitchy, with a lot of content deleted. Thankfully, fans came together to create theRestored Content Modin order to fix it andrestore a truly greatStar Warsgamefor all gamers.
The Restored Content Mod fulfills its name by not only restoring lost content but also enhancing the game’s visuals and audio while fixing over five hundred glitches. It addresses issues like cutscenes that repeat or freeze the game, and it includes extended dialog scenes, alternate endings, longer subplots, and more. As a result, players can enjoy over two hours of additional content thanks to this mod.
Questionable story choices and visuals aside, the2006 reboot ofSonic The Hedgehogwas a disaster on release due to its broken controls and physics. When someone’s first experience of the game is falling through the world, it is clearly an unfinished product. However, the mod known asProject ‘06was made to help make the game at least playable.
On top of fixed gameplay mechanics for all playable characters, cutscenes and characters were given overhauls to look closer to what fans expected from a big-budget reboot. Thanks to ChaosX’s efforts,Sonic The Hedgehogplaysmore like belovedSonicgamessuch asSonic AdventureandSonic Generations,creating a betterSonicgame than what fans initially got in 2006.
Compared to previous titles,Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinitewas lacking both in terms of presentation and design. The gameplay was there, but the muted colors and flat character models made the game visually uninteresting. Thankfully, a team of dedicated fans and modders worked together to create the mod known asMarvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite & Beyond, spearheaded by YouTuber and fighting game connoisseur MaximilianDood.
On top of adding eye-catching cel-shaded visuals to the characters and venues, Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite & Beyondadds better sounds and music, as well as entirely new modes. The game also still has the story mode, so those wantinga straightforwardMarvel Vs. Capcomexperiencewill also enjoy this mod, turning it into one of the best games in the franchise.
