We have good news and bad news about the remake of Pathologic that was successfully Kickstarted back in the autumn of 2014. First, the good news: The game is now listed on Steam, so you can have a look at some screens and a description of the game, to get a better feel for what it's all about. But the bad news, as all but the slowest among you will have guessed from the headline, is that the estimated delivery date of November 2016 listed on the Kickstarter is completely out the window.
“The original plans for the release date were set with the basic scope of the game in mind. It seems a bit immodest to admit, but we did include our first stretch goal, the Town Expanded, into that; but not the rest of them. The game has grown in scope now, so developing it properly requires additional time,” developer Ice-Pick Lodge explained in a Kickstarter update. “Also, the vision for this version of Pathologic has shifted during the development. What started as a humble rejuvenation of a classic beloved by the studio turned into a full-fledged reimagining rather quickly, but it took us time to realize what that truly entails. The corners that we were planning to cut turned into diamond quickly. However faithful to the original vision, this Pathologic is a new game in many aspects, from the engine to the concept art.”
The studio admitted that it's bitten off more than it was prepared to chew with this remake and said it's prepared to take whatever abuse supporters may want to throw at it, but insisted that it's up to the challenge of getting it right. “Pathologic is the thing for most people in the studio. It is the game that gave Ice-Pick Lodge its identity; it’s like both a beloved parent and a firstborn to us,” it wrote. “Look at it this way: we can either mar our conscience by missing the deadline in a rather spectacular fashion, or by releasing a game that falls short on its promises. But only one of these outcomes leaves everybody with a good game in their library in the end.”
Ice-Pick also said that it will have a playable “thing” ready to go out to alpha-tier backers in a couple of months. It's not actually the alpha, though, but a “short spin-off story we used to showcase the mood and setting of Pathologic at Gamescom.” The studio needs the extra time to polish it up for public consumption, but said it actually works well as a separate game and may even be released as a free demo at some point down the line.
