Why does this game need a remake? It came out pretty recently. They could probably just release a graphics and content patch for the base game. Or a sequel. Why rerelease a game like this?
To me it's kinda the perfect game to remake (hopefully it IS remade and not just rereleased) because it had a lot of potential that it just did not live up to. A graphics and content pack would not improve the game much at all, because the let down was the gameplay and mechanics. If they can re-tool that, they may have a solid game here.
Maybe! I don't think there's a right answer until hindsight shows us how the game does. I can also imagine it has a lot to do with what the folks holding the money think will sell better, a sequel to a poorly received game, or a (potentially) lower risk remake?
I guess if we get new games in the long run I don't really mind, it just seems weird.
I played Yooka-Laylee on release and it was overall an enjoyable game. As I understand they fixed a number of bugs a few months after release, but by then us release day folks had beaten it (and reviewers reviewed it).
The first level of the game was excellent, the later levels felt more rushed (or at least lacking the same level of polish). Maybe the changes will be to those levels, although level layout is key so I don't know if you can just resize/move things.
I played Impossible Lair about a year after release and thought it was awesome.
Based on this trailer I doubt I'll play the original again, but maybe I can be convinced.
They probably are, but they decided to make it over in a new engine. Since they have to port the gameplay mechanics over anyways, why not release a remastered version of the original to help fund development of the next one.
3D models aren't tied to Unity, so all 3D models could probably easily be imported to Unreal.
Unity also has a 3D model exporter, so they could have used that to get all 3D models positions into Unreal within minutes.
E: still stuff like animations and game logic obviously take more time. Not trying to say that porting a whole game can be done in minutes, just the 3D Models.
Yes, there are many basic file types that would be easy. That said, 3D models and raw image textures are only a few basic examples of game assets. Many like customized materials or maps just save in an engine-specific format.
Hence the comment suggesting they have tools that at least closely convert what someone has from Unity.