Goat Simulator Remastered

I first picked up the original Goat Simulator on sale not too long ago. I had heard about its origin as just a prototype game, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun the game actually turned out to be. I remember being drawn in quickly by the ability to play cooperatively together, alongside its humour and unpredictability, and having enjoyed both the original and Goat Simulator 3, I was excited to try out Goat Simulator Remastered. On the other hand, I immediately pondered how interesting a replay of this game would be, looking at the lack of a storyline and structure that characterises the series. And also, is there even a need for this remaster, when there's also Goat Simulator 3?

Regarding my first question: Goat Simulator Remastered seems like a copy of Goat Simulator, but remade in the Goat Simulator 3 engine. You play as a goat in a sandbox environment, free to roam around and cause as much chaos as possible. Whether you're headbutting pedestrians, kicking random objects, or licking things just to see what happens, the gameplay is intentionally random and open-ended. There are no real objectives beyond creating mayhem, which can be entertaining if you're in the right mindset. Visually, the game has been updated to match Goat Simulator 3's standards, and while the improved graphics are nice, I don't think they do much to change the experience.

The remaster includes multiple worlds, and I was curious to explore them, especially the expansions I had missed in the original game. There's a medieval-themed RPG-like area for example, a space station including space ships, and a zombie survival area with a pretty big city to explore. The humour and absurdity are still there, and I enjoyed discovering new jokes and quirks within the DLC areas. However, when I revisited the original two maps, I quickly lost interest as I had already experienced most of what they had to offer, where without fresh content or updates they didn't hold my attention for long.

Like in the other Goat Simulator games, one of the highlights of Goat Simulator Remastered for me is the couch co-op mode. Being able to play with up to four people makes the game a lot more enjoyable, as the chaotic gameplay becomes even funnier when shared with friends. We had plenty of laughs over the references to other games and ridiculous situations in general, and this multiplayer aspect really brings out the best in the game. I also think the game is appealing if you want to play together with kids. The simple mechanics and lack of any high-stakes gameplay make it accessible and easy for younger players to enjoy. The game simply shines in a group setting in my opinion, and the random fun feels fresh for longer.

Unfortunately, the many bugs that were part of the original Goat Simulator are still there in the remaster. I was looking forward to a more seamless experience than the original, but the more I played, the more frustrated I became. My goat got stuck often in random spots and especially in debris. One time, my friend and I both got trapped inside a drifting wooden pallet inside the space area, which is frustrating even though there's always the option to just respawn. I also noticed that objects in the game, like food stalls or fences in the zombie mode, often collapse chaotically, leaving you tangled up. I feel that when you're doing a remaster, you should at least try to iron such bugs out as they hamper basic gameplay.

When I played the original Goat Simulator, its rough edges were forgivable. Knowing it had started as a small project for a developer competition made its quirks feel charming rather than frustrating. But now, with Goat Simulator Remastered, I feel like that charm doesn't hold up as well. Without a storyline or significant updates, the randomness feels more repetitive, and I found myself getting bored faster than I expected. The more I played, the more I got a feeling that I'd rather just replay Goat Simulator 3 again. In that game, the fun and chaos has at least some kind of structure, and the jokes feel like they have more depth.

Concluding, I think Goat Simulator Remastered can still be a fun introduction to the series for newcomers. It's a solid choice for couch co-op, where the ridiculous gameplay and chaos guarantee a lot of laughs. If you're looking for a casual party game to enjoy with friends or kids, it's easy to recommend in those scenarios. However, for returning players or if you're looking for something to play solo, I don't think there's enough here to make the remaster worth buying. The lack of a storyline and buggy gameplay means you'd be better off spending your money elsewhere, even on Goat Simulator 3, which seems a more sensible purchase as it offers the same fun but in a much more complete package.