Time Gal (or known as タイムギャル Taimu Gyaru in Japan) isn’t typically remembered nowadays by the average gamer, but for those who played and enjoyed it, this laser disc game was fun. It even went on to inspire a couple of mechanics in various games, including the obscure and fun Ninja Blade on the Xbox 360 and PC.
Almost ten years after the release of Time Gal, there has been an attempt to make a beat’em up iteration for the arcade and various platforms by Taito Corporation. Unfortunately, the game didn’t get very far. I managed to find a couple of pre-production sketches, but if you know more about this obscure game, please don’t hesitate to share.
The studio behind Rise of the Kasai and Splatterhouse once tried their hands on a Star Wars that sadly never materialised. Information about how far the game was in development is scarce, but thankfully, some concept art exists, and a video has been preserved on YouTube.
It is unknown which platform this game was being developed for, but there’s a higher chance this was targeting the next generation of consoles.
Van Helsing is an awesome action-adventure game where you get to play as the titular monster hunter Van Helsing himself. The game plays similarly to Devil May Cry, Ghost Rider and many action games released during that time. Before launching in 2004, we can observe tiny beta changes from the images below.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a modern reboot of the Castlevania franchise originally developed and published by Konami. Mercury Steam managed to revamp the combat of the original franchise, injecting a well-done combat system undoubtedly inspired by several action games of that era. Not only this, but the art direction of the Lords of Shadow is nothing but a work of art. Before the game was released for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, it underwent a few changes. Most of the beta content is challenging to find, but there are a few differences and cut content we can observe below.
Images:
Early Logo
Gabriel Belmont concept sketch
Videos:
This video is important as it shows a glimpse of the initial pitch of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The game was originally going to feature Simon Belmont, but that didn’t happen. Eventually, Simon Belmont, Alucard and Trevor were incorporated into Mirrors of Fate.
Below, you’ll find a couple of iterations and cut characters. One of whom looked fascinating in the design process.
Frankenstein Dracula
While attempting to create a compelling design for Lord Dracula, Mercury Steam generated a host of iterations. One of them was a Frankenstein Dracula that didn’t make it past the cutting room floor.
Menacing, bloody and gruesome are just some of the words one can use to describe these early designs of Lord Dracula. While Dracula didn’t make an appearance in Lords of Shadow or Mirrors of Fate, he was the main character of Lords of Shadow 2.
Alucard
Another character that went through various iterations was none other than the Prince of Darkness himself, Alucard. In these early designs, we can see that Alucard bore a slightly different look. That is pretty much everything I can find from the beta footage of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
After years of dormancy, Perfect Dark was set to make a return, boasting stunning visuals, refined mechanics, and a fully re-imagined reboot. Unlike previous entries in the franchise, this revival wasn’t being helmed by Rare. Instead, a new studio called The Initiative was steering the wheel. The game was officially announced in 2020, and Perfect Dark fans couldn’t wait to see Joanna Dark return after years in the shadows.
Occasionally, snippets of gameplay would surface online here and there, offering brief glimpses into the project’s progress. But for the most part, Microsoft Game Studios and The Initiative never announced a concrete release date
That is, until July 2nd, 2025 — when Microsoft confirmed the cancellation of the Perfect Dark reboot and the closure of The Initiative. According to Microsoft, the cancellation was the result of a broader strategic shift and cost-cutting measures within the company. What remains now are a handful of gameplay clips and concept images of what could have been.
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