One Must Fall 2097

Was a looong time ago.

This was back in the days when Shareware were all the rage and Intel 80386/80486 (colloquially known as 386/486's) were, from what I remember, the most practical computers aside from Apple Macs prevalent to home introduction and use. It's what I grew up with anyway, 386/486's. With that said, it was also the point where gaming as a whole made such an impact on me, that it jump started my imagination and cemented me, rooting me to the point that I wanted to exceed my imagination.

I played the lot of early computer games many people can expect from archaic titles: Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Heretic, Hexen, Rise of the Triads to name a few... quite a bit of First Person Shooter titles to be named but there was one, and probably the ONLY fighting game that ever made any success out on being a PC title (and sadly, to most these days, the greatest PC fighting game no one has ever heard or ever played)

ONE MUST FALL 2097

This game was the hallmark of all great things I remember growing up. I was probably 9, maybe 10 at the time, this game came out and it was, and to me, still is, the most greatest thing that has ever happened to me as far as life experiences go. Anyone who plays it now might not see that much about it, why it's so great or why it is so profound. But that's the thing.

You had to be there.

And for anyone who was, you know. It's just that simple.

For years the game haunted me with its amazing intro music, and even before that, the opening sequence of thunder and lightning as it brought forth the One Must Fall 2097 title, and then finally, the title screen:

As a kid, this title screen mesmerized me and even growing up, I was still awestruck by it-- truly transcended by its sheer potency of nostalgia, pride and joy I partook in this game, in every facet of its creation.

What got me though was that the fanbase for this game is practically nonexistent. It exists, but its so far underground I wouldn't even go as far as to say it has a cult following. It's more like a group of people who remember the game and even fewer who TRULY embargoed their passion into it as much as I do.

So much in fact, that when I tried to search for, say, a redux/revamp/high resolution mock up of the One Must Fall 2097 title screen... I was actually surprised that NO such thing existed except for the archaic, old 16 bit looking title screen in, what is it? I think 320 x 480 resolution? This saddened me but then I thought, "Wait... I'm an illustrator! If no one's done it yet! Why can't I?!"

And so in taking the core elements of the original One Must Fall 2097 title screen, I brought a rebirth to an old friend of my youth and gave it a makeover:

First with the lineart / Black & White:

And then the ultimate justice; the fully compiled color scheme. With all the elements and fundamentally mind blowing aspects I remember this franchise delivering to me.

I did this piece more than just for myself, mind you.

I did this piece for every One Must Fall 2097 fan out there who I hope finds this and remembers.

REALLY remembers.

Because some of us never forgot, and never will. It was 1994 when it happened, and I've been in love ever since.