UPDATE: Gollop has announced the top level features list for Chaos Reborn, which he describes as "part remake and part sequel".

In a new blog post, Gollop said "the essence of the original game is preserved, but there will be some new features and some tweaks". "In particular, there will be an interesting single-player option."

The single-player option mentioned is Kingdoms of Chaos a randomly, algorithmically generated campaign map. "It will need enough elements and variety to keep it interesting, but should have plenty of replay value," Gollop said. "There should be an element of strategy and deduction in figuring out which battles to fight and where to go on the campaign map."

ORIGINAL STORY: XCOM creator Julian Gollop was surprised and puzzled by calls for him to remake his 1985 ZX Spectrum game Chaos: The Battle of Wizards.

In his first Chaos remake blog post the designer said he is embarking on the project now because he has an opportunity to improve on the original's many flaws, quirky bugs and poor graphics with today's technology. Past updates Lords of Chaos and Magic & Mayhem lost something of the essence of the original Chaos despite being good games in their own right, he said.

Also, Gollop has found himself with time on his hands, having left Ubisoft in March this year ostensibly on six month paternity leave to help his wife look after their twin babies. He also had a "desire for change"; for five years Gollop worked at Ubisoft Sofia, where he was creative director on Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation for PlayStation Vita.

I decided that I wanted to stay at my home with my family for a while longer, he said. So now I am on my own, working in my bedroom, just like I did all those years ago when I was coding in Z80 assembly language on my 48k ZX Spectrum.

The remake, built using the Unity3D engine, is for iOS, PC, Mac and "hopefully Android, Linux and Ouya as well. Gollop said the project is manageable, and, he hopes, will have some traction.

Chaos gained widespread distribution because it was featured in the cover tape of 'Your Sinclair' on two occasions. Therefore there are probably a few veteran games players left that were exposed to it in their youth and may have some fond memories of it - at least in the UK.

Gollop is keeping gameplay details under wraps for now, but we know he will launch a funding campaign for development once he gets a prototype ready.