2006 was a year for many new beginnings in the gaming world. But while some journeys were starting, one company's was unfortunately ending: Clover Studio. Created by Capcom, this indie studio made such classics as Okami and Viewtiful Joe. After their closure, their team was merged back into Capcom, while some members left to form PlatinumGames Inc. And while Okami and VJ have both seen support and love by Capcom throughout the years, there's one game that was made by Clover that has barely seen any of either:

God Hand.

God Hand is a love letter to the beat 'em up genre. It reinvigorated the way they played, while keeping their core mechanics. Mixing surprisingly deep gameplay, over-the-top characters and story, an amazing voice cast (Fred Tatsciore, Sam Riegel, Jamieson Price, etc.), a difficulty that was challenging but fair, amazing music by Masafumi Takada (Killer7, No More Heroes, Danganronpa) and the best end credits to any game released and you have a recipe for a classic. I’m serious, these credits speak for themselves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFSen7DRQWU

Being Clover Studio's swan song though, God Hand's success was short lived. Indeed, only two days after being released in the U.S., Clover studio closed its doors. Save for a PSN re-release in 2011, God Hand has been shunned from any sort of sequel or involvement by Capcom, a prime example being its exclusion from Capcom’s crossover fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom 3. The other games Clover Studio made have had way more love shown their way. Okami has gotten another HD remaster release, but on PC this time, and Viewtiful Joe has seen love with costumes dedicated to him released in Street Fighter V and Dead Rising 4, while God Hand has been barely -- if ever -- mentioned in any of Capcom’s IPs. While Capcom considered Clover to be a “failure” in terms of their sales, the studio still made games that were, and still are, considered cult classics and remembered fondly by the gaming community.

It’s because of us. Through us, it has managed to obtain cult status. It has inspired people to completely dominate and show just how complex the gameplay can be, the best example being Youtube user MikeKob. I feel his gameplay is the best example of how amazing the game can be:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6AJw6T5Mlc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp3m4etUeEk

It challenges the people who play it to get better. Its easy-to-learn, hard-to-master play-style is what draws many seeking a challenge to it. In my own experiences, I have had this game kick my butt more times than I care to count. But in doing so, it lit a fire in me. I pushed myself to learn, to adapt, to get better. And by doing so, I was able to put my controller down, satisfied and contempt, when the end credits rolled. I have hardly had any games move me like this, to where it could infuriate me so much, but I can still sing its praises.

Games have slowly become more and more “cinematic”, there’s no denying this. Despite this, there is still a market for people who play hard and/or challenging games. In this day and age, where games like Dark Souls and Cuphead can be challenging to play but still flourish, it only shows more why bringing back God Hand would be welcomed. Where games are becoming more and more formulaic, God Hand's absurdity is something that needs to shine.

But I can't do this by myself though. I'm only one person. It is only with the help of you, you reading this right now, could we make this a reality. Sign this if you care about God Hand and you want to see an HD remaster. Tell your friends about it. If you know people in the Game Industry, share this with them. Let everyone, no matter who they are, know. Share this everywhere you can, no matter the platform. This game deserves to see life on the Playstation 4, PC, Nintendo Switch and the Xbox One. It shouldn’t be tied down to a single console; this game is a gem that should be experienced by everyone possible. Capcom has said they are interested in revisiting some of their IP's to make games from. They have even gone as far as to tell the gaming community to show interest if they want to see a re-release of God Hand on Steam.

https://imgur.com/a/FsrRN

Because of this, we will most likely never see one from God Hand unless we show them the demand.

But with your help, we will show Capcom that God Hand is a game worth revisiting. That even a HD Remaster holds promise to make, and if we show enough love and support, we might even get to see a Sequel to God Hand in the future. And we will, once again, be able to dragon kick some ass into the milky way (milky way!), act like we don't like the ball-buster (ball-buster!), and through our arm, summon up the power of the God Hand.