Movie studios have been wasting no time going back through their catalog of films looking for properties to resurrect in one form or another, whether they be potential franchises or just adored classics that could be given a modern spin. That means if there was ever a time to make a follow-up to the comedy GROUNDHOG DAY, now is it, and that’s exactly what we’re getting. That may burn a fire under your bottom, but does it make any difference that the sequel doesn’t come in the form of a movie, but a virtual reality video game? Yes, what a weird story you clicked on.
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The VR game, “Groundhog Day: Like Father, Like Son,” lets players control the character Phil Connors Jr., the son of Phil Connors and Rita Hanson from the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Like his dear ol’ dad, Jr. is stuck in a time loop on Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney where he must figure out how to break the cycle, and thus learn the heartwarming lesson about family and love. With this reveal comes a trailer featuring some gameplay, and if you were hoping to see some Murray in video game form, prepare to regret your recent decisions.
Giving the players choices in how they approach the storyline the game includes eight hours of “hilarious puzzles and branching narrative gameplay,” featuring “event-driven interactivity that opens up new paths, new character interactions, new puzzle moments, and flashbacks as you continue to tell your story.” That means if you ever wanted to know what it’s like to live the life of Bill Murray’s son, now you have the opportunity.
The developers of the game spoke with Variety about the game, with Jake Zim, senior vice president of the Sony Pictures VR group, saying its all about expanding on the narrative, which also includes the recent stage musical adaptation of the movie.
“We are not developing a new ‘Groundhog Day’ movie. This is us expanding the storyline into a new format. We’ve taken ‘Groundhog Day’ and put it into a musical, now we’re putting it into an immersive experience.”
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So GROUNDHOG DAY fans, is this the sequel you always imagined you would get? Does this make you want to buy a VR headset, or does it make you want to throw out every piece of technology you own and go live up in the woods and chop trees?