Pushing The Bounds of Reality in Remnant 2

15 Feb

*An intergalactic odyssey where your choices reshape the fate of the multiverse.*

**Studio**: Gunfire Games
**Release Date**: July 2023
**Platforms**: Xbox Series X I S, PS5, PC
**Genre**: Third-Person Co-Op Shooter

Engrossing Gameplay

Gunfire Games’ Remnant 2 is the sequel to the best-selling game Remnant: From the Ashes which pits survivors of humanity against new deadly creatures and God-like bosses across terrifying worlds. Either solo or co-op, players explore the depths of the unknown to stop an evil from destroying reality itself. To succeed, players will need to rely on their own skills and those of their team to overcome the toughest challenges, and to stave off humanity’s extinction.

Speech Graphics’ worked with Gunfire Games to add further depth and immersion to Remnant 2’s vibrant cross-dimensional experience. SGX, our best-in-class procedural animation software, was used to animate 14 characters in Remnant 2, ranging from humans to demigods taking all sorts of forms.

The range of characters posed an exciting challenge for the Speech Graphics team as Remnant 2’s universe is filled to the brim with other-worldly beings. Gabor Toro, Senior Facial Animator at Speech Graphics, revels in projects that require out-of-the-box thinking & problem solving.

Gabor Toro, Senior Facial Animator

"I get really enthusiastic and enjoy the characters that present an extra challenge, such as when you have to really use your imagination or do some hard research on specific creatures or animals and find out how to animate the non-human or fictional parts. For me it is one of the most exciting parts of the job."

Scaling Up

Chris Mead, Animation Director at Gunfire Games, details how and why Speech Graphics technology was utilized in Remnant 2 across their wide variety of character rigs.

“After completing the Remnant: From the Ashes, we recognized a critical gap in the quality of our product, our facial animations were lackluster, and they didn't mirror the caliber of our voice actors. That's where Speech Graphics came in. This software not only elevated our facial animations to match our exceptional voice talent, but it also empowered us to scale seamlessly.”

“By the release of Remnant II, we have generated over 16,800 Speech Graphics-driven facial animations across more than 50 unique characters. The ability to swiftly iterate on script changes and review the end results on demand was invaluable.”

"However, the true prowess of Speech Graphics lies in its ability to deliver compelling performances for even the most unconventional characters. A specific character early on in development allowed us to test the mettle of Speech Graphics. The character was a 14-foot tall, Root-infested Wolf creature, complete with 10 eyes. We got to watch it come alive with convincing facial animations. It was nothing short of impressive.”

‘The Corrupted Ravager’ was animated using Speech Graphic’s technology.

“The best part for the animation team was that Speech Graphics handled the creation of the required character assets for us. In most instances, they returned the required files to us in about two weeks. Editing the facial targets was also very easy with the Maya plug-in, but we seldom needed to modify the facial poses they provided.”

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