Bethesda’s Most Underrated Game Deserves a Revival

While Bethesda is best known for series like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, it has published several games over the years. Among the titans of its name are the likes of DOOM, Dishonored, and so many more. But one title stands out in my memory, one long-forgotten gem that blended grindhouse energy, acrobatic gunplay, and action-movie swagger into something genuinely unique. It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t widely celebrated, but it absolutely deserves another shot in the modern era.

Wet was released in 2009 and published by Bethesda Softworks. Wet launched to mixed reviews, not because its ideas were flawed, but because the hardware and execution couldn’t keep up with its ambitions. Critics praised its stylish, Tarantino-esque narrative and clever mix of swordplay, slow-motion gunfighting, and wall-running acrobatics. But visuals, technical limits, and rough slow-motion effects held it back. Today, with modern engines and action design reaching new heights, Wet is perfectly positioned for a remake that could finally deliver the game it always wanted to be.

Forget the Elder Scrolls, I Want a Wet Remake

When I look at Bethesda’s long list of dormant properties, from The Evil Within to Rage, none feel quite as ripe for a revival as Wet. The moment protagonist Rubi Malone slid across the screen, guns blazing in slow-motion arcs while slicing through enemies with fluid katana swings, the game carved out a style all its own. It was messy, chaotic, and brutally stylish: like Max Payne, Killer7, and a grindhouse flick thrown into a blender, even giving early Bayonetta vibes before she dominated as one of gaming’s leading ladies.

While the game had its flaws, the one thing everyone agreed on was that the game had heart and wasn’t afraid to experiment. It leaned into its B-movie tone with unapologetic confidence. It embraced over-the-top grindhouse aesthetics years before the indie scene rediscovered that style. Rubi herself was a standout protagonist: sarcastic, capable, dangerous, and far more grounded than many action heroes of that era. With today’s tech, especially after the resounding success of Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake, Bethesda could easily let the game shine like it aimed to all those years ago.

With Unreal Engine 5, modern physics systems, advanced animation blending, and the renewed popularity of acrobatic action games like Devil May Cry 5, Bayonetta 3, and Hi-Fi Rush, Wet could finally fulfill its potential. Bethesda doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel; the core design is already there. What it needs is modernization, polish, and a commitment to the spectacle that the original hardware simply couldn’t deliver. In a gaming landscape dominated by reboots, remakes, and reimaginings: Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, Prince of Persia, and even Lollipop Chainsaw, Wet is the perfect candidate to bring back with a fresh coat of blood-spattered paint.

A Remake Could Solve Improve Wet’s Problems

The best remakes don’t just recreate old content but refine flaws while preserving what fans loved. Wet is a prime example of a game that could flourish with the right improvements. Its biggest criticisms at launch were the visuals and slow-motion mechanics. The graphics looked dated even in 2009, lacking the texture detail, environmental richness, and animation smoothness needed to support its hyper-stylized tone. Today, modern lighting, particle effects, and motion blur could elevate the grindhouse aesthetic into something truly cinematic. What a remake, Wet could embrace its over-the-top, stylized gameplay that feels right out of the Kill Bill series.

While the visuals certainly need some tender loving care, Wet needs stability in the FPS department and improved slow-motion. Imagine Rubi sliding across dusty neon alleys, sparks flying, gunfire reflecting off glossy puddles, all running at 60 or 120 FPS with enhanced slow-motion shooting, the mechanic that defined Wet but also limited it. While fans loved its Max Payne-style dives, the system could feel janky or imprecise. Not only that, but a remake could feature improved enemy AI, smoother aim-assist systems, better physics-based hit reactions, more cinematic transitions, and even more dynamic combos and action.

Add modern accessibility settings, customizable controls, and deeper enemy variety, and Wet’s combat could rival today’s best action titles. But what doesn’t need fixing is the bulk of the game. The story still holds up because it understands exactly what it is. It’s cool, it’s gritty, it’s explosive, and it’s honest about its grindhouse inspirations. Rubi remains one of the best action protagonists Bethesda has ever published. A strong remake could preserve all that charm while making the moment-to-moment gameplay feel as good as fans always wanted it to be. And maybe, if it succeeds, it could reopen the door that was slammed shut years ago.

Wet’s Cancelled Sequel and What Could Have Been

One of the biggest heartbreaks for fans of Wet is knowing that a sequel was already in the works, and it looked promising. Developer Artificial Mind & Movement Inc. (A2M), better known today as Behavior Interactive, the team behind Dead by Daylight, had ambitions to expand Rubi’s world, improve combat fluidity, and tell a more complex story with wider environments and more advanced set pieces. Concept art and early builds showed expanded traversal systems, refined shooting mechanics, and a more cinematic presentation. But despite its cult following, Wet didn’t sell well enough to justify the budget of a sequel. Bethesda quietly shelved the project after that.

If a modern reinterpretation of Wet succeeded, even modestly, it could revive interest in what the sequel planned to do. Fans could finally see the growth Rubi was supposed to undergo, the locations she was meant to visit, and the sharper, more refined combat the developers were already drafting. And frankly, Bethesda needs more than massive open-world RPGs. Their lineup thrives when they take risks: Deathloop, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Hi-Fi Rush, and classic projects like Brink and Rage represent a willingness to experiment, even if they stumbled. Wet fits perfectly into that space: a mid-sized, stylish, combat-driven revival that doesn’t need Starfield-level scope to succeed.

Female protagonists are more popular than ever thanks to Aloy, Ellie, Bayonetta, and even Eve. Not only that, but indie and AA games have carved out a comfortable space amongst massive AAA games. Now is the perfect time to revisit a smaller title from 2009 and bring it to modern platforms through a remake. And with Bethesda expanding its vision under Xbox, the timing has never been better. With The Elder Scrolls VI nowhere in sight and no guarantee to succeed, Bethesda could use a win, and remaking Wet feels like an easy one.

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