XIII 2020 Remake

XIII on PC is a cel-shaded first-person shooter remake built around conspiracy fiction, stealth, exploration, and direct gunplay. The game is commonly searched as XIII 2020 Remake, but the current Steam product title is simply XIII, while Microids continues to identify the project as XIII Remake. It is developed by PlayMagic and Tower Five and published by Microids.

The current PC edition is important to distinguish from the troubled launch build. Tower Five reworked the game’s art direction, artificial intelligence, multiplayer, and technical presentation in a major free update for existing PC owners. That makes the updated release the relevant version for catalog and storefront searches, rather than the unpatched launch state.

A conspiracy shooter with comic-book framing

The campaign follows an amnesiac man known only as XIII. He wakes injured on a beach with a tattoo near his collarbone and a locker key as his only obvious clues. The investigation gradually connects his missing identity to the assassination of President Sheridan and a wider political conspiracy.

The story adapts the first five volumes of the Belgian graphic novel created by Jean Van Hamme and illustrated by William Vance. That source material remains central to the game’s identity, not just its plot: comic panels, speech balloons, onomatopoeia, and stylized transitions are integrated into the presentation.

Gameplay takes place entirely from a first-person perspective. The campaign combines conventional shooting with infiltration sections and exploration sequences, so progression is not limited to clearing one combat arena after another.

Players move through a linear story-driven structure made up of 34 campaign levels. The main loop is straightforward: investigate an objective, navigate a guarded location, use firearms or stealth to overcome resistance, and follow new clues about XIII’s past.

Weapons, stealth, and mission variety

The remake includes an arsenal of 15 weapons. The weapon selection supports the game’s classic arcade-FPS foundation, but the campaign also asks players to approach certain spaces carefully rather than treating every encounter as an open firefight.

Stealth is best understood as a situational tool, not a full immersive-simulation system. Some missions reward avoiding attention, observing patrol patterns, and using the environment to reach the next objective without triggering a prolonged battle.

Other sections return to direct action, giving the game a mixed rhythm between run-and-gun encounters, guarded infiltration, and investigation-led traversal. That variety is one of the remake’s useful differences from a purely arena-focused shooter.

The comic presentation also affects combat feedback. Visual panels and graphic sound effects reinforce hits, discoveries, and major moments, creating a presentation closer to an animated graphic novel than a realistic military shooter.

Players looking for a faster, combat-first alternative may prefer aggressive modern first-person shooters such as DOOM Eternal, but XIII is more interested in scripted missions, mystery, and changing objectives than constant arena escalation.

What the updated edition changes

The current version should not be described as identical to the original launch build. Microids assigned Tower Five to complete a broad revision, and the studio reworked the game from its art direction through its enemy AI and technical systems.

The update also added the long-requested online multiplayer mode. The official multiplayer lineup includes Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and XIII Kills, with support for matches of up to 13 players.

Steam also identifies online PvP and shared or split-screen PvP as PC features. These competitive modes are separate from the story campaign, which remains a single-player experience.

The remake’s post-launch history is therefore part of its current buying context. The publisher acknowledged the launch problems and later delivered the major update as a free improvement for PC owners, while stating that the updated release marked the end of development.

Content, editions, and paid extras

XIII is a paid base game on Steam rather than a free-to-play title. The purchase centers on the single-player campaign and its competitive multiplayer features; there is no verified season-pass structure or recurring live-service content model attached to the current PC listing.

Steam currently shows one separate add-on: the Golden Classic Weapon Skins Pack, identified as a preorder bonus. It is a cosmetic weapon-skin extra rather than a story expansion, new campaign chapter, or gameplay system.

The core package remains focused. Players receive the conspiracy campaign, the comic-inspired presentation, the 15-weapon arsenal, and the competitive modes associated with the updated release.

That content structure matters for shoppers comparing editions. XIII is not sold as a large bundle of campaigns or a platform-exclusive collection, so the main decision is whether its stylized story shooter and multiplayer modes match the player’s interests.

Who should play XIII on PC?

XIII suits players who enjoy shorter mission-based FPS campaigns, graphic-novel presentation, political thrillers, and shooters that mix action with occasional stealth. It is also a natural fit for fans of older console-era design that favors authored levels over open-world systems.

The game is less suitable for players expecting modern tactical stealth, extensive character builds, weapon crafting, or a large progression economy. There is no loot treadmill, procedural campaign, or deep skill-tree structure driving replayability.

Its strongest appeal is thematic and structural. The mystery gives the campaign momentum, while the cel-shaded art direction and comic effects provide a visual identity that separates it from more conventional military and science-fiction shooters.

Players who want comic-book violence combined with unusual first-person abilities may also consider comic-inspired first-person action like The Darkness II Limited Edition. The two games differ substantially in mechanics, but both connect firearms, graphic-novel aesthetics, and heavily authored storytelling.

PC features, controls, and localization

The PC release offers full controller support in addition to mouse-and-keyboard play. Steam specifically lists Xbox controller support, making a gamepad a documented option for players who prefer console-style FPS controls.

Steam also lists Steam Remote Play on TV, family sharing, and Steam achievements. Split-screen PvP is documented separately from online PvP, so players should not confuse local competitive play with campaign co-op.

The current Steam listing identifies support for English, French, Italian, Spanish from Spain, and German. These languages are listed for interface, full audio, and subtitles.

The storefront identifies Steam as the PC distribution platform. It does not document a separate publisher launcher or a named anti-cheat system in the current feature information, so those should not be presented as confirmed requirements.

For another comparison point, players interested in deliberate first-person campaigns such as DOOM 3: BFG Edition will find a similarly authored structure, although XIII replaces science-fiction horror pacing with espionage, comic styling, and stealth-led objectives.

Similar PC games and the real appeal

XIII is closest to other story-driven first-person shooters rather than contemporary competitive FPS games. Its campaign is the main attraction, while multiplayer serves as a distinct extra for players who want old-school deathmatch formats.

The game’s comic-book identity makes it more distinctive than its basic shooting mechanics suggest. The art direction, political-conspiracy plot, and shifting mission objectives provide the clearest reasons to choose it over a generic corridor shooter.

It also occupies an unusual middle ground between classic FPS design and remake presentation. The updated version improves the original remake’s technical foundation, but it does not transform XIII into a modern progression-heavy action game.

That distinction is useful when interpreting reviews and search results. Older coverage often describes the launch build, while current buyers are evaluating the post-update PC edition with its reworked presentation and expanded multiplayer support.

XIII PC FAQ

Is XIII 2020 Remake currently called XIII on Steam?

Yes. The current Steam product title is XIII. Microids’ official materials commonly use XIII Remake, while “XIII 2020 Remake” remains a useful search phrase for distinguishing this version from the original game.

Does the PC version include the major update?

The PC version received the major Tower Five update as a free update for existing owners. The revision covered the art direction, artificial intelligence, multiplayer content, and other technical improvements.

Does XIII have campaign co-op?

No. The main story is single-player. Multiplayer is competitive, with online PvP and shared or split-screen PvP rather than cooperative access to the campaign.

How many players can join XIII multiplayer?

The official multiplayer update supports up to 13 players. The listed modes are Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and XIII Kills.

What is included in the paid PC game?

The base purchase includes the story campaign, comic-inspired presentation, 15 weapons, and competitive multiplayer. Steam separately lists the Golden Classic Weapon Skins Pack as a preorder bonus; no verified story expansion or season pass is attached to the current listing.

Does XIII support controllers on PC?

Yes. Steam lists full controller support and specifically identifies Xbox controllers as supported input devices.

Which languages are available?

The current Steam listing identifies English, French, Italian, Spanish from Spain, and German for the interface, full audio, and subtitles.