The original PlayStation version of MediEvil has become the latest PS1 classic to receive the recompilation treatment, with BlackLabelHQ releasing the first public beta of MediEvilRecomp.
Rather than remaking the 1998 game or simply packaging an emulator, the project uses static recompilation technology to translate the original PlayStation game's code into a form that can run natively on modern computers.
What MediEvilRecomp adds
BlackLabelHQ released version 0.1b on 1 October 2026. The current build includes widescreen support, scalable aspect ratios, increased draw distance, higher frame-rate support, PGXP, terrain improvements and frame interpolation.
The developers are clear that this is still an open beta rather than a finished 1.0 release. Some features remain imperfect and users may encounter audio problems or even game-breaking bugs.
It still requires the original game
Importantly, the project does not distribute Sony's original game data. Users need a legally owned North American PlayStation copy of MediEvil and must provide the required game files themselves.
That approach allows the recompilation project to concentrate on translating and recreating the technical environment required to run the game rather than distributing the commercial game's copyrighted assets.
Recompilation is becoming increasingly important to retro preservation
Static recompilation has become one of the most interesting developments in retro gaming. Instead of interpreting a console's instructions continuously at runtime in the way a conventional emulator does, a recompiler can translate the original executable instructions ahead of time and provide a modern runtime that recreates the hardware services the game expects.
BlackLabelHQ's underlying RecompOne project is specifically designed around the original PlayStation's MIPS architecture and PS1 hardware environment. The team says MediEvilRecomp combines recompilation with some decompilation work where required.
The result is another route for keeping original console software usable on modern systems while allowing features that would have been impossible or impractical on the original hardware.
Console Revive take
Projects like MediEvilRecomp are fascinating because they complement rather than replace original-hardware preservation. Keeping PlayStation consoles, controllers and discs functioning remains important, but understanding the software well enough to rebuild its relationship with the original hardware gives preservationists another way to keep these games accessible for decades to come.
The fact that users still need their own game data is also an important distinction. This isn't a newly distributed copy of MediEvil; it's a new technical route for running the game you already own.
It's early days for this particular release, so we'd treat the current build as something for enthusiasts to experiment with rather than a finished replacement for playing the original PS1 release.
Sources
BlackLabelHQ – MediEvilRecomp project
BlackLabelHQ – MediEvilRecomp releases
BlackLabelHQ – RecompOne
GamesRadar – independent coverage