Destroy All Humans turns 20: they don't make 'em like this anymore

This weekend saw the 20th anniversary of Destroy All Humans!, a game defined by its phenomenally simple idea.

It’s a holdover of that weird genre which cropped up in the 2000s that pays homage to classic B-movies, and really appealed to fans of those kinds of pictures. I’m talking about games like Stubbs the Zombie, Body Harvest, and Lollipop Chainsaw.

In Destroy All Humans!, you’re an alien invading 1950s America, and must harvest as much human DNA as possible to prevent your species’ extinction.

It’s a pretty simple idea, but it’s also whacky and full of homage. The plot parodies certain cultural moments of the 1950s, including the Red Scare, UFOs, men in black, government conspiracies, and various popular sci-fi films of the time.

And it essentially does feel like a video game adaptation of a real sci-fi film from the ‘50s that we all forgot about. You know when you turn on the telly on a sleepless night, and ITV3 is showing an old film nobody but your grandad will remember?

What particularly makes Destroy All Humans! such a fun concept is its initial premise of being an alien invader. Pandemic Studios gave you a large amount of alien weaponry and let you loose on the world, free to unleash carnage on the humans as much as you want.

For example, a disintegrator ray that turns them into a pile of ash, or an electricity-based gun that chains several humans together. Or maybe you just want to bring out the probe and hit them where it hurts most.

Then you can take to the flying saucer and level buildings, all while abducting many humans to probe later on. It was certainly a fun concept back in 2005, and even today it feels like a type of game that we don’t really get anymore. I mean, how many games just let you take out your frustrations on humanity?

It helps that the humans in this game are written to be as idiotic and unlikeable as possible. Most of them are designed based on 1950s archetypes: xenophobic, bigoted, and violent. The game’s sense of humour often presents these characters in a bad light, with them often becoming the butt of the joke. Either way, it makes you feel a lot better about killing them though, while also poking fun at stereotypes of the 1950s.

If you want to play Destroy All Humans! in 2025, the original is on sale on modern platforms, with a backwards compatible version available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S (as well as PS4 and Xbox One). Similarly, its ‘60s-set sequel is also available on the PlayStation Store.

Following the release of Destroy All Humans! 2, two more sequels were made. One was a Wii exclusive, while the other came to PS3 and Xbox 360. Both games were pretty middling, and had some particularly bad design and performance problems. The series was shelved for just over a decade as a result.

It was then announced in 2020 that the original Destroy All Humans! would receive a remake, with an engine upgrade enhancing the visuals and gameplay while preserving the feel of the original. It even re-added a cut mission from the original to help it feel complete.

This was followed by a remake of Destroy All Humans! 2 in 2022, pretty much doing the same thing here as the first remake. Reviews were mixed, and the game apparently did not sell too well considering THQ Nordic hasn’t really done anything with the IP since then.

But it feels like a new Destroy All Humans! would be a no-brainer, yes?

With each new game in the series jumping forward ten years or so, a potential new game would be set in the 1980s or 1990s. That’s a brand of nostalgia that’s pretty ‘in’ right now when you consider the popularity of shows like Stranger Things and Yellowjackets.

Perhaps it delves into Reaganism, the Cold War, MTV, pop music, and the early internet. You could parody things like Men In Black and The X-Files, or even Star Wars and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. Honestly, ‘80s sci-fi is a treasure trove of parody ideas, it seems like this is begging to happen.

It definitely feels like a case of when rather than if. PS2 nostalgia is at an all-time high right now, evident by the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 remakes, plus new Splinter Cell, Onimusha, and Kingdom Hearts entries in development. We’re probably going to see more PS2 gems receive new sequels in the coming years.