: Yeah it is weird to prefer M1's but the fighters are the exception to that
: rule for the reason you give. The XBLA fighters do look like an evolution
: of the originals but they don't need it as much as the troopers, S'pht,
: hunters and F'lickta do. They might also look jarring in the old map
: textures mode, though that applies to the XBLA monsters in general.
It's certainly not weird to prefer some of the M1 sprites, as Troopers, Enforcers, S'pht, and Hunters have a completely different aesthetic than their M2 counterparts.
But, to say the XBLA fighters look like an "evolution" of the originals is a bit much. The XBLA f'lick'ta and fighters look absolutely nothing like the originals, it was these two that I was specifically thinking of when I said the artists apparently tried to "make them look more menacing from an anthropomorphic viewpoint in order to sell a game."
The original fighters and fl'ick'ta were relatable characters, both in appearance and description. The f'lick'ta are merely alien beasts defending their territory, the fighters a pitiable underclass trying to survive having to follow the orders of their bureaucratic slaving masters.
The XBLA versions, on the other hand, have had sharp points exaggerated, shoulders broadened, etc., in a way that makes them look more grotesque and sinister. It's as if the artists never bothered to read Marathon's story at all, as if they were simply paid to make scary monsters that would look at home on a DOOM map.
For example, if one had read the relevant terminal from M2, one would know the maw of a F'lick'ta is a reproductive organ, not a digestive or offensive organ. The original artwork reflects this, with its six rounded bone nubs that could plausibly protect vulnerable young inside, while not posing an unnecessary hazard when it comes time to deliver. Yes, captive fl'lick'ta chew their young to prevent the Pfhor from taking them, but presumably they would not do so in the wild. Meanwhile, the 12 sharp teeth of the XBLA version look like they'd pose a much greater hazard and obstacle to the young behind them.
