Remastered games are a practice that Sony likes to lean on a bit lately, but we’re fine with that. God of War III Remastered has never looked better than it does on PlayStation 4, and the prospect of a newly rebuilt Medievil game sounds pretty damn good to us.
And then there’s Bluepoint Games, a team that specializes in making old games feel new again. Their Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is a superb remastering of the three PlayStation 3 adventures, and Shadow of the Colossus is already shaping up to be one of this year’s biggest surprises.
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So what other games would be great for this generation as far as remakes go? They can be touched-up remasters, or fully rebuilt experiences for players to get back into. Luckily, we’ve got a few ideas of what Bluepoint and other studios could work on…
Metal Gear Solid
The original Metal Gear Solid hasn’t been revisited since the good ol’ days of The Twin Snakes on the GameCube – and that seems like an eternity ago. The original game did see a re-release on PlayStation 3 as a digital download, and that brought some memories stirring back of good ol’ Solid Snake.
But the time has come. Since Konami’s trying to get its Metal Gear brand up and running again, it should just outsource a studio to rebuild the classic Solid experience for a new generation to enjoy, with fantastic new visuals, fun gameplay and maybe even a few additional secrets for good measure.
The only question is who would work on it. Silicon Knights worked on The Twin Snakes, but that studio is long gone. Hey, maybe we can see what Bluepoint is up to, hmmm?
Chrono Trigger
Square Enix does show some interest in reviving some of the classics from its heyday, as we’re getting Final Fantasy VII Remake…well, someday, and Secret of Mana is right around the corner for next month on PlayStation 4 and PC. But its next step in bringing back favorites should be a simple one – Chrono Trigger. The game has been a true classic since its debut on SNES more than two decades ago, and people still talk about how great it is. And while the PlayStation 3/PS Vita re-release has been pretty good to us, it’s time to bring back the game in a whole new light.
Not only would it sell like hotcakes, but it would regenerate interest in the franchise again, big time. You know what that could mean – sequel.
While we’re at it, how about HD treatments of Xenogears and Einhander? They’re about due as well. What do you say, Square?
Burnout 3: Takedown
Some traction has been building for EA’s proposed HD remake of Burnout Paradise, which has been hinted at for some time now. But if the team was really smart, it would go back and release the one true game that shook things up – Takedown. This racing masterpiece re-introduced the idea of aggressive driving, as you could wreck opponents into the middle of next week while, at the same time, attaining a first place victory. Its return, with beautiful HD renders and maybe even a few new cars, would most certainly be welcome.
And lest we forget the real factor that made Takedown so special – the best Crash mode yet. We’re talking millions of dollars in damage. Hell yes.
Red Dead Redemption
Why not? Rockstar Games has proven just how well remasters have done, with L.A. Noire generating some great sales. So, before Red Dead Redemption II blows our minds this summer, how about a re-release of the game that started it all? Not only would Redemption do well on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 front, but it would give Rockstar the golden opportunity of introducing the game to the Nintendo Switch and, finally, PC. They could even have some extra features thrown in, like more online modes.
Also, you can’t possibly tell us that it’s becoming tiring to tie someone to the railroad tracks and watch them get run over. Because we sure aren’t tired of it.
Viewtiful Joe
Capcom hasn’t revisited the Viewtiful Joe franchise in some time, but they still clearly care about the character, as he was added to the Pocket Fighter mobile game as a character recently. And if Okami HD can get some love, why not Joe? This would be the ideal opportunity to reintroduce the hero to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, with all three of his games – including the underappreciated Red Hot Rumble – ready to play. The visuals would no doubt look fantastic, and the gameplay, with its rewind and fast-forward features, could still prove to be an innovation for some. This is one production that we would most certainly get behind.
Mass Effect Trilogy
Alright, so you’ve probably heard a thousand requests for this series at this point, and we’re pretty sure that EA has the message right now. But releasing the Mass Effect Trilogy for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and (maybe) Nintendo Switch would be perfect right now. There are two reasons why.
Number one, the company doesn’t have a big game on deck for 2018 at the moment, save for its sports fare and A Way Out. Mass Effect Trilogy would obviously be a big hit with fans, and generate enough sales for the company to transition into 2019’s release of Anthem with ease.
Number two, it may soften the blow of Mass Effect: Andromeda. While some people liked it, there are others who yearn for the older adventures of Commander Shepard, and Trilogy would no doubt welcome them back.
It was a big hit on PlayStation 3, EA – so just make it happen already.
The Simpsons: Hit & Run
This one is a huuuuge long shot, mainly because we don’t even know who has the rights to the Simpsons games anymore. For that matter, the game’s original developer, Radical Entertainment, is also long gone. But, boy, if Disney or some other studio could make this happen, it’d be the fine return of the Simpsons gaming era that a lot of fans have been waiting for.
Hit & Run served to be the best of the games in the Simpsons series, just because it took the Grand Theft Auto ball and rolled with it so well. The gameplay is manic fun, and the show’s characters and themes are perfectly recaptured, right down to the somewhat ridiculous jokes. Whoever can make this happen, please. It needs to.
Spyro the Dragon Collection
Of course we’re going to mention Spyro again – because it just makes sense. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy generated big revenue for Activision, and showed just how effective a classic platformer can be rebuilt from the ground up. So why can’t the same be done for the original Spyro games? Get Vicarious Visions to dig deep and work alongside Insomniac Games to create the majestic worlds once more, while at the same time bring back the flame-spewing gameplay that was so fun back in the original PlayStation era. A daunting task? Sure. But fans would be all over this like fire on a sheep. (Okay, maybe that wasn’t the greatest analogy, yet it works.)
Klonoa
While we’re picking personal favorites left and right, I’ve got one that I absolutely want to see – Klonoa. The original Door To Phantomile got the remake treatment on the Wii, and did really well there, so re-releasing it for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 just makes sense. For good measure, Bandai Namco should also throw in Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil, which serves as one of the most beautiful – and enjoyable – platforming experiences on the PlayStation 2. Putting these two games together and giving them the rebuilt, repolished treatment would do wonders for the license – and give Namco yet another holiday hit to lean upon.
BONUS: Maximo
Capcom is known for revisiting classic titles with a vengeance, but there’s one franchise that hasn’t gotten much love lately – Ghosts ‘n Goblins. We do see the old-school games re-emerge in collections and on mobile, but what about the Maximo games? These were awesome on the PlayStation 2, with Ghosts to Glory and Maximo vs. Army of Zin faring very well with fans. Seeing them again with the HD treatment would be a smart move on Capcom’s part, and reinvigorate a series that we’d love to see more of. A contemporary side-scrolling Ghosts ‘n Goblins game with more challenging levels and unique weapons? What’s not to love about that?
BONUS: Rule of Rose
Survival horror games have great potential when it comes to remakes – just look at what the Resident Evil HD Remastered release did for Capcom. So we’ve got a nice suggestion to Atlus – give us back Rule of Rose. This was one of the bigger cult titles in the PS2 library, revolving around a young girl named Jennifer who becomes trapped in a world ruled by young girls, part of a hierarchy known as the Red Crayon Aristocrats. We won’t give away any more plot than that, but this experience deserves a second chance at discovery, just because it stands out so much. Is it controversial? Sure, but it’s also something that could find an audience worthy of its time. We know our own Liana Ruppert would easily dig dozens of hours back into it. Maybe even more than that.
