Remasters tend to be a divisive subject.
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While many fans celebrate a tuned up and visually upgraded return to a game they previously loved, others decry companies for seeing an easy bundle of cash and just releasing old IP that no one wanted in the first place.
There is truth to both sides of this argument, but all in all, I tend to be in the pro-remaster camp. It gives fans a chance to play games they never got around too or return to a game they used to love with some fine tuning and visual improvements.
A few qualifiers before we get started. There will be selections on this list that have been rumored, but as long as it hasn’t been officially announced it’s fair game.
So without further ado, here are the remasters that we would like to see on current generation consoles.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 1 & 2
When I put in that small caveat in the intro, I was partly referring to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1 & 2. Thanks to some ratings leaksย from abroad, this looks like it could already be in the works.
It makes sense too, as the Marvel Universe has never been hotter both in film and in the comics. With Ultimate Alliance 2’s focus on the Civil War storyline from the books, now would be as good a time as any to release these games again with some visual polish.
The beat’em up mechanics don’t break any innovative ground, but especially in the original Ultimate Alliance, the respect paid to the characters was at an all time high. If they do release a new version of the game, it will be one of the few places where the selection of heroes doesn’t exclude the X-Men, something that has become all too common these days.
Skies of Arcadia
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I went all in with the Dreamcast, and while the selection of games was at times limited, the system had some all time classic games amongst its roster.
Case in point, the excellent Overworks developed Skies of Arcadia.
The game did receive a Gamecubeย port, but it came with its fair share of technical issues. I would love to see this classic turn-based RPG get a true remaster, upgrading the texturesย and audio to meet something more akin to today’s standards.ย
The element based ability system would still hold up, and the theme of Sky Pirates is still as imaginative today as it was back then. I think there is a whole new audience just waiting to love this game.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Legacy of Kainย was at one point a top tier franchise, and it would be nice to take a step towards that once more.
Issuingย a remasterย of the original Soul Reaverย would be a great way to remind fans just how much the series had going for it while also introducing the franchise to a group of fans whose only interactionย with the series comes from the ill-conceived shooterย Nosgoth.
Raziel is as interesting a protagonist as you can find, and getting to see the world of Nosgoth recreated on current gen consoles would be a big step in launching the character and universe back to prominenceย once more.
While many fans would be happy just to play the original, the goal of this remaster would likely be to gauge just how much interest there is in the world and property. If this were the launching pad for a new game in the series, I think it would justify the trip down memory lane.
Xenogears
While Final Fantasy VII takes the top spot in many fans hearts when it comes to Playstationย RPG’s, Square Enixย (at the time Squaresoft) was responsible forย several great roleplaying experiences during those days, and Xenogears was one of the best.
While part of the premise revolved around someone losing their memoryย (sound familiar?), once things branch out the story and characters are anything but rote. At the time Xenogearsย was praised for implementing loftier psychological themes into its dialogue and plot. As for the combat system, it introducedย mechanized robots called Gears into the fray, which the characters could call upon during battle.
While I would love a standard remasterย for this, there is a part of me that would love to see the company do something more along the lines of a remake, like what Square Enixย is doing with Final Fantasy VII. It likely won’t happen, but never say never.
You can get the game as a PS One classic on PS3 and PSP.
Red Dead Redemption
This is the second case of “its rumored, but not confirmed” on this list.
Though the rumor isn’t tied to a remaster of the original, but rather a true Red Dead Redemption sequel. The original came out in 2010, and while that is only 6 years ago, the franchise is still looked on fondly by the gaming community.
A sequel seems likely, but it probably won’t be here until at least mid-2017 at the earliest, as Rockstarย typically likes to take their time, and the game isn’t even announced yet. What better way to prime fans for a return to the universe than with a remasterย of the coveted original, especially if you plan on using any of the characters and lore as a foundation for the sequel.
