Game preservation is an important subject. Games are a form of art through and through and art needs to be preserved through the years and generations. As technology moves forward, old games just become a relic of the past because of their age and the usage of old technologies. With no way to run them on modern hardware, they may be left behind completely in an unplayable state which is sad, to say the least.
One way of game preservation is through emulation, and another is through remastering or remaking old classics. Remasters involve simply slapping a new coat of paint over the old product without changing anything about it. On the other hand, a remake is where things get interesting as most remakes are built from the ground up, removing what didn’t work, adding what may work and experimenting with new ideas and giving the game a modern look and feel. Let’s take a look at some classic video games that deserve a remake.
Resident Evil
Capcom has been on fire recently, releasing incredible game after incredible game and immaculate PC ports. A trend that, I believe, Capcom made popular in the industry is remaking old classics like they are continuously doing with their Resident Evil series. Don’t get me wrong, remakes were a thing before as well but when Capcom remade Resident Evil 2, they set a standard for what remakes should be and raised the bar a lot higher for the competition.
Resident Evil 3 & 4 followed, and the quality remained consistent. Here’s a pitch, instead of moving forward and giving us a remake for Resident Evil 5, why not go back and remake the original Resident Evil? It’d be incredible to go back to the mansion where it all began and take control of Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield once more, fighting zombies and other crazy monstrosities now in proper third person with stunning visuals. Capcom, if you happen to see this, then please make Resident Evil 1 Remake a reality.
Dino Crisis
Let’s make another request to Capcom while we are at it. Since they love remaking old games so much and they are damn good at it, asking for a Dino Crisis Remake should be a no-brainer, right?
For the uninitiated, Dino Crisis was another popular survival/ action-horror series where you played as Regina and Dylan and the games played just like Resident Evil. But instead of zombies and virus-born enemies, you fought and ran away from dinosaurs. Need I say more to convince anyone to ask for a remake of this? Not a lot needs to be said about this one as it’ll look, sound and play pretty much exactly like the Resident Evil games and that’s a sight we’d love to see. Capcom please, it’s time for this to happen.
Metal Gear Solid
Konami was kind enough to announce a remake for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (now being called Metal Gear Solid Delta), which is awesome news but what about the game that started it all? Yeah, I know Metal Gear Solid isn’t the first Metal Gear game, but you know what I mean.
Stealth games are not very common these days, but this genre is so fun and satisfying that it’s a shame that it’s dying slowly. The re-emergence of the game that pretty much started it all in this day and age might do the job and revitalize people’s interest and perhaps even give the genre a much-needed second coming. Metal Gear Solid was fantastic and was way ahead of its time anyways. So, it’s not like they’ll have to change a lot to make it fit the modern standards. Konami is quite literally sitting on a gold mine, and I think it’s time they start realizing it and start giving us the games we have been asking for.
Assassin’s Creed
Assassin’s Creed is one of the most popular and iconic gaming franchises on this planet. The series loves to make history its playground and take us through different eras of time across the world. While Assassin’s Creed Mirage is almost literally upon us and Assassin’s Creed: Codename Red is on the horizon, Ubisoft can and should take the first game and remake it from the ground up so that both new and old fans of the series can enjoy it.
Think about it, it’s the only Assassin’s Creed game that is unplayable on modern consoles (minus Xbox, thanks to backwards compatibility) and is the only game in the franchise that doesn’t get the love it deserves. Even a lot of veteran players have missed out on this one so the right thing to do would be to re-tell the story of Altair and let us revisit the Holy Land once again, this time using the brilliant AnvilNext Engine.
Dead Space 2
I’ll keep this one short and sweet and assume that this is the one remake in this entire list that’s actually going to happen in the next couple of years.
Dead Space as a series took survival horror to new heights with its creepy ambiance, intriguing plot and of course, the terrifying Necromorphs. With the success of the remake of the first Dead Space that came out in early 2023 (seriously, they did a fantastic job!), it’s only a matter of time till we get the remake for Dead Space 2 and once it does drop, we’ll be there.
Simpsons Hit & Run
Another entry that doesn’t need a lot of build-up or consideration, Simpsons Hit & Run was like GTA but with the Simpsons and this has to be by far one of the best Simpsons games that ever came out. Now imagine pulling off all of those shenanigans once again with prettier visuals and you can see where I am getting at, right?
Bully
If there’s one word that can describe Rockstar Games, then it has to be perfectionism. The developers across all of their studios are incredibly talented and the games they produce are some of the best video games that have come out from this industry. With iconic series like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption under their belt, it feels like Bully, one of their finest and simplest games that came out in 2005 has been forgotten.
Bully gave us control of Jimmy Hopkins who gets dropped off at Bullworth Academy and just like GTA, you can explore the surrounding town and be a menace to others. All of this came packed with a teenager spin, as you weren’t a criminal here but a student. So, attending classes, doing chores and secretly going on dates with your girlfriends among other things made this game a charming and memorable masterpiece. If there is one game from Rockstar’s portfolio that needs to be revisited once more, then that game has to be Bully. So please Rockstar, give us some hope for this one.
Red Dead Redemption
Another Rockstar game and another masterpiece, Red Dead Redemption 1 also deserves a remake if you ask me. Don’t get me wrong, the game is fine and holds up very well even after almost 13 years of its release. But one element that’s missing from it can be rectified with a simple remake and bring the two games even closer to each other. And that element is changing the dialogue.
Undoubtedly, Red Dead Redemption 1 is a very well-written game that tells an incredible story. However, due to the plot events of Red Dead Redemption 2, which I won’t spoil here, the story in the first game feels a little off if you play them chronologically. All in all, it’s a small thing, but changing it can make a heap of a difference and elevate this masterpiece to even greater heights.
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead needs no introduction. It’s one of the best co-op zombie shooters that ever came out. Period. Not only was it a horde-based, action-packed journey but it also had a ton of charm, personality and stories to tell which is a rare combination in these kinds of games.
Why does this game deserve a remake? Simple. It’s awesome and there’s nothing like it. Back 4 Blood tried filling its shoes but it didn’t quite hit the mark so I think it’s time for Left 4 Dead to awake from its slumber and teach these new kids how it’s done.
Forza Horizon
The last entry on this list is a personal pick of mine and that pick goes to Forza Horizon, the first game. With so many racing games around and each bringing in bigger maps, supercars, more speed traps, collectables and all that jazz, I think it’s time for this genre to go back to its roots for just a bit and pump the brakes to enjoy a breezy drive.
While more cars and bigger maps is fun, there’s something serene and calming about the first Forza Horizon game. All of that stems from a car roster that wasn’t very big, a map that didn’t have a lot to it and a simple objective of climbing the ranks among 250 drivers and becoming the number 1 driver in the Horizon festival. Revisiting Colorado and driving around old cars from the early 2010s without changing a lot and just seeing the game with new and shinier graphics may be a nostalgic enough experience that should be considered at the very least.
