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The Hot Topic Returns


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It's a toss up between the first two REs for me for different reasons. RE1 for being the best version of that formula and one of the best games ever, but I think RE2 might deserve more plaudits for how successfully it adapted that same formula into modern trappings with little to no compromise needed. Unfortunately Capcom's batting average for RE hasn't been as good for me personally since then but even if RE2 is the only one that ends up being that good it's great to have a RE game that brings back all that puzzle box adventure game stuff and makes it work again

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REmake 1, no contest. It improved on every aspect of the original game and added more, through Lisa Trevor and Crimson Heads.  It wasn't one of those remakes blighted by trying to be "modern", or some hack trying to make their version of the original game.

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I agree with Dwarf that the RE 1 and 2 remakes are both gold standard in different ways in approaching remakes and I can't think of anything that comes close.  Maybe Tomb Raider Anniversary.  I like it quite a bit, anyway.  What about Doom '16? I guess it could be argued it's more of a reboot than a remake and I suppose Doom 3 is too.  It's a fun scenario for a videogame, why not keep using it.

 

I really like those 3DS versions of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask but are they maybe more a remaster, just a particularly dramatic one?  I'm not getting into that.  I like them too anyway, they do look and perform quite a bit better than the N64 ones but still have an N64 identity to them.  I don't think I put the Wind Waker Wii U version here as I guess it falls even more into remaster territory than those do.

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for me it's probably Dragon Quest V on the DS. I never played the original, but that remake is one of my favourite games.

 

Going back a bit, but as it's been kind of in the news, Sonic Jam on the Saturn was a series of perfect remakes of the original Sonic games. Sort of against the spirit of the question I guess, they did change one or two things, but it was more a way of getting the original games on to the Saturn than it was to remake the game

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The Final Fantasy DS remakes are also worth a mention here. Phenomenal, from the ground up improvements on their SNES counterparts. Alongside surprisingly good VO and cutscene direction. I only wish 5 & 6 could have received the same treatment.

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From my perspective that's just a port. A remake/remaster suggests at least some improvements to the basic technical foundation of a game, but Deluxe looks and runs identical to the WiiU version. 

 

As for the question I'm going with a lesser known example and will say Dracula X Chronicles. I absolutely loved that game on PSP and I think it did a fantastic job of making Rondo of Blood just a tad more approachable for a new generation while still maintaining the challenge and overall feel of the original. I know some hardcore fans sneer at the remake but I think it's a fantastic game. Too bad it's locked on that system and has never been re-released.

 

As for remasters I'll go with FFXII. I already loved the original version, but the improvements made to the Zodiac edition basically make the base version unplayable in retrospect. Not to mention that the jump in resolution removes the almost blinding amount of aliasing present on the PS2.

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45 minutes ago, Maryokutai said:

As for remasters I'll go with FFXII.

 

I wanted to put that as it's close to being my favourite game of all. I had no real experience of the original tho, so for me the remaster is the original if you know what I mean.

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It's a good remaster because it's basically a radical rethink of its entire job system and turns XII from a game where each character is a 'blank slate do everything perfectly type deal' (like FFVII, VIII and to a certain extent X) to being specialists roles (like VI, IX, sort of XIII and definitely VII Remake). The latter system just works better for RPGs imo, and XII is excellent in replay value cause of how you pick and combine the roles, and I think some of the latter releases of Zodiac Age relaxed it a bit and let you re-roll if you were really unsatisfied, but I think that's a PC and Switch exclusive thing

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Suppose I just struggle a bit with what counts as remake / remaster ; clearly if they stick it in the title, but then if you take iterations of something like Tetris, then even the early ports had tweaks from the original game - so does something like the Gameboy Tetris (or then even Tetris DX on the GBC) count?

 

I guess no-one really cares too much, but if you're sticking labels on things, then maybe recognise that remakes / remasters perhaps aren't just a new thing.

 

 

 

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A remake is usually you're taking a design idea or story from an original game and rebuilding it, is what I think. Something which is iterative like FIFA is clearly not a remake, I think. Those games are the equivalent of upgrading your version of microsoft excel, maybe we need a new term for them (lazy cash in I suggest)

 

Remasters are basically enhanced ports with new features. Some remakes really toe the line there tho *cough lastofus cough*

 

Tetris DX on gameboy probably is a kind of remaster, similar to Link's Awakening DX. Instead of HDR/4k it was colour. Remasters aren't new, they're basically just a posh way of calling a 'port' something else I think. Remakes aren't new either but they've clearly in vogue in a big way now that they weren't before

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So FIFA is (often) just a remaster then (esp. if built on the same graphics engine) - yep I know I'm being a bit flippant - but it does in some way illustrate how tricky it can be to put a label on something (or not).

 

Then you've got games, let's say things like the LucasArts games (Sam & Max, DoTT, and Monkey Island), or the Black Isle AD&D games, where some of the reason of doing the new versions isn't necessarily just to cash in, but Steam/ DOSbox and GoG aside, it's providing a new platform with the means to access/play them.

 

Whether this means Backwards Compatibility is the route to reduce the need for remarks/remasters is another debate.

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Resident Evil 1 Remake is the absolute pinnacle. If only they did the same for 2. 
 

After that, FFVIIR is fantastic and deserves special mention for also trying something new and not just being the original beat for beat. SoTC deserves a shout out and rounding off my list is THPS 1+2. 

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14 minutes ago, shinymcshine said:

So FIFA is (often) just a remaster then

 

Maybe if they released FIFA 17 again this year with a bump in resolution and framerate you could level that at it... otherwise no, I've never seen yearly iterations on games being called remasters.

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Im struggling to think of any proper remakes, maybe because i rarely play a game more than once. The shottriggers games on ps4/switch like ketsui/garegga/esp ra.de./etc are ports, really accurate ports, with extra features/modes, but its just good to have them on more modern systems. Gravity rush on ps4 was better than the vita one because it just suits a bigger screen and better controller, but the game was basically the same i think. Persona 4 golden was good but i think id be fine with playing the original too.

 

id like to play mgs twin snakes but havent.

 

oh yeah samus returns and zero mission are sort of remakes, those are really good

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