Top 5 games I'd love to see remastered

oh if only...

Despite being fed up with overpriced re-releases, I really don't hate them for being what they are. I'll always support the idea of games being supported on modern formats with upgrades provided to match more modern standards. This applies especially if they decide to revive something once limited like multiplayer, or revisit and fix up objectively broken mechanics. However a question I commonly ask myself is what games would I truly love and wish to see this treatment done to? What games that I love would most benefit from this? Well lets try and name off 5 good ones. The big rule here is, despite the heading picture, we're not talking about full remakes or games beyond 1 generation of age. We're talking about simple ports brought over from the recent generation; Games that haven't quite fallen apart technically, yet could still use a nice shine. However as weird as it may sound, franchises and series can still get a mention as long as they've got a strong presence within last generation.

Honorable Mentions:

...and man do I have a bunch.

Space Marine

One of my favorite 3rd person shooters ever, and just amazing to play. Not so much on the eyes though, as everything is just flat, grainy, and it doesn't help that the setting stays so dreary and repetetive. I get that there's no fixing that last bit, but the rest was better on PC from what I can tell. You can tell there was a lot of great effort put into the game's detail, especially the gore, particle effects, and general aesthetics, so why not get a nice remake to help show it? Oh and all that ridiculous amounts of cosmetic DLC. It really just needs to be bundled in, and maybe throw in death squad (a tiny promotional twin stick shooter game) as well. Well I guess its just not a big priority game, and I've got to admit as much as I'd like to see it there are better choices out there. So... I wont hold my breath for it, and I can't even put it anywhere on the real list.

Bad company 2

Seriously Dice, if you can't seem to get your act together and make another good battlefield game, the least you could do is port over the most loved recent one. BC2 was the last time we saw a solid campaign, true destructible environments, good support, and just a generally positive attitude from this franchise. A lot of people I talk to, even fans of the ongoing stuff, say that this was really the last golden game from Dice in a while. Naturally I'd think it'd be great if it were brought back. Still it really isn't the end of the world if it isn't... and lets face facts, its not going to be.

StarHawk

This game just deserved better. Give it another chance, make a nice and shiney new port, and I will love you guys for the attempt alone. Still its kind of petty to beg for a port just to continue and try and revive an already lost gem of last gen. *sigh*

Resistance trilogy

...and by that I mostly mean Resistance 3, but oh what the heck why not just go ahead and re-do all of them. Resistance 3 was one of the better FPS games on the PS3. It had great balance, solid mechanics, fun weapons, cool enemies, a good story with a surprising twist or two, and was generally a great adventure. Resistance 1 was generic in its time, but impressively solid none-the-less, and it wouldn't hurt bringing that back either. For chronological sake, and the fact that it wasn't as bad as it sounds, Resistance 2 should be brought back as well... even though its the black sheep of the lot and did so much wrong. Overall It'd be a great series to have around on the PS4. Still there's much bigger fish to fry, and honestly it wouldn't hurt to stick around on PS3.

Mass Effect trilogy

Actually this ain't my vote at all. I really have no friendly ties to this series, and in fact think it (and bioware in general) are ridiculously over-rated. Still this is a very self-less and understanding pick for others out there, and I know this series would be appreciated and benefit greatly under a remaster. Not my vote, but nearly everybody else's. I'm quite honestly shocked one isn't confirmed to be on the way yet. Get on it EA, and you'll print money easily from it, while pleasing so many.

The real list begins now...

5) Crysis Trilogy

I'm not a big fan of crysis, but I still enjoyed the later two games, and I've had no reason to think sourly of the original. Regardless this is a series sadly underlooked, and mostly just noted for its graphics. Well fine, the graphics are great, but so is the gameplay. Why not port and enhance both? Its really not a major priority in my book, but it keeps crossing my mind as a good idea. With its various ways to play, great visuals, and its interesting suit focus that now fuels many present shooters, it'd be a great idea to re-do this stuff on the PS4 with a stronger than ever hold on console technology. Just maybe they'll also do something about those horrible ragdolls, but I hear that has something to do with legal problems so I'm probably just having wishful thinking here.

4) TES: Skyrim & Oblivion

Mostly skyrim, because we all know there were some messed up console ports last gen (especially on PS3). Its not only a game that could use higher PC setting updates to look nicer, but it could be totally rebuilt to fix a lot of issues previously had. Not only that, but with the new promise of mods on consoles for Fallout 4 we might even have a chance to retro-actively include some for skyrim (assuming their mod system idea is just that awesome). Furthermore can't we all just put down some petty hatred that some share and agree that Skyrim in some form, be it theoretical or time consumingly real, was an impressive RPG that deserves to be remembered and done justice to? To add to that, why not throw in Oblivion for those that prefer that more, and with good reason, and fix that auto-leveling problem it had. The idea of an Elder Scrolls double pack remastered form sounds amazing, and it would hold TES fans over until the next release (likely out in 2018). It might also make up for TES online, because even without touching that thing I can tell you its not faithful nor desired by many of the fans.

3) Killzone Trilogy (or at least 2)

Yeah you should have known this was coming on my blog. For the record Killzone 1 doesn't really need to be updated, but it would just be nice if they threw in the HD form. Of course I'd accept a remake to, but that's not what this blog article is about. In general I would just love them to re-do the Killzone trilogy but also with the enhanced form of the later games. Killzone 2 especially. On top of that, give us updated servers and online support. This again goes double for Killzone 2. Actually if you just did Killzone 2, truly did the visuals some justice (and if guerrilla works on it, you know they will as they truly care about that graphical polish), and gave us a repackaged or even rebalanced online play then I will truly be thrilled and have one of my favorite remasters ever in my hands. Besides, the game holds up really nicely. Just look at this and remember its an early 2009 game that still managed to hold one of the best engines I've seen in an FPS game. It would transition well onto better hardware with even better enhancements. However here are some things I would like to emphasize with making a proper re-release for the Killzone series:

• Do not take out server lists or screw them up in any way. If you do go with Killzone 3's multiplayer (which you shouldn't, I'll get to that later), add them into it like it should have been in the first place.
• Do not wreck the control scheme. R3 aim-down-sights was perfectly fine, and there was already an ability to flip buttons to R2/L2 for the mainstream PS4 method. Also KZ2's aiming is just fine.
• Do not just slap on Killzone 3's multiplayer just because of its higher number. I'll assume you'll only do one multiplayer if at all, and it should not be that one. Much like Uncharted 3, people seem to recognize and poke at a game's failure for becoming too big or too removed from what it should have been. The reality is the devoted parts of the fanbase found more quality in Killzone 2 and probably even still play it to this day. Its been longer running, more accessible, had stronger mechanics, and was just objectively superior on some notes like statistics, clans, and servers. It had its flaws, but those would be better fixed or even left alone than just updating the lesser Killzone 3.
• Do not totally scrap all multiplayer. I doubt this would happen completely. Still at the very least keep bot skirmishes up and running in all games. I wouldn't honestly be too surpirsed if true multiplayer is left out, but just to be on the safe side I would make a demand to keep bots in.
• Uh... we can totally do away with some of those nearly impossible trophies though. Seriously, you have to be like the 1% elite in online leaderboards for one of them.

So there you have it. I'd love to see this old amazing game up and running again at 60fps, 1080p, and with renewed online support for the serious fans that still look back (or even play) the game as a golden time in the mostly bitter FPS world of the 7th generation.

2) Souls games

Yes some of us are still prepared to die, and in higher enhanced settings. Dark Souls is not just a personal favorite of mine, but also an undeniable classic of 7th generation that has earned an extremely dedicated and hardcore fanbase that surprisingly rose to a practically mainstream level of discussion. Of course though that isn't without the much loved Demons Souls, and you know what, it'd be fantastic if both hit a re-enhanced release to the newer consoles. Give us updated servers to keep the almost necessary online play going, give us a framerate that actually survives blight town, and give us a remastered version of this amazing game. I was completely shocked and disappointed when the Dark Souls 2 re-release completely jumped over this opportunity, and turned down the many fans that still prefer the original even more. Personally I'd rank Killzone 2 a bit higher on my own priorities, but I cannot deny the world would just be a happier place with this game getting it more.

1) Ratchet & Clank: Future series

...and now allow me to contradict that and be totally selfish again with my final pick. Despite the fact that this sold the least well on this list, it shows an extremely good quality that will make people happy anyways. Naturally I'm one of those people. Ratchet & Clank is just one of those franchises you can always pick up and play again. Re-live the adventure, the thrills, the laughs, the mayhem, and still get a very similar kick out of it the same way you did the first time. Despite some references and pop culture jokes, its timeless in gameplay mechanics as its always been there surviving first and foremost on its lengthy single player campaigns, its nice art style, and its good story telling fused with varied and well delivered gameplay. You don't need to update much to make the game feel right at home with just about anybody that just wants a fun experience. So I feel its a nice fit for re-enhancing, making it age even better, and seamlessly fitting onto modern consoles for new and old alike to pick it up and enjoy a great franchise. I'm not asking for the whole franchise, just the 4 adventure ones from the recent 7th generation era. Tools of Destruction, Quest For Booty, Crack in Time, and Into the Nexus. You can keep the spin-offs on the PS3.

Sadly the Future series has been scattered in releases with some going small and digital, and two more major releases where I know one lacked trophies. On top of that, Crack in Time (arguably the best game of the whole franchise) just does not suit bigger resolutions that well. It compromise to

Visuals will transition well

keep 60fps with its more advanced visuals lead to something giving, and that something was AA effects leaving the game pretty rough around the edges (literally) for bigger televisions and effecting most ready for 1080p now. A PS4 remaster would unify the games, give trophy support in places it lacked before, double the frame-rate of Nexus, smooth out and enhance the visuals (especially for Crack in time), and on top of that it would give people more of the story that the movie is trying to fill in for. Sure the movie is remaking the first game and you would think there's so much in between that and the Future series, but the first game is being remade specifically to fix it to be more based within the Future series. The movie/game is revamping the origin story to better fit with the Future timeline. Are you really going to make a movie & game tie-in to a filler plot point towards a part of the series that isn't even supported on your current systems? Well you can fix that with a remaster putting it into the hands of everyone on current hardware!

Of course some time I really wouldn't mind the whole series being bundled off somehow, but I can wait more for that. Like... when its all actually finished maybe. For now though I think it'd be a fantastic time to call for an update to the PS3 Future part of the series, where they can all be united and packed together nicely on the PS4 with what few fixes it needs in all the right places. Then with the freshly made movie and game out, we can dream of the potential future of the series (hoping it does in fact have one).

Classic Insomniac skies... always making you look up in wonder.
The article started with a pic like this, so it shall end with a good pic like this