Posted by Xander Pakzad
The practice of recycling older titles is not necessarily new, but it sure is more frequent now than ever before. We’re still transitioning console generations, so many older PS3 and Xbox 360 games are coming out again on the PS4 and Xbox One. It's to be expected at this point. I don't have a problem with milking the cow... but eventually, we need some fresher milk.
Re-releasing not-that-old games—as well as the concerning trend of designing new games for both old and new systems at once—is not doing Sony or Microsoft any favors. From a business perspective, it’s short-term safety, and I’m sure they’re making the most amount of money.
But they’re also sending the message that their finest games are behind them and they’re not fully committing to their new hardware. We’re coming up on a year of these consoles, and even the biggest games (read: Destiny) aren’t the system-movers they should be because Sony and Microsoft are straddling the line between the 7th and 8th generations. Guys, you're almost one year old: act your age. (Also, how can we expect a robust, consumer-friendly, consumer-tested game streaming service if the consoles keep relying on re-releases?)
Nevertheless, there are some classics that should be revived. They either didn’t get the attention they deserved the first time around, or it’s been long enough that new audiences deserve to play a classic for themselves. There are too many to name them all, but let's go through a few and decide which ones deserve a rebirth and which ones don’t. Just… don’t.
Resident Evil HD - We don’t really need this, do we?
This is a remake… of a remake… of a game that’s had so many sequels and spin-offs, it’s hard to even remember how it started. I get that the Gamecube reboot of Resident Evil cleaned up the original pretty well. It has beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds, and it’s the game that introduced us to the awesomely terrifying crimson heads and Lisa Trevor. Still, can we not let a good game stay (un)dead? Let’s make new corpses instead of digging up old ones.
(image credit: Famitsu)
Grim Fandango - NEEDED
E3 had tons of exciting announcements this year, but the surprise that really made me squeal was the announcement of a Grim Fandango remake. When you finally get to play it, you kids probably won’t understand why people speak so highly of this game. Just know that it was one of the most fun, imaginative, and funny point-and-click adventures released in the genre’s 1990s' heydey. It was also Tim Schafer’s last game before creating his own studio, Double Fine Productions. With the adventure genre making a comeback in the form of Telltale’s dramatic take, maybe Grim Fandango will bring back the light-hearted spirit of LucasArts and Sierra Entertainment. (If you don't know what those words mean, just trust us and play it when it comes out.)
Total fanboys like me can watch the team discuss rebooting the classic in this panel from PAX Prime 2014.
The Last of Us: Remastered - Sort of needed…?
The game came out last year; I don’t need it “remastered.” However, I’m going to give this one a pass for a few reasons: 1) It’s a franchise Sony needs to represent on its new console in order to be competitive. 2) This version updates the graphics and adds a few new worthwhile features. 3) It’s an amazing game and story that everyone should experience. Let’s just hope this is the last of The Last of Us for awhile. Nobody needs "the best video game ever: pocket edition." *cough*BioShock*cough*
(image credit: The Verge)
What do you think of the remake cycle every game seems to go through? Is the turnaround time too short, or do you appreciate seeing old favorites come back so soon? Comment below or Tweet at us! @DweebCast
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.
