With several games in sight to return through the big door, such as Prince of Persia and Demon’s Souls, we review the best remakes we have seen in the history of the video game. What is your favorite?
Remake is defined, in the RAE, as an adaptation or new version of a work, especially a movie. Beyond this tagline that shows that the academy has not taken too much attention to the world of video games, the remake concept is broad enough to cover a large number of proposals. And the line that delimits a remake of a remaster, something also common in recent years, is at least blurred. New interpretations of an existing game, a notorious facelift, changes in mechanics and resolution of previous technical problems … Leaving some room for maneuver without wanting to delimit the exact definition of a remake too much, at Meristation we have decided to choose which are the 10 best remakes currently now that some are on the way like Prince of Persia or Demon’s Souls.
That is why we have brought together editors and collaborators to vote on which remakes they have best remembered according to their preferences. Naturally, the results come out of the sum of votes and therefore, there may be positions that are defined by a little margin or by some very specific preference of some. Be that as it may, and beyond the order that has ended up established, we have no doubt that the remakes that have crept onto our list are among the best we remember. Leaving even others outside that could surely be inside.
So without further ado, this is the top 10 video game remakes that we have chosen at Meristation. Are you agree?
10.- Metroid: Zero Mission
We opened the top 10 with a pocket remake that gave another air to a first-rate game like the premiere of the Metroid series on the NES years before. Zero Mission was here to turn a solid but basic idea into an update that brought it closer to Super Metroid than anything else. It was not just about offering graphical and playable improvements, but also expanding the details related to our protagonist, Samus Aran. And it is that the visual change, highlighted in sprites, large enemies and more detailed scenarios, was added a much more pronounced backtracking, an endless number of hidden extras and the classic system of improvements to be able to access new areas that were impossible at first to throughout the five stations of Zebes. With precise control, new mechanics like being able to grip the edges, the presence of more weapons and special movements and its high replayability, Zero Mission is a splendid remake. Maybe a little easier than the original, but much more satisfying.
9.- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
It was 2012 when XCOM appeared, a turn-based strategy title developed by Firaxis and which was actually a remake (bordering on the reboot concept) of a cult game from the mid-nineties, UFO: Enemy Unknown . The return of the series, which has had expansions and a subsequent sequel, allowed us to enjoy a much more complex strategy game full of options. From the management of all the resources of the XCOM project to the diplomacy that made us position ourselves in certain requests and objectives, as well as the versatility of the military groups that we had. Surely the essence remains, but the reality is that the complexity and requirement to succeed in XCOM was much higher than a UFO that gave enough facilities to finish, despite mistakes in our management, finally winning the games and being able to continue advancing. XCOM takes an idea and pushes it into options, complexity and versatility. And currently available on countless platforms.
8.- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D
Majora’s Mask is one of the most special games in the entire Nintendo factory, a waste of imagination thanks to the hand of Yoshiaki Koizumi, creator of all the plots and lore within Clock City, and surely the darkest Zelda of all. A title that on Nintendo 64 knew how to deal with the fact of being a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, with so many peculiarities that it was not exactly friendly. Time management, save points … There are several improvements and facilities offered by the Nintendo 3DS version. Starting with being able to continue playing after saving the game, or the manipulation of time that is now more precise and allows us to choose the specific time at which we want to move. The free camera, the gyroscope control for precise aiming, the accessibility of some objects with the touch screen (such as the ocarina), changes in some heads and the obvious improvement of the Bomber notebook, with much clearer details, make that surely there are lost complexity, but is currently much more digestible and enjoyable.
7.- Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes
Gamecube received some of the best remakes of its time, and they are still valid in our imagination. One of them is precisely Twin Snakes, the remake of the first Metal Gear Solid installment that was developed by Silicon Knights, the creators of Eternal Darkness. A game that, in addition to supplying a first level graphic and visual leap, was capable of transferring the best action of the second part to this original installment. With several improvements in control, such as the use of the first-person camera, hanging from the rails, hiding bodies in lockers or the use of weapons that were not in the PSX. Of course, the game happened to be much easier for all this. All this with spectacular scenes – where the Matrix had a lot to do with it – that for some broke the essence of Snake, although others defend that the saga has always gone in those directions. An AI that detected more details, memorable characters like Ocelot, Psycho Mantis or Vulcan Raven are still historical. Although along the way we lost much of the brilliant soundtrack and great PSX dubbing.
6.- Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver
The Pokémon saga is one of the most prolific, and on top of it twice with each premiere, that we remember. And also one of the most successful. It is impossible not to remember the overwhelming success of the Gold and Silver games, iconic titles that have a special place in the hearts of fans of the series. But it is that in 2010 came a remake for both cases called HeartGold and SoulSilver that followed the story of Johto’s trip to visit Kanto a posteriori, but with certain plot changes, new characters (Lira instead of Cris) and with relevant changes: a Totally redesigned Pokédex, a bundled item bag, Pokégear enhancements, and a host of other details. Not only visual, but also the change of direction of the Kanto Safari zone, objects that become keys or various legendary pokémon that can now be found in the game. Just as magical and at the same time, improved.
5.- Tomb Raider Anniversary
Lara Croft was a successful protagonist in her appearance during the nineties. And it was many years later, before its reboot, when it returned to the fray in 2007 with a remake of the original game. 11 years had passed and Anniversary wanted to follow the adventures of the explorer through his first letter of introduction. It is true that with this remake we lost part of the atmosphere that we had in the original delivery, but we gained in much more precise controls, more beautiful environments and well-planned puzzles, as well as improvements to certain areas of the original game such as everything related to St Francis Folly or the challenges inside the Midas palace. It is difficult to gauge whether this installment had the ability to improve the first half in absolute terms, but it was a good change to recall a game of yesteryear.
4.- Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is possibly one of the best games ever. An intimate work, very particular and at the same epic rate by Fumito Ueda and his Team ICO. A story, also, devastating for what it tells and how it tells it. In which, when you finish, you realize what has happened. In the hands of Bluepoint, Shadow of the Colossus is simply an even more powerful game. It looks like a game of this generation on a visual level, with colossi that impose even more, a soundtrack that leaves its mark when it has to and, for those who want it, modes and extras to extend its useful life. In general, the experience improves relentlessly, although we continue to have a camera problem at certain times. A game that is history and that keeps it the same or more alive thanks to a renovation of height.
3.- Black Mesa
To speak of Black Mesa is to speak of Half-Life. And of a project that began by and for the fans and that has ended up being the official remake of one of the best video games in history. Using the Source engine from the second installment, and after leaving the people at Valve speechless with the result, the title went on to have an official product vitola. The development took long enough for it to be published in 2020, visually it looks like five or six years ago, yes. But we are not facing a new coat of paint, but a reimagining expanding sections, editing irregular areas, correcting problems and, also, expanding the experience as we could not imagine. Eliminating the four levels of the world of Xen, where the original plummeted, to offer four incredible levels, which are the best of the title and which involve a job that we do not know if Valve would have dared to do. The best way to play Half-Life today is this. Definitely.
2.- Resident Evil 2
We reached second place with one of the best games of the present generation. The Resident Evil 2 remake that Capcom published at the beginning of 2019 has taken a deep dive and is a demonstration of good work with remakes on current platforms. A game that went far beyond being an update of a classic: it reinterprets it, redefines it, removes it. All this to surprise new and old players. In addition to being the return to the lost survival horror essence with the latest numbered installments. The balance between action, puzzles and exploration is ideal, as is respect for his original work. The title, in addition, is capable of not being linked to any immovable situation if it believes that what it is going to offer will make sense. And it succeeds. The will to reinterpret while maintaining the essence is what makes us one of the best games on its own and, also, one of the best remakes.
1.- Resident Evil Remake (Gamecube)
And we come to number 1, which has won with a much higher number of votes than the rest. The game that was exclusive to Gamecube and that redefined a classic like Resident Evil from PSX, improving absolutely every aspect of the original Capcom work. Most evident were the graphical improvements in both modeling and pre-rendered environments. A generational jump of the first. But also, driving tension and the feeling of constant danger. Even more. And at the playable level, another title. Rising Crimson Heads, new locations like the graveyard or Lisa Trevor’s impressive plot, as well as some new documents. The presence of defense weapons such as knives and batteries with discharges, new puzzles or the power to make a 180 degree turn (yes, the tank-like control was maintained) completed a true masterpiece. And the perfect example of how to base a brilliant game and improve it in all aspects. Without a doubt, the best remake that we remember after the votes cast in Meristation and that, after its departure on Gamecube, received an HD revision with other changes.
