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Remakes. Love them or loathe them, they are here to stay. Some remakes can be very good, whilst some can be very poor.
Remakes are most often found in the world of movies, where film bosses have a keen Dollar making eye for a cash-in, but soon, could the idea of remaking video games become more commonplace?
The spruced-up remake of Capcom’s classic creepy gore-fest Resident Evil will soon be arriving here on the Gamecube, but will it open the floodgates for more developers to slack off and simply take their best-loved franchises and remake or repackage them? Or will some developers follow Capcom’s example and create a well-made remake? And could this be a good or a bad thing?
Think of some of your favourite older games and then wonder, “could a modern remake be good?”
You have to really look at the movie business to see how the idea of a remake works. As we all know, some Hollywood remakes actually manage to surpass their predecessors and are brilliant films (i.e. The Thing), but some are ill-conceived cash-ins that completely besmirch the name of the original (i.e. Get Carter).
One of the most famous remakes of recent times was Tim Burton’s “re-imagining” of the classic 1968 film “Planet of the Apes”. Whilst some say that the remake wasn’t too bad, big fans of the original (such as myself) didn’t really like it, and left the cinema wondering why they even bothered to remake such a classic.
The original had the cynical He-man anti-hero astronaut Charlton Heston with his interesting outlook on mankind, cool quotes and funky loincloth combined with brilliant satire/social commentary/hidden meanings/morals/messages. However, the remake had Mark “never had an acting lesson in my life” Wahlberg looking gormless fighting against overly scary apes in funny hats and the film had no real meaning.
The original is a classic the remake is pap.
Other poor/needless remakes include:
“Psycho”: why bother to outdo Hitchcock’s seminal classic?
“Godzilla”: turn famous Japanese icon who often defends Tokyo into terrifyingly evil and un-Godzilla looking beast who destroys New York.
“Day of the Jackal”: they turned the stylish 1973 thriller into 1997’s travesty “The Jackal”, with Richard Gere having the most dodgy of “Oirish” accents, and Bruce Willis wearing a variety of strange wigs.
“Get Carter”: The less I say about this the better.
Rollerball: long in development but ended up being laughable compared to the classic original.
“Mean Machine”: replace loveable Burt Reynolds in American Football prison comedy with Vinny Jones in crappy football prison “comedy”.
“Shaft”: I haven’t seen the remake, but it’s not meant to be as good as the classic 70’s ‘Blaxploitation’ flick.
“The Italian Job”: replace loveable cockney Michael Caine with Mark Wahlberg. The result? Hmmm...only time will tell with this potential gem...
Add to that list “The Saint”, “The Avengers”, always rumoured “A-Team” movie and many more.
So does the future look bleak for video game remakes? Actually no. Because whilst Hollywood has managed to make us all laugh at hilariously bad remakes, there have been some that have been good, proving that films can be good despite being remakes.
Akira Kurosawa’s classic “The Seven Samurai” was remade as “The Magnificent Seven” with pretty darn good results.
John Carpenters classic 70’s urban chiller “Assault on Precinct 13” is a loose remake of “Rio Bravo”.
The ultra stylish “Ocean’s Eleven” is often regarded as being superior to the original Rat Pack self-indulgence.
Both “The Thing” and “The Fly” are superior to the originals.
Though that’s not a very long list of good remakes and I’ve probably forgotten some other good ones, it does show that it can happen.
So could video game remakes be good?
I think they could work, provided they are developed with care and skill and are not just hasty cash-ins such as FIFA 2003, 2004, Euro 2004, 2005, 2006, World Cup 2006...designed to rip-off the consumer by releasing recycled tosh (are you listening EA?)
Many people often accuse developers of running a bit low on the originality front these days with innovative ideas thin on the ground, so remakes could be a viable option when many of today’s games and game characters are just not as good as they used to be, they could simply take an existing concept and (hopefully) improve on it.
The characters, plot/story, setting are already in place, so there doesn’t have to be loads of time developing new characters etc, so lots of time can be spent on enhancing the visuals and adding some new gameplay elements.
And, if the title is a remake of an older or more obscure game, then it might gain a new fanbase amongst newer gamers, such as the new version of Manic Miner on the GBA.
The “new” Resident Evil looks amazing, and has received warm reviews (and a high Famitsu score I think), and it is a perfect example of how to remake a video game.
When it was first announced that Capcom would remake Resident Evil, there were a few cynical eyebrows raised with many sceptics ready to cry “cash-in”, but now it’s finished, the doubters have been silenced and a worthy remake is the result.
It’s a shame that the remaining Resident Evil titles wont be remade for the Gamecube in the same way as the original was, just re-released versions. I would have loved an all-new version of Resident Evil 2 (my favourite of the series).
HOWEVER, it is a fine line to tread though, as if you mention the word “remake”, people are often slightly perturbed as it’s usually assumed that remake is a by-word for cash-in and would therefore be mere recycled rubbish. So extra effort must be made to maximise the games potential and not let it become a poor rehash.
Another problem with remaking games is that for the most part you may be treading on familiar ground with the title, i.e. played it all before, so there may not be enough new content to the game to make it a worthwhile purchase. Some new elements must therefore be added to keep the title fresh aside from just enhanced visuals, such as new puzzles, locations, weapons etc.
There should also be justification that the title needs to be remade; the original Resident Evil is looking pretty dated now, so a new next-gen update is very welcome, but there shouldn’t be thousands of remakes done willy-nilly.
So what titles would or could be remade in the future?
The rumoured remake/special edition of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is interesting. If the reports are true, I wonder how much time and effort Nintendo will devote to it will it be a mere special edition or a remake with plenty of new things to experience? Or is the rumour just false???
In an ideal world, a remake or special edition of GoldenEye would be gaming nirvana, with improved graphics and sound (with some voice acting), perhaps a co-op option, new one-player levels, more multiplayer characters, levels, weapons, options etc. It would sell quicker than nude photos of Britney Spears.
A remake of the original 8bit Metal Gear games would be cool, and even a new version of Metal Gear Solid; with enhanced MGS2 style visuals and more gameplay features would be welcome.
There haven’t been many decent point & click games in the last few years, so how about remakes of old classics such as Broken Sword 1 & 2, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, Beneath a Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress, Sam & Max, the older Monkey Island games etc. They wouldn’t need a major overhaul; perhaps just a big graphical boost for the backgrounds, maybe some new areas and puzzles, and the older puzzles could be tweaked slightly for the experienced players. Though many gamers would have already played through them, they would be new and fresh for younger gamers.
I for one would definitely buy new graphically enhanced versions of Broken Sword 1 & 2.
Remakes of the older Final Fantasy titles or Secret of Mana would be a welcome addition for next-gen systems. Keep the gameplay structure, but give it a 21st century overhaul with far better graphics, new locations, weapons, enemies etc.
Whilst the idea of movie remakes sends a shudder of trepidation through the spine, video game remakes, if done well, could be a very good way of giving gamers new versions of their favourite old games, and younger gamers some good new games to experience. If they choose to do a remake, developers should look closely at what Capcom did with Resident Evil to ensure they are doing it right.
Hopefully if video game remakes are commonplace in the future, we won’t see any 2001 Get Carter equivalents, but you ever know...
Remakes are most often found in the world of movies, where film bosses have a keen Dollar making eye for a cash-in, but soon, could the idea of remaking video games become more commonplace?
The spruced-up remake of Capcom’s classic creepy gore-fest Resident Evil will soon be arriving here on the Gamecube, but will it open the floodgates for more developers to slack off and simply take their best-loved franchises and remake or repackage them? Or will some developers follow Capcom’s example and create a well-made remake? And could this be a good or a bad thing?
Think of some of your favourite older games and then wonder, “could a modern remake be good?”
You have to really look at the movie business to see how the idea of a remake works. As we all know, some Hollywood remakes actually manage to surpass their predecessors and are brilliant films (i.e. The Thing), but some are ill-conceived cash-ins that completely besmirch the name of the original (i.e. Get Carter).
One of the most famous remakes of recent times was Tim Burton’s “re-imagining” of the classic 1968 film “Planet of the Apes”. Whilst some say that the remake wasn’t too bad, big fans of the original (such as myself) didn’t really like it, and left the cinema wondering why they even bothered to remake such a classic.
The original had the cynical He-man anti-hero astronaut Charlton Heston with his interesting outlook on mankind, cool quotes and funky loincloth combined with brilliant satire/social commentary/hidden meanings/morals/messages. However, the remake had Mark “never had an acting lesson in my life” Wahlberg looking gormless fighting against overly scary apes in funny hats and the film had no real meaning.
The original is a classic the remake is pap.
Other poor/needless remakes include:
“Psycho”: why bother to outdo Hitchcock’s seminal classic?
“Godzilla”: turn famous Japanese icon who often defends Tokyo into terrifyingly evil and un-Godzilla looking beast who destroys New York.
“Day of the Jackal”: they turned the stylish 1973 thriller into 1997’s travesty “The Jackal”, with Richard Gere having the most dodgy of “Oirish” accents, and Bruce Willis wearing a variety of strange wigs.
“Get Carter”: The less I say about this the better.
Rollerball: long in development but ended up being laughable compared to the classic original.
“Mean Machine”: replace loveable Burt Reynolds in American Football prison comedy with Vinny Jones in crappy football prison “comedy”.
“Shaft”: I haven’t seen the remake, but it’s not meant to be as good as the classic 70’s ‘Blaxploitation’ flick.
“The Italian Job”: replace loveable cockney Michael Caine with Mark Wahlberg. The result? Hmmm...only time will tell with this potential gem...
Add to that list “The Saint”, “The Avengers”, always rumoured “A-Team” movie and many more.
So does the future look bleak for video game remakes? Actually no. Because whilst Hollywood has managed to make us all laugh at hilariously bad remakes, there have been some that have been good, proving that films can be good despite being remakes.
Akira Kurosawa’s classic “The Seven Samurai” was remade as “The Magnificent Seven” with pretty darn good results.
John Carpenters classic 70’s urban chiller “Assault on Precinct 13” is a loose remake of “Rio Bravo”.
The ultra stylish “Ocean’s Eleven” is often regarded as being superior to the original Rat Pack self-indulgence.
Both “The Thing” and “The Fly” are superior to the originals.
Though that’s not a very long list of good remakes and I’ve probably forgotten some other good ones, it does show that it can happen.
So could video game remakes be good?
I think they could work, provided they are developed with care and skill and are not just hasty cash-ins such as FIFA 2003, 2004, Euro 2004, 2005, 2006, World Cup 2006...designed to rip-off the consumer by releasing recycled tosh (are you listening EA?)
Many people often accuse developers of running a bit low on the originality front these days with innovative ideas thin on the ground, so remakes could be a viable option when many of today’s games and game characters are just not as good as they used to be, they could simply take an existing concept and (hopefully) improve on it.
The characters, plot/story, setting are already in place, so there doesn’t have to be loads of time developing new characters etc, so lots of time can be spent on enhancing the visuals and adding some new gameplay elements.
And, if the title is a remake of an older or more obscure game, then it might gain a new fanbase amongst newer gamers, such as the new version of Manic Miner on the GBA.
The “new” Resident Evil looks amazing, and has received warm reviews (and a high Famitsu score I think), and it is a perfect example of how to remake a video game.
When it was first announced that Capcom would remake Resident Evil, there were a few cynical eyebrows raised with many sceptics ready to cry “cash-in”, but now it’s finished, the doubters have been silenced and a worthy remake is the result.
It’s a shame that the remaining Resident Evil titles wont be remade for the Gamecube in the same way as the original was, just re-released versions. I would have loved an all-new version of Resident Evil 2 (my favourite of the series).
HOWEVER, it is a fine line to tread though, as if you mention the word “remake”, people are often slightly perturbed as it’s usually assumed that remake is a by-word for cash-in and would therefore be mere recycled rubbish. So extra effort must be made to maximise the games potential and not let it become a poor rehash.
Another problem with remaking games is that for the most part you may be treading on familiar ground with the title, i.e. played it all before, so there may not be enough new content to the game to make it a worthwhile purchase. Some new elements must therefore be added to keep the title fresh aside from just enhanced visuals, such as new puzzles, locations, weapons etc.
There should also be justification that the title needs to be remade; the original Resident Evil is looking pretty dated now, so a new next-gen update is very welcome, but there shouldn’t be thousands of remakes done willy-nilly.
So what titles would or could be remade in the future?
The rumoured remake/special edition of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is interesting. If the reports are true, I wonder how much time and effort Nintendo will devote to it will it be a mere special edition or a remake with plenty of new things to experience? Or is the rumour just false???
In an ideal world, a remake or special edition of GoldenEye would be gaming nirvana, with improved graphics and sound (with some voice acting), perhaps a co-op option, new one-player levels, more multiplayer characters, levels, weapons, options etc. It would sell quicker than nude photos of Britney Spears.
A remake of the original 8bit Metal Gear games would be cool, and even a new version of Metal Gear Solid; with enhanced MGS2 style visuals and more gameplay features would be welcome.
There haven’t been many decent point & click games in the last few years, so how about remakes of old classics such as Broken Sword 1 & 2, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, Beneath a Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress, Sam & Max, the older Monkey Island games etc. They wouldn’t need a major overhaul; perhaps just a big graphical boost for the backgrounds, maybe some new areas and puzzles, and the older puzzles could be tweaked slightly for the experienced players. Though many gamers would have already played through them, they would be new and fresh for younger gamers.
I for one would definitely buy new graphically enhanced versions of Broken Sword 1 & 2.
Remakes of the older Final Fantasy titles or Secret of Mana would be a welcome addition for next-gen systems. Keep the gameplay structure, but give it a 21st century overhaul with far better graphics, new locations, weapons, enemies etc.
Whilst the idea of movie remakes sends a shudder of trepidation through the spine, video game remakes, if done well, could be a very good way of giving gamers new versions of their favourite old games, and younger gamers some good new games to experience. If they choose to do a remake, developers should look closely at what Capcom did with Resident Evil to ensure they are doing it right.
Hopefully if video game remakes are commonplace in the future, we won’t see any 2001 Get Carter equivalents, but you ever know...
mikelar wrote:
> As for Broken Sword - the 3rd ones coming out on the Cube/PS2 soon and
> the originals are already out for the GBA.
*
It's coming out on all formats. The return of George Stobbart.... excellent.
> As for Broken Sword - the 3rd ones coming out on the Cube/PS2 soon and
> the originals are already out for the GBA.
*
It's coming out on all formats. The return of George Stobbart.... excellent.
Oh, and good post Totoro, I too think remaking games like Beneth a Steal Sky and Lure Of The Temptress can only benefit the lagging genre of the point n click. Especially since they are both by Revolution Software (one of my favorite developers).
As for Broken Sword - the 3rd ones coming out on the Cube/PS2 soon and the originals are already out for the GBA.
The rest was good.
As for Broken Sword - the 3rd ones coming out on the Cube/PS2 soon and the originals are already out for the GBA.
The rest was good.
1993 the first one came out, 10 years later somebody decides that the series actually had potential.
I hope the new game isn't like the sequel though, relative to the orginal, it sucked.
I hope the new game isn't like the sequel though, relative to the orginal, it sucked.
I'm looking forward to the suped-up remake of Toejam & Earl. - The last game in the series was what, 10+ years ago.
Good post, Totoro.
I didn't read it, but I knew it must be good becauise you did it.
:-)
I didn't read it, but I knew it must be good becauise you did it.
:-)
Remakes. Love them or loathe them, they are here to stay. Some remakes can be very good, whilst some can be very poor.
Remakes are most often found in the world of movies, where film bosses have a keen Dollar making eye for a cash-in, but soon, could the idea of remaking video games become more commonplace?
The spruced-up remake of Capcom’s classic creepy gore-fest Resident Evil will soon be arriving here on the Gamecube, but will it open the floodgates for more developers to slack off and simply take their best-loved franchises and remake or repackage them? Or will some developers follow Capcom’s example and create a well-made remake? And could this be a good or a bad thing?
Think of some of your favourite older games and then wonder, “could a modern remake be good?”
You have to really look at the movie business to see how the idea of a remake works. As we all know, some Hollywood remakes actually manage to surpass their predecessors and are brilliant films (i.e. The Thing), but some are ill-conceived cash-ins that completely besmirch the name of the original (i.e. Get Carter).
One of the most famous remakes of recent times was Tim Burton’s “re-imagining” of the classic 1968 film “Planet of the Apes”. Whilst some say that the remake wasn’t too bad, big fans of the original (such as myself) didn’t really like it, and left the cinema wondering why they even bothered to remake such a classic.
The original had the cynical He-man anti-hero astronaut Charlton Heston with his interesting outlook on mankind, cool quotes and funky loincloth combined with brilliant satire/social commentary/hidden meanings/morals/messages. However, the remake had Mark “never had an acting lesson in my life” Wahlberg looking gormless fighting against overly scary apes in funny hats and the film had no real meaning.
The original is a classic the remake is pap.
Other poor/needless remakes include:
“Psycho”: why bother to outdo Hitchcock’s seminal classic?
“Godzilla”: turn famous Japanese icon who often defends Tokyo into terrifyingly evil and un-Godzilla looking beast who destroys New York.
“Day of the Jackal”: they turned the stylish 1973 thriller into 1997’s travesty “The Jackal”, with Richard Gere having the most dodgy of “Oirish” accents, and Bruce Willis wearing a variety of strange wigs.
“Get Carter”: The less I say about this the better.
Rollerball: long in development but ended up being laughable compared to the classic original.
“Mean Machine”: replace loveable Burt Reynolds in American Football prison comedy with Vinny Jones in crappy football prison “comedy”.
“Shaft”: I haven’t seen the remake, but it’s not meant to be as good as the classic 70’s ‘Blaxploitation’ flick.
“The Italian Job”: replace loveable cockney Michael Caine with Mark Wahlberg. The result? Hmmm...only time will tell with this potential gem...
Add to that list “The Saint”, “The Avengers”, always rumoured “A-Team” movie and many more.
So does the future look bleak for video game remakes? Actually no. Because whilst Hollywood has managed to make us all laugh at hilariously bad remakes, there have been some that have been good, proving that films can be good despite being remakes.
Akira Kurosawa’s classic “The Seven Samurai” was remade as “The Magnificent Seven” with pretty darn good results.
John Carpenters classic 70’s urban chiller “Assault on Precinct 13” is a loose remake of “Rio Bravo”.
The ultra stylish “Ocean’s Eleven” is often regarded as being superior to the original Rat Pack self-indulgence.
Both “The Thing” and “The Fly” are superior to the originals.
Though that’s not a very long list of good remakes and I’ve probably forgotten some other good ones, it does show that it can happen.
So could video game remakes be good?
I think they could work, provided they are developed with care and skill and are not just hasty cash-ins such as FIFA 2003, 2004, Euro 2004, 2005, 2006, World Cup 2006...designed to rip-off the consumer by releasing recycled tosh (are you listening EA?)
Many people often accuse developers of running a bit low on the originality front these days with innovative ideas thin on the ground, so remakes could be a viable option when many of today’s games and game characters are just not as good as they used to be, they could simply take an existing concept and (hopefully) improve on it.
The characters, plot/story, setting are already in place, so there doesn’t have to be loads of time developing new characters etc, so lots of time can be spent on enhancing the visuals and adding some new gameplay elements.
And, if the title is a remake of an older or more obscure game, then it might gain a new fanbase amongst newer gamers, such as the new version of Manic Miner on the GBA.
The “new” Resident Evil looks amazing, and has received warm reviews (and a high Famitsu score I think), and it is a perfect example of how to remake a video game.
When it was first announced that Capcom would remake Resident Evil, there were a few cynical eyebrows raised with many sceptics ready to cry “cash-in”, but now it’s finished, the doubters have been silenced and a worthy remake is the result.
It’s a shame that the remaining Resident Evil titles wont be remade for the Gamecube in the same way as the original was, just re-released versions. I would have loved an all-new version of Resident Evil 2 (my favourite of the series).
HOWEVER, it is a fine line to tread though, as if you mention the word “remake”, people are often slightly perturbed as it’s usually assumed that remake is a by-word for cash-in and would therefore be mere recycled rubbish. So extra effort must be made to maximise the games potential and not let it become a poor rehash.
Another problem with remaking games is that for the most part you may be treading on familiar ground with the title, i.e. played it all before, so there may not be enough new content to the game to make it a worthwhile purchase. Some new elements must therefore be added to keep the title fresh aside from just enhanced visuals, such as new puzzles, locations, weapons etc.
There should also be justification that the title needs to be remade; the original Resident Evil is looking pretty dated now, so a new next-gen update is very welcome, but there shouldn’t be thousands of remakes done willy-nilly.
So what titles would or could be remade in the future?
The rumoured remake/special edition of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is interesting. If the reports are true, I wonder how much time and effort Nintendo will devote to it will it be a mere special edition or a remake with plenty of new things to experience? Or is the rumour just false???
In an ideal world, a remake or special edition of GoldenEye would be gaming nirvana, with improved graphics and sound (with some voice acting), perhaps a co-op option, new one-player levels, more multiplayer characters, levels, weapons, options etc. It would sell quicker than nude photos of Britney Spears.
A remake of the original 8bit Metal Gear games would be cool, and even a new version of Metal Gear Solid; with enhanced MGS2 style visuals and more gameplay features would be welcome.
There haven’t been many decent point & click games in the last few years, so how about remakes of old classics such as Broken Sword 1 & 2, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, Beneath a Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress, Sam & Max, the older Monkey Island games etc. They wouldn’t need a major overhaul; perhaps just a big graphical boost for the backgrounds, maybe some new areas and puzzles, and the older puzzles could be tweaked slightly for the experienced players. Though many gamers would have already played through them, they would be new and fresh for younger gamers.
I for one would definitely buy new graphically enhanced versions of Broken Sword 1 & 2.
Remakes of the older Final Fantasy titles or Secret of Mana would be a welcome addition for next-gen systems. Keep the gameplay structure, but give it a 21st century overhaul with far better graphics, new locations, weapons, enemies etc.
Whilst the idea of movie remakes sends a shudder of trepidation through the spine, video game remakes, if done well, could be a very good way of giving gamers new versions of their favourite old games, and younger gamers some good new games to experience. If they choose to do a remake, developers should look closely at what Capcom did with Resident Evil to ensure they are doing it right.
Hopefully if video game remakes are commonplace in the future, we won’t see any 2001 Get Carter equivalents, but you ever know...
Remakes are most often found in the world of movies, where film bosses have a keen Dollar making eye for a cash-in, but soon, could the idea of remaking video games become more commonplace?
The spruced-up remake of Capcom’s classic creepy gore-fest Resident Evil will soon be arriving here on the Gamecube, but will it open the floodgates for more developers to slack off and simply take their best-loved franchises and remake or repackage them? Or will some developers follow Capcom’s example and create a well-made remake? And could this be a good or a bad thing?
Think of some of your favourite older games and then wonder, “could a modern remake be good?”
You have to really look at the movie business to see how the idea of a remake works. As we all know, some Hollywood remakes actually manage to surpass their predecessors and are brilliant films (i.e. The Thing), but some are ill-conceived cash-ins that completely besmirch the name of the original (i.e. Get Carter).
One of the most famous remakes of recent times was Tim Burton’s “re-imagining” of the classic 1968 film “Planet of the Apes”. Whilst some say that the remake wasn’t too bad, big fans of the original (such as myself) didn’t really like it, and left the cinema wondering why they even bothered to remake such a classic.
The original had the cynical He-man anti-hero astronaut Charlton Heston with his interesting outlook on mankind, cool quotes and funky loincloth combined with brilliant satire/social commentary/hidden meanings/morals/messages. However, the remake had Mark “never had an acting lesson in my life” Wahlberg looking gormless fighting against overly scary apes in funny hats and the film had no real meaning.
The original is a classic the remake is pap.
Other poor/needless remakes include:
“Psycho”: why bother to outdo Hitchcock’s seminal classic?
“Godzilla”: turn famous Japanese icon who often defends Tokyo into terrifyingly evil and un-Godzilla looking beast who destroys New York.
“Day of the Jackal”: they turned the stylish 1973 thriller into 1997’s travesty “The Jackal”, with Richard Gere having the most dodgy of “Oirish” accents, and Bruce Willis wearing a variety of strange wigs.
“Get Carter”: The less I say about this the better.
Rollerball: long in development but ended up being laughable compared to the classic original.
“Mean Machine”: replace loveable Burt Reynolds in American Football prison comedy with Vinny Jones in crappy football prison “comedy”.
“Shaft”: I haven’t seen the remake, but it’s not meant to be as good as the classic 70’s ‘Blaxploitation’ flick.
“The Italian Job”: replace loveable cockney Michael Caine with Mark Wahlberg. The result? Hmmm...only time will tell with this potential gem...
Add to that list “The Saint”, “The Avengers”, always rumoured “A-Team” movie and many more.
So does the future look bleak for video game remakes? Actually no. Because whilst Hollywood has managed to make us all laugh at hilariously bad remakes, there have been some that have been good, proving that films can be good despite being remakes.
Akira Kurosawa’s classic “The Seven Samurai” was remade as “The Magnificent Seven” with pretty darn good results.
John Carpenters classic 70’s urban chiller “Assault on Precinct 13” is a loose remake of “Rio Bravo”.
The ultra stylish “Ocean’s Eleven” is often regarded as being superior to the original Rat Pack self-indulgence.
Both “The Thing” and “The Fly” are superior to the originals.
Though that’s not a very long list of good remakes and I’ve probably forgotten some other good ones, it does show that it can happen.
So could video game remakes be good?
I think they could work, provided they are developed with care and skill and are not just hasty cash-ins such as FIFA 2003, 2004, Euro 2004, 2005, 2006, World Cup 2006...designed to rip-off the consumer by releasing recycled tosh (are you listening EA?)
Many people often accuse developers of running a bit low on the originality front these days with innovative ideas thin on the ground, so remakes could be a viable option when many of today’s games and game characters are just not as good as they used to be, they could simply take an existing concept and (hopefully) improve on it.
The characters, plot/story, setting are already in place, so there doesn’t have to be loads of time developing new characters etc, so lots of time can be spent on enhancing the visuals and adding some new gameplay elements.
And, if the title is a remake of an older or more obscure game, then it might gain a new fanbase amongst newer gamers, such as the new version of Manic Miner on the GBA.
The “new” Resident Evil looks amazing, and has received warm reviews (and a high Famitsu score I think), and it is a perfect example of how to remake a video game.
When it was first announced that Capcom would remake Resident Evil, there were a few cynical eyebrows raised with many sceptics ready to cry “cash-in”, but now it’s finished, the doubters have been silenced and a worthy remake is the result.
It’s a shame that the remaining Resident Evil titles wont be remade for the Gamecube in the same way as the original was, just re-released versions. I would have loved an all-new version of Resident Evil 2 (my favourite of the series).
HOWEVER, it is a fine line to tread though, as if you mention the word “remake”, people are often slightly perturbed as it’s usually assumed that remake is a by-word for cash-in and would therefore be mere recycled rubbish. So extra effort must be made to maximise the games potential and not let it become a poor rehash.
Another problem with remaking games is that for the most part you may be treading on familiar ground with the title, i.e. played it all before, so there may not be enough new content to the game to make it a worthwhile purchase. Some new elements must therefore be added to keep the title fresh aside from just enhanced visuals, such as new puzzles, locations, weapons etc.
There should also be justification that the title needs to be remade; the original Resident Evil is looking pretty dated now, so a new next-gen update is very welcome, but there shouldn’t be thousands of remakes done willy-nilly.
So what titles would or could be remade in the future?
The rumoured remake/special edition of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is interesting. If the reports are true, I wonder how much time and effort Nintendo will devote to it will it be a mere special edition or a remake with plenty of new things to experience? Or is the rumour just false???
In an ideal world, a remake or special edition of GoldenEye would be gaming nirvana, with improved graphics and sound (with some voice acting), perhaps a co-op option, new one-player levels, more multiplayer characters, levels, weapons, options etc. It would sell quicker than nude photos of Britney Spears.
A remake of the original 8bit Metal Gear games would be cool, and even a new version of Metal Gear Solid; with enhanced MGS2 style visuals and more gameplay features would be welcome.
There haven’t been many decent point & click games in the last few years, so how about remakes of old classics such as Broken Sword 1 & 2, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, Beneath a Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress, Sam & Max, the older Monkey Island games etc. They wouldn’t need a major overhaul; perhaps just a big graphical boost for the backgrounds, maybe some new areas and puzzles, and the older puzzles could be tweaked slightly for the experienced players. Though many gamers would have already played through them, they would be new and fresh for younger gamers.
I for one would definitely buy new graphically enhanced versions of Broken Sword 1 & 2.
Remakes of the older Final Fantasy titles or Secret of Mana would be a welcome addition for next-gen systems. Keep the gameplay structure, but give it a 21st century overhaul with far better graphics, new locations, weapons, enemies etc.
Whilst the idea of movie remakes sends a shudder of trepidation through the spine, video game remakes, if done well, could be a very good way of giving gamers new versions of their favourite old games, and younger gamers some good new games to experience. If they choose to do a remake, developers should look closely at what Capcom did with Resident Evil to ensure they are doing it right.
Hopefully if video game remakes are commonplace in the future, we won’t see any 2001 Get Carter equivalents, but you ever know...