Many gamers have played older generation titles that infuse a sense of nostalgia even now. Thanks to the effort of gaming studios, some famous previously released titles that gained popularity or simply flopped upon the launch due to some issues, have been brought back to life in a much modern, remastered state. Eneba store recommends five remakes that were met with a round of applause and currently are some of the most played titles, appreciated by thousands of gamers worldwide.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
No surprise that we’re kicking off this list with a Nintendo exclusive, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake. Originally released back in 1993 on a Game Boy, the title was some of the greatest Nintendo works, and today many younger gamers can enjoy memorable adventures with the famous elf called Link. The remaster of the classical JRPG top-down game has been crafted with the utmost care, keeping in mind what made the original The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening so popular back in the day.
The remastered edition was released in 2019 on the portable Nintendo Switch console and the visuals look stunning. Playful toy-like graphics make the game exceptionally adorable, but the prize goes to developers for recreating the witty charm of the story and gameplay, not just the visuals. Gameplay mechanics have been modernized, players can embark on numerous more quests than the ‘98’s version of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and the soundtrack has been revised to create a unique mood for the game.
2. Resident Evil III
Capcom has made a splendid decision when the studio set out to rework the original Resident Evil III that was released back in the year 1999. The survival horror title was a massive hit back then, so no wonder that the remake was anticipated with great excitement by the gaming community. The game follows the story of Jill Valentine who is doing everything in her power to escape the Raccoon city that’s infected with a lethal biological weapon. Capcom did far more than just revise the graphics and gameplay mechanics of RE 3.
The original game’s story was full of plot twists that kept players on their toes and left them yearning to see how things unfold but it had issues – the plot was too fragmented and scattered. Capcom took this into consideration so the remade Resident Evil 3 contains a smoother and more linear storyline that grants a much better understanding of what is going on. Of course, the graphics are stunning and detail-oriented. Gameplay mechanics, such as gunplay, for instance, have been reworked so brilliantly that players can enjoy an action-packed survival in a fictional world where death and danger lurk seemingly behind every corner. The return of Nemesis in a remastered Resident Evil 3 is a grand entrance of evil that most gamers are all too familiar with.
3. Shadow of the Colossus
Sony’s exclusive title Shadow of the Colossus was originally released back in 2005 for PlayStation 2. In spite of the game being quite oldish, it’s worth has not diminished over the years and provides a spellbinding experience in terms of narrative and visuals. However, in 2018 Sony delivered a remake of the single-player action-adventure game and elevated what already seemed like a fine creation. What was a unique lore-rich story is now a grandiose adventure across the dazzling world of Shadow of the Colossus.
The developers from Bluepoint Games chose accordingly in their decision what must be retained and which game features need in-depth reworking. The premise of the game revolves around fighting enormous creatures of various kinds in the forbidden land. The land, in the remake, takes the breath away with the detailed design and a colour palette of toned-down colours that create a distinct atmosphere. The controls have been revised as well for more fluid navigation and combat experience. The story retains most of the original game’s narrative structure and contents, so fans of the original title can enjoy the masterfully crafted remaster of one of the best PlayStation exclusives.
4. Final Fantasy VII
Another fantasy story to receive a chance for a second life is Final Fantasy VII. The original game was published back in 1997 on PlayStation and was another mesmerizing iteration in the popular Japanese sci-fi series. Square Enix developers had every right to pride themselves on the original Final Fantasy games that gathered an enormous fan base over the years, but the remake of this title once again proves the prowess of the studio. Most remakes change quite a number of features found in the original titles (in no way that is a bad thing) but creators of FFVII retained most features rather assiduously which won the fans’ graces.
The setting details, every character, every piece of design, and even gameplay, as well as control mechanics, have been retained authentically and taken to another level in the process of modernization. The combat system has now more fast-paced action that immerses during the most crucial moments of the game, and everything looks simply gorgeous in the HD. The meticulously detailed world adds much depth to the sci-fi atmosphere and characters bear far many more facial expressions, making interactions effectively more realistic and engaging. Overall, the remake was a huge success that breathed new life into the Final Fantasy VII game.
5. Spyro Reignited Trilogy
The original Spyro games were launched quite a while back: Spyro the Dragon (1998), Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage (1999), and Spyro: Year of the Dragon (2000). The trilogy was released on PlayStation and brought hours of enveloping gameplay with the heroic and quirky little dragon that has become an iconic character in the gaming community. Luckily, Toys for Bob and Activision decided that the trilogy needed some reviving, so in 2018 they released Spyro Reignited Trilogy on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Toys for Bob did a splendid job of remaking the nostalgic game that the current generation would find appealing and fun. Developers repolished graphics to deliver outstandingly colourful HD visuals and reworked gameplay mechanics to make the controls and overall experience far smoother, and as with every good remake, the storyline and all the charms that made the trilogy so special were retained in the remastered versions of the games.